Manitoba Wildlife Federation takes aim at nighttime hunting

The Manitoba Wildlife Federation is calling on the province to ban spotlighting during nighttime hunting after abullet tore through a bedroomnear Winnipegosis and just missed a woman's head.

"My in-laws getting their house shot at has got me very frustrated," Wayne Lytwyn said at a press conference in Winnipeg."Hunting at night is not a safe practice."

On Sept. 10 last year, Lytwyn's in-lawsranchers Victor and DoreenSliworskywere asleep in their home, nearWinnipegosis, when a rifle bullet ripped through their window frame at 4 a.m.

It missed Doreen's head by a half-metre, according to theMWF.

"Allowing anyone to hunt at night in populated areas of the province flies in the face of universally accepted safe hunting practices and puts people in danger," saidMWF board member and hunter education instructorFredTait.

"How many more tragic incidents have to happen before government will act?"

Nighttime hunting sends bullet through window frame

9 years ago

Duration 4:00

The Manitoba Wildlife Federation wants the province to ban spotlighting during nighttime hunting.

Spotlighting is a method ofhuntingnocturnal animalsby using high-powered lights.In many provinces, it is against the law but in Manitoba,night hunting and spotlighting is only banned for non-aboriginals.

Traditional hunters, such asindigenouspeople, are allowed to hunt any time of day,according to the MWF.

Enhanced enforcement by Manitoba Conservation is badly neededto stopthe practice of spotlighting in order to protect people, pets, farm animals and private property, the MWF said.

The federation also cited the death in January 2010 of a 35-year-old manfrom Sagkeeng First Nation. Hewas shotwhile out hunting with friendsat 2:30 a.m. The bullet that hit him came from another hunting party, according to RCMP, which saidbothparties were unaware of each other.

• Man killed in hunting incident
• Man charged in fatal hunting incident

Hunters use spotlighting because the reflective glare from the animals' eyes gives them away. Also, the light causesmany animals to freeze in a daze, making them easy targets.

• 5 arrested for night hunting on private field in Swan River, Man.

But hunters are unable to see for any distance beyond their target, which has resulted innumerous livestock beingkilled or maimed over the years, the MWF said.

"One of the fundamental principles of safe hunting is knowing your target and what is behind it. But how can you possibly be sure of your target at night," said MWFmanaging director RobOlson.

For most licensed hunters in Manitoba, the discharge of any firearm is permitted only half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset.Spotlighting overlaps with those times, whichposesa danger, the MWF said.

When hunters arewalkingin and out of their hiding placesin the dark, theycan be mistaken for big game.

"From our early discussions we strongly believe the aboriginal community understands the problems with spotlighting in populated areas," saidTait.

"We are calling on the province to seriously commit to conducting the necessary consultations with indigenous hunters to make rural communities safer."

The Southern Chiefs are concerned about the finger-pointing.

"If a bullet went through a house, number one, clarify that. Who actually did it? Who was charged? And don't paint all the FirstNation people irresponsible in terms of their hunting," said SCO Grand Chief Terry Nelson, adding he has done spotlighting if it was safe to do so.

"It's got to be done in safety and we do it on our reservation. But you know you don't go chase where people are living. You have to do it properly."

Joining the MWF are the Association of Manitoba Municipalities, Manitoba Beef Producers and Manitoba Natural Resource Officers' Association, who have all passed resolutions supporting the ban.

Nineteen individual Rural Municipalities have also passed anti-spotlighting resolutions, according to the MWF.

The province issued a statement today saying, they"will continue to work with all parties on this file in order to keep Manitoba families safe. Unsafe hunting anytime, night or day, is illegal for everyone, i.e. residents, non-residents, Metis, First Nations or anyone else."