Poaching big game animals continues to be on the rise in Manitoba, according to the Managing Director of the Manitoba Wildlife Federation (MWF). Rob Olson stated the Manitoba Government has implemented stiffer fines as a hope to lower the amount of illegally harvested animals. 

"We think the increased fines are really good move," said Olson. "This comes at a time when we feel an unprecedented crisis with many of our big game populations in our Province today. We have seen the free fall of Moose populations in most places where there are roads. That's continuing today, in places where we have members, clubs, and hunters. They are telling us that they are seeing the Moose get shot at too high of a pace. The feeling among our members, and talking to Conservation Officers across the Province, is that a lot of the harvest that is going on of the big game animals is illegal, it's poaching. It's just too many being shot illegally, too often, over a too large of an area. So, we think the fines are important, and it's only half of the solution."

A trail camera photo of an antlered Whitetail Deer roaming around during illegal hunting hours.Those penalties are in addition to the current fines imposed through the court process and include:

- $1,500 to $3,000 for white-tailed deer;
- $2,500 to $10,000 for elk and moose;
- $2,000 to $4,000 for black bear;
- $42 to $126 for fish such as walleye, northern pike, goldeye and channel catfish (high values for master angler size); and
- $252 for a lake sturgeon (protected species).

According to Olson, MWF has got the Manitoba Government to implement the increased fines not only on the 'trophy sized animals', which are illegally harvested, but it will also apply to the female's of each respected species

He stated increasing the fines is only half of the battle, and noted we need to have the adequate funding to be able to get the Officers out on patrol and enforce the rules and regulations. 

"We have to have a well funded and well resourced team of Conservation Officers in the field to actually catch the people poaching," explained Olson. "Because, if you don't catch the people poaching, then the fines won't come to pass, there won't be any real deterrent, and there isn't going to be any real change. In talking with some Conservation Officers around the province, they are telling us that the funding is not adequate. They are at an all time low with man power, in the sense that some people have been re-allocated to managing parks, and that the enforcement on the ground is not what it needs to be. We see that as hunters. Many of us have commented, and have talked among ourselves, and said that we haven't been checked by a Conservation Officer for years." 

With talking with Conservation Officers and Rural Producers, the reason for concern regarding poaching is continually growing. 

"I travel a lot around the communities talking to people, and what I am hearing is, that it's more intense. People who are spotlighting are driving across standing crops now to access areas to spotlight on the backside of someone's property. People are cutting fences more often now. The theory, when I talk to these rural producers is that because people know there isn't much enforcement going on there at night. They have free reign and are taking liberties. It just seems more intense than it did before and we don't totally know why that is."

Olson noted it's not the license seasons that are hurting the populations, it's the unregulated harvesting. Another aspect which Olson attributed to the increase in poaching is the illegal sale of harvested meat.

"The other thing we (MWF) are hearing from Conservation Officers is that there is a vibrant illegal trade in meat," Olson said. "Moose and Elk are being shot in various parts of the Province and then sold to people. That's illegal for anyone to do. Whether you are a license hunter, First Nations hunter, or Metis harvester, it's illegal to sell the game. Species like Moose can't handle a commercial harvest. They're not like cattle."

According to Olson another discussion, which has to happen is with the Aboriginal hunters. The hope of the discussions is to create some sort of frame work, so that all harvest is managed in some way in order to keep the populations strong.

"It's going to take a lot of work. This is a good first step, and we are encouraged by it," said Olson.