Poachers. Wolves. ATVs and road access. Not enough conservation officers. Not enough data. Night hunting. Nearly all of the 487 people who completed our survey took the time to share additional thoughts on why Manitoba’s moose are in trouble, and what should be done to save them. Here is a selection.
“Better act fast they won’t last much longer.”
“Over the past 40 years the casual sightings of moose have gone from regular to none existent. That is not a coincidence it’s simply a factor of over hunting. Moose like any species go through cycles but over hunting has not allowed their recovery through difficult periods when wolves are populace. It has only contributed to their declining numbers. I am convinced if this continues we will see this majestic animal disappear.”
“Stop the poachers. Stop night hunting.”
“Modern off road vehicles have increased access to more & more remote areas. This along with not closing logging & mine roads has removed the SAFE areas for moose breeding. Close the roads & disallow access with ATVs.”
“I would like to emphasize that I believe the establishment of areas that are off limits to industry and associated road networks would be one of the most effective measures.”
“Thanks for bringing this to the forefront. I am not a hunter but I recognize the need for this animal to many indigenous communities. It is an important source of food that we need to keep sustainable. It’s also beautiful animal to see in the wild!”
Ensuring Land Conservation
Manitobans Care
“I wish all levels of government would make a strong push for the recovery of moose before it gets to a critical level as with caribou.”
“I am a hunter of white tail deer, but my family have long been moose hunters. Everybody feels they are being over hunted and too many predators. Lots of wolves out in the woods these days. Suspend the hunting of moose until the population rebounds. It needs to be done.”
“Time for conservation officers to be in the field actively enforcing the laws of the land. All the time, not just once in a while.”
“Mandate logging companies to start their logging deep in the lease and work their way out, destroying the road as they go.”
“Conservation officers are seconded to Manitoba’s major parks for summer weekends enforcement. They are seconded throughout the province for forest fires. They need to be seconded to the moose closure areas to support the officers in those areas. Increased enforcement presence and actions those super sensitive areas is integral. Yet the officers in the affected districts are told that they are not getting extra enforcement help from other regions. Incredibly poor management decisions at the senior levels.”
“The government actually has to allocate resources to understand roughly how many moose are present, and how many are harvested by humans. Right now, there is no idea on the numbers of moose harvested by rights based hunters as they are not required to report it. How can a population be managed on a lack of data from half the population of an area?”
“Provide sustainable habitat for a moose population, and allow hunting of mature bulls only with a draw system once populations have stabilized.”
“All stakeholders must work together on this, including licensed hunters, indigenous hunters, and non-hunting wildlife enthusiasts. It will take increased funding, so there has to be a commitment either from NGOs and charities to fund this management, or the public has to prioritize this for government spending. It cannot be done with the current levels of funding that are being spent on moose management in Manitoba, be that private or public money (it’s currently a combination of both).”
“Restrict the people from the south from coming up north and flying into a lake and taking 12 moose out of one lake (this happens lots) just because they have the money to fly with wings doesn’t give them the right to come kill everything in my backyard!!”
“Put more money into hiring and supporting conservation officers. They are spread out too thin and as such their ability to patrol and look after the moose population is very limited.”
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Save Our Moose
Moose may soon disappear completely from some parts of Manitoba, where the population has dropped by as much as 57 percent. Tell Manitoba's Premier to Save Our Moose.
“Involve Indigenous Knowledge holders equally and appropriately (Metis and First Nations). Increase communication to licensed hunters on where rights-based harvesters get those rights and why they are important. Hold Provincial Government accountable to making a plan for moose numbers in areas where they are still stable instead of waiting until the numbers are too low to hunt.”
Stiffer penalties for poaching or cow hunting.”
“Controlling the wolf populations, access roads, habitat improvement, enforcement. Moose population monitoring would go a long way. Allowing the proper amount of funding so Natural Resource officers and biologists can do a proper job. With the current budget that is out there they are way underfunded.”
“In the area east of Lake Winnipeg, I have not seen a moose for 20 plus years. In the Kenora area eastwards, I have not seen a moose for 10 years plus. It is sad to see this majestic animal in decline!!”
“No spotlights for any kind of hunting. If they can not hunt otherwise then they should not be out. Also much to dangerous when large bore rifles shoot 2 to 5 miles. People have no idea what lies beyond a few hundred yards.”
“You must work with abutting provincial authorities to ensure that wildlife management is regulated across boundaries in order to maintain a healthy moose population.”
Ensuring Healthy Moose Populations
Challenges & Opportunities