Conservation group calls for stricter hunting rules after dozens of dead birds found Dead
There were 142 migratory bird carcasses, most of them snow geese, found in a rural area south of Saskatoon. (SaskTip)
The bodies of 142 migratory birds were discovered dumped on private land near Saskatoon earlier this month, sparking anger among hunters and wildlife advocates across Saskatchewan.
Authorities have not yet identified the individuals responsible. Conservation officers in Saskatoon released a photo of a truck believed to be connected to the case, which was reported on Oct. 16 on private land about 30 kilometres southeast of Saskatoon, near Patience Lake.
An independent tip line, SaskTips, is offering a $2,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. Chris Maier, an inspector with the Conservation Officer Service, said the incident reflects a recurring problem. “Unfortunately, I would say that it happens all too frequently year to year,” Maier said. “It just comes down to some hunters that aren’t being responsible, and then they end up wasting the animals afterwards because they don’t want to deal with them.”
Maier estimated that fines for trespassing, littering, and failing to properly harvest animals could exceed $20,000, once multiplied by the number of birds and applicable surcharges.
“It’s disgusting,” said Jordan Rowswell, owner of 12 Gauge Outfitting in Battleford, Sask. “It’s an absolute waste of not just meat, but a resource. It gives every hunter out there a bad name.”
Rowswell, who also serves on the board of the Saskatchewan Commission of Professional Outfitters, noted that licensed outfitting companies are held to high standards and would unlikely risk losing their licenses by illegally dumping animals. Hunters in Saskatchewan have several legal options for unconsumed animals, including freezing the meat or donating it to family and food banks.
No Possession Limits for Snow Geese
The incident has raised questions about freelance hunters operating outside of outfitting groups and the ease with which snow geese can be accumulated. While hunters may only collect 20 snow geese per day, there is no overall possession limit, as both snow geese and Ross’s geese are classified as overabundant by the Canadian government.
For other species such as mallards, pintails, or Canada geese, hunters may take up to eight per day, with a possession limit of 24. Of the 142 birds found at Patience Lake, Maier said 129 were snow geese, with the remainder consisting of various ducks and a single Canada goose.
Daryl Crabbe, executive director of the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation, suggested the incident reflects a growing trend of freelance hunters in the province.
“We have somewhat of a rampant illegal outfitting component built into Saskatchewan now,” Crabbe said. He noted that restrictions in neighboring Alberta and Manitoba have led to an influx of hunters from outside Saskatchewan, predominantly from the United States. Alberta and Manitoba limit non-Canadian hunters to six and seven consecutive days of migratory bird hunting, respectively. Saskatchewan has no similar term limits, allowing some groups to hunt snow geese for weeks and accumulate hundreds of birds they may struggle to dispose of responsibly.
While Maier acknowledged this possibility, he emphasized that there is no definitive evidence that the perpetrator came from outside Saskatchewan. “It could be an outfitter. It could be a guide working for an outfitter. It could be a friend of a Saskatchewan resident who came up, or it could be a freelancer or a Saskatchewan resident driving a U.S.-plated vehicle,” he said.
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