Manitoba Wildlife Federation (MWF) continues to work hard at putting a halt on night hunting in the Province.

Big Game animal numbers in Manitoba have been on the decline, and this is a reason for concern to the MWF. For example Moose populations in the Province have been hindered significantly, and MWF feels this is because of night lighting hunters, and poaching. To help eliminate and prevent the populations from dipping even lower the Federation formed a 'Big Game Crisis Committee'.

"We ran that campaign last February, before the last election. The new government really bought into it. They committed to ban spot lighting in Manitoba. Certainly in the southern portions, where there are lots of farms, people, and cattle producers," said MWF managing director Rob Olson.

Olson continued to say the Government has also committed to more enforcement and have increased the amount of Rural enforcement through conservation officers.

He noted the Federation is working toward its next course of action, to help reduce and or eliminate night lighting in the province.

"Right now spot lighting is currently allowed in Manitoba for Indigenous hunters. With some caveats. Indigenous hunters, who are hunting at night, have to be on crown land, or on private land with permission. They have to be on land with right of access, can't be from numbered roads and stuff like that," said Olson. "We want the government to have a thoughtful conversation with First Nations people, who we believe are very reasonable and open to this conversation, and I think are wanting to be included in this. To move towards defining where night hunting makes sense, and where it doesn't."

According to Olson the Federation doesn't feel night hunting's or spot lighting makes sense in around farms and cattle producers.

Night hunting/night lighting is a dangerous practice, as you may know what you intended target may be, but are unsure what may be behind it or in the proximity of said target. In February the Federation released a news release sharing the story of a family who had a bullet enter and go through a portion of their home just above one of the beds in the residence.

"There's been fatalities and we recently had one here at the end of September. By all accounts a terrific young man out of the Sioux First nation lost his life in a night hunting accident," said Olson. "We said in spring during our campaign, that it wouldn't be a matter of if, but a matter of when, we would gather in a community and mourn the loss of a community member, and it happened again."

He noted there needs to be adjustments to the regulations about where night hunting for First Nations people is allowed in the Province.