‘Dooming the moose’: Manitoba Cree chief calls for voluntary stop to hunting

Winnipeg - The chief of the Misipawistik Cree Nation has called for an end to moose hunting in the community's traditional territory due to dwindling populations. Heidi Cook is urging all hunters, including members of her own community, to halt the harvest in an approved game area that covers a significant portion of the land along Lake Winnipeg's northwestern shore.

Cook's request stems from a recent provincial aerial survey estimating a moose population of just 64 bulls in the area. However, the government has issued 62 bull moose tags for the same region this year, a figure that doesn't account for community hunters who have treaty rights and no need for government-issued licenses or tags.

Historically, the community would harvest up to 19 moose annually, but in the past decade, that number has dropped to just a few in recent years. Cook claims the community has been raising concerns with the province for years without seeing significant progress. She argues that continuing the current hunting practices would "doom the moose to not being able to be available for future generations."

The First Nation has previously warned the province that its members couldn't meaningfully hunt moose in their territory and asked for an indefinite license hold. The government reduced the number of tags and committed to collaboration, but Cook claims no real action has been taken. The community took the province to court last year, arguing the hunting infringes on their right to hunt for food and that moose are crucial for cultural and ceremonial practices.

Misipawistik implemented a land guardian program in 2018 to monitor moose and reduce poaching, with the program reportedly effective in preventing highway accidents involving the animals. This season, the guardians will focus on educating hunters about the declining moose population. Cook emphasizes the community's shared love for moose and encourages people to advocate for better moose management with the government without resorting to blockades or checkpoints.