Six moose have been illegally killed along Highway 39 south of Snow Lake in the past month - and Manitoba conservation officers are looking to find out more on who killed them.
The Manitoba Conservation Officers Service announced Feb. 2 that the remains of six moose had been found along the northern highway, between Reed Lake and the junction with Highway 6 at Ponton. Conservation officers believe the six moose had been killed between Jan. 10-23.
Any parties would be punished by possible fines or license suspensions if the moose were abandoned following the killing and the carcasses left behind.
"A hunter who kills or injures a big game animal must make every reasonable effort to retrieve it. It is illegal to abandon or spoil the meat of a white-tailed deer, elk, moose or caribou," reads the official 2021 Manitoba Conservation hunting guide.
"No person who kills, injures, or is in possession of a big game animal, shall abandon, waste or spoil, or allow to be abandoned, wasted or spoiled, any edible portion of the animal. The department’s guideline is that all edible portions must be used for human consumption. The edible portions for white-tailed deer, elk, moose and caribou are all four quarters, back straps, loins, ribs and neck meat."
Hunting wildlife from a provincial road or highway is also prohibited and punishable by fines or other penalties.
"Hunting is prohibited on provincial roads and provincial trunk highways. This means that no person may discharge a firearm or bow from, across or along any provincial road or provincial trunk highway including the road allowance (ditch)," reads the 2021 hunting guide.
Manitoba has different designated seasons for moose hunting, all of which run from either late summer or fall to winter. Moose hunting season is not currently in effect anywhere in Manitoba. Hunters with treaty rights are not restricted to specific seasons or hours and can hunt moose year-round.
Anyone with information regarding the killing of the moose is asked to call the Snow Lake district office at (204) 358-2521 or the Turn in Poachers line at 1-800-782-0076. All information is kept confidential and tipsters do not need to give their names.
