In a bold move to protect local wildlife and sustain their community's way of life, a Canadian First Nation has announced its plans to bar non-Indigenous hunters, fishers, and trappers from its traditional territory. The decision, made public during a press conference over the weekend, comes just weeks before the province's general moose hunting season opener on September 15th. As members of the First Nation began to post no-trespassing signs over the weekend, the decision signaled the start of what could become a contentious legal and cultural standoff.
The Bloodvein First Nation's traditional lands lie along the eastern shore of Manitoba’s Lake Winnipeg, a region rich in moose and other wildlife that the community relies on for subsistence. Chief Lisa Young explained that the ban is a response to years of overhunting and wasteful practices by outsiders, which have severely impacted local populations.
"We sustain ourselves with our hunting and fishing, and we’ve had some unsuccessful hunts over the years because of the overhunting in our area," Young told CBC News. She noted that the community only managed one successful moose hunt in the previous year, highlighting the urgency of the situation.
Young has already enforced the ban personally, turning away two non-Indigenous hunters who were scouting for moose on Saturday. The First Nation has also called on the Manitoba government to cease issuing hunting licenses for their territory without consent. Asserting their sovereignty, Bloodvein leaders claim the right to control access to these lands, a position supported by the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs and other First Nations.
"We’d like to stop people from driving onto our First Nation and taking over this area and hunting off our river," Young added.
The announcement has drawn sharp criticism from non-Indigenous hunting groups. Chris Heald, senior policy advisor for the Manitoba Wildlife Federation, described the blockade as "uncalled for" and illegal. In an interview with CBC, Heald argued that wildlife on Crown land is a shared resource managed by the provincial government, backed by scientific population data that contradicts the First Nation's claims of depletion.
"I don’t think the First Nation can assert sovereignty over traditional areas and say that licensed hunting can’t go on," Heald said. He went on to state that hunters have purchased licenses based on government data and called for provincial intervention to resolve the issue and prevent conflicts as the hunting season approaches.
This dispute echoes similar tensions elsewhere, such as the Ute Tribe's recent closure of 4 million acres in Utah to non-tribal users due to disrespectful violations, including littering and trespassing. In Canada, Indigenous rights to hunt and fish are protected under the Constitution Act of 1982 and various treaties, but the extent of control over traditional territories on Crown land remains a legal gray area.
As of right now, the Manitoba government has not publicly responded to the calls for intervention. With moose season looming, stakeholders on both sides anticipate potential escalations at checkpoints and hunting grounds, but remain hopeful that a peaceful and diplomatic resolution is reached before seasons open.
