Manitoba more than triples moose hunt licences in 2025 after controversial cut led to court challenges

Ozten Shebahkeget · CBC News

· Posted: May 01, 2025 11:53 PM EDT | Last Updated: 7 minutes ago

Manitoba is shaking up its moose hunt strategy aft a slash to the fig of licences offered past twelvemonth received some flak and ineligible challenges from a bluish Manitoba First Nation and a provincial conservation enactment representing the interests of hunters.

The state volition assistance 350 moose hunting licences this year, up from the 100 offered past year, Natural Resources and Indigenous Futures Minister Ian Bushie said successful a Thursday quality release.

The determination aligns with the province's obligations nether the 1977 Northern Flood Agreement, which states Manitoba indispensable prioritize Indigenous harvesters connected accepted territory of Pimicikamak Cree Nation, Bushie said successful the release.

Jamie Moses, past the curate of earthy resources, sparked fury from Pimicikamak and the Manitoba Wildlife Federation last summertime aft helium chopped the fig of moose gully hunting licences for Manitoba residents by 75 per cent — from a full of 400 to 100 — crossed 4 of Manitoba's 62 crippled hunting areas.

The accepted territory of Pimicikamak, besides known arsenic the Cross Lake Resource Area, spans astir 15,000 quadrate kilometres and portions of 4 of Manitoba's crippled hunting areas, including 2 of 4 GHAs taxable to the 75 per cent licence reduction.

Pimicikamak and the wildlife federation some challenged Moses' determination successful court. Manitoba Court of King's Bench Justice Brian Bowman heard from lawyers representing Pimicikamak, the wildlife federation and the state during a two-day proceeding past November.

New wildlife advisory board

Pimicikamak's lawyers argued the province's July 11 licensing determination infringed connected its rights nether provincial laws, Treaty 5 and the 1977 Northern Flood Agreement. The wildlife federation argued the chopped successful licences was not based connected technological data.

The province's lawyers asked Bowman to disregard some applications, but to disregard Pimicikamak's case without prejudice so the First Nation could perchance prosecute a suit instead, due to the fact that portion some groups person an involvement successful Manitoba wildlife, they are not equal, arsenic First Nations radical person recognized pact rights to hunt.

Bowman has yet to present a determination successful the case.

The state besides says aerial surveys focused connected moose were conducted successful GHAs 9A and 10 implicit the winter. Fifteen per cent of GHA 9A, and 12 per cent of GHA 10 has been acceptable speech for exclusive usage by Indigenous hunters.

The 350 moose hunting licences being offered this twelvemonth span the remaining portions of GHAs 9A and 10, arsenic good arsenic GHAs 15 and 15A.

The state is going to enactment with Pimicikamak to make a wildlife advisory and readying board, which volition interaction shared wildlife-related resources, Bushie said successful the release.

The committee volition assistance negociate resources and let treatment of shared onshore and earthy assets management, helium said.