Provincial Hunting Day, Saturday, Sept. 25 celebrates the role hunting plays in wildlife management and conservation, and includes activities at Oak Hammond Marsh Interpretive Centre, Conservation Minister Bill Blaikie said today.
“Hunting in Manitoba offers a wide variety of small- and big-game opportunities and we encourage those who participate to take advantage of those opportunities with friends and family this fall,” said Blaikie.
There will be free admission to Provincial Hunting Day activities at Oak Hammond Marsh, north of Winnipeg on PTH 7. Activities include:
• a wildlife art exhibit,
• traditional Métis music,
• an archery and air-rifle range,
• retriever dogs in action, and
• access to wildlife-management experts.
The fall season for black bear and archery seasons for white-tailed deer, non-draw moose, non-draw caribou and draw elk are underway in specific game hunting areas.
As Provincial Hunting Day in Manitoba approaches, all hunters are reminded to keep safety foremost when they take to the fields and woods. Hunting hours are from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.
Youth are encouraged to join a licensed adult hunter with a special low-cost licence available for young hunters. Hunters between the ages of 12 and 17 who have successfully completed the Manitoba Hunter Education Course or a similar course from another province are eligible to participate using the following options:
• shared or separate bag limits,
• special youth-hunting licences, and
• mentored hunting
The Hunter Education program is operated by the Manitoba Wildlife Federation and is now available online at www.hunterexam.com/canada/manitoba.
Hunters in several western Manitoba game hunting areas are required to submit biological samples (head, upper neck and lungs) to monitor the health of western elk and deer populations. Successful elk or deer hunters in game hunting areas 5, 6, 6A, 11, 12, 13, 13A, 18, 18A, 18B, 18C, part of 22 (west of PTH 83), 23 and 23A must submit the required samples to the designated wildlife biological stations and other drop-off points listed on the department website.
Further information on season dates and bag limits is available from the 2010 Manitoba Hunting Guide, licence vendors, all Manitoba Conservation offices or www.gov.mb.ca/conservation.
