Natural Resources and Northern Development advises that conservation officers are continuing enforcement to protect Manitoba’s natural resources through a variety of enforcement activities across the province.
On Nov. 4, a conservation officer in Thompson conducted a compliance check on Provincial Road (PR) 280 south of Split Lake. A vehicle was stopped on the road. The passenger was charged with hunting grouse from a provincial road and a fine of $486 was issued.
On Nov. 6, a conservation officer from Riverton received information about hunters trespassing on private land east of Lundar. A landowner/cattle farmer had confronted two hunters illegally hunting on his land without permission. The two adult males had shot at a whitetail deer on his property off the municipal road and were attempting to track the wounded animal. The officer attended the location, conducted a scene investigation and obtained an audio witness statement from the landowner. Following further investigation, officers located the two suspects. On Jan. 14, both suspects were issued tickets for hunting wildlife on private land without permission and fined $486 each. A conviction carries a one-year hunting suspension of big game and game bird licences.
In December, Swan River conservation officers became aware that a hay bale had been placed on private land in an area frequently visited by deer and elk. An order to remove the attractant was issued to the land’s lawful owner and conservation officers continued to monitor the area to ensure compliance with the removal order. On Jan. 8, officers discovered an animal had been killed near the hay bale. An investigation revealed that two individuals were staying at a hunting cabin on the private land. One individual admitted shooting an elk near the remnants of the hay bale and was issued a $672 ticket for hunting within 800 metres of a cervid bait. A restitution notice for $2,500 was also issued.
On Dec. 18 and 19, conservation officers from the Riverton compliance area located an elk blood trail east of Broad Valley. The elk had been wounded and never recovered. A second elk kill site and drag mark were located in the ditch nearby. Evidence at the scene revealed the second elk was illegally shot from the roadway. The officer had previously conducted a compliance check on an elk hunter in this area. During subsequent interviews, the hunter admitted he shot one cow elk and tracked it for two miles before abandoning the blood trail. The hunter also confirmed he illegally shot and killed a cow elk and tagged it with another person’s licence who was not present for the hunt. A search warrant was served and one processed cow elk was seized from a butcher’s shop. The suspect was issued tickets for possession of illegally taken wildlife, using another person’s tag and discharging a firearm from a municipal road, with fines totaling more than $2,000.
The individual was also assessed restitution for the cow elk valued at $1,500. If convicted, he faces a two-year hunting suspension of big game and game bird licences. The seized meat will be donated to a food bank.
On Dec. 19, conservation officers from the Winnipeg district received a complaint of a vehicle chasing a whitetail deer through a field near Starbuck. Officers investigated the complaint and identified a suspect from Winnipeg. Several violations were confirmed and the man was charged for possessing wildlife under the authority of a tag other than one issued with the license under which it was killed or taken. As a result, the accused was issued a ticket of $672.
While conducting a patrol to curtail illegal night hunting near Shilo on Dec. 21, conservation officers from the Carberry and Brandon compliance areas observed a vehicle travelling along a municipal road, shining lights from both the driver and passenger sides of the vehicle illuminating private agricultural fields. Officers watched the vehicle enter an area where a herd of elk was located and begin driving erratically toward and around the elk, illuminating the animals with the vehicle’s headlights. Officers attempted to stop the vehicle, which fled a short distance and came to a stop near a wooded area. Four male occupants fled on foot but were subsequently arrested with the support of the K-9 unit. The K-9 unit also located three firearms connected to the suspects. The vehicle was seized, as were various pieces of hunting equipment and a whitetail deer carcass. The four suspects were charged with hunting at night, hunting on private land without permission, pursuing big game from a vehicle and willfully obstructing a peace officer.
Anyone with information on illegal activity is asked to call their local Natural Resources and Northern Development office or the Turn in Poachers (TIP) line at 1-800-782-0076.
