Released on February 10, 1998
Environment and Resource Management Minister Lorne Scott todayannounced amendments to The Wildlife Regulations banning the use of
spotlights, jacklights, night vision rifle scopes, or any artificial
light, including vehicle headlights, for the purpose of hunting any
wildlife.
"These amendments also include a province-wide ban on the discharge of
firearms at night from any road with a prepared surface, including the
road allowance and the road right-of-way," Scott said.
Virtually all night hunting in Saskatchewan is done by spotlighting.
The measures announced today prohibit this practice.
"The approach we have chosen prohibits all unsafe night hunting in
Saskatchewan, while respecting Treaty and Aboriginal rights," Scott
said. "This will mean minimal infringement of the Treaty and
Aboriginal people's right to hunt for food."
This action was developed through consultation with First Nation and
M‚tis people who indicated strong support for a restriction on night
hunting with lights. The added restriction against shooting at night
from roads is essential to ensure personal safety and protect the
property and livestock of rural and northern residents.
For the purposes of these regulations, a road is defined as a
prepared surface designed for vehicular traffic and includes any
highway, grid road, forest and farm access roads and oil service
roads.
During the consultations night hunting with spotlights received
very little support from Aboriginal people; almost everyone
recognized it as a safety concern, particularly in the southern
part of the province. Many Elders and others also identified
spiritual, ethical and conservation concerns with the practise.
Animals are more active at night and hunters use the spotlights
to blind and "freeze" an animal. Spotlights make an animal an
easy target but hunters are unable to identify what may be behind
the target.
The ban on shooting from roads will make it easier to enforce the
restriction on night hunting with lights and provides residents,
with property located near roads, an added level of security.
Existing regulations make it illegal to hunt within half a
kilometre of any occupied dwelling or corrals. The new
regulations will be monitored over the next year and further
changes made if required.
"I am particularly pleased that a consultation process was used
to reach this point," Scott said. "We placed priority on
respecting Treaty and Aboriginal rights. By working with First
Nations and M‚tis people we have reached a workable solution to
prohibit unsafe night hunting in Saskatchewan and opened the door
for continued co-operation on other vital conservation issues."
Scott noted that government is intent on continuing expanded
consultations to develop new allocation and resource use
strategies to maintain fish and game populations at sustainable
levels. The participation of Aboriginal people and all resource
users in the development and implementation of these strategies
is essential.
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For more information, contact:
Dennis Sherratt
Director, Fish and Wildlife Branch
Environment and Resource Management
Regina
Phone: (306) 787-2309