A resolution asking the Association of Manitoba Municipalities to lobby for greater control of hunting on farmed Crown lands was defeated, but a Lac du Bonnet-area farmer says something has to be done.
“There is just no respect,” said Cindy Kellendonk. “They go out there, don’t let the farmer know they’re out there, and they go and tear up their fields.”
Kellendonk, who is also a councillor for the RM of Lac du Bonnet, championed the defeated resolution.
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Why it matters: Leased Crown land is publicly accessible, but some producers want hunters to get permission from leaseholders before entering farmed Crown land.
If passed, it would have seen AMM lobby the province for a policy requiring hunters to get permission from leaseholders before entering farmed Crown land.
Hunters may legally enter and hunt on leased Crown lands, unless there are specifically designated areas of intensive use (such as corrals or feeding areas) marked with signage approved by the province. The 2024 provincial hunting guide recommends hunters “notify leaseholders” before entry and asks them not to drive across fields.
Kellendonk said hunting on her family’s leased Crown land has damaged their operations and disrupted cropping. In one case, she said, a hunting guide brought clients onto the land during harvest.
“We hadn’t even finished combining yet, and there was nothing we could do about it,” she said.
The farmer said producers have also been put in danger. Several years ago, a goose hunter set up among the rolling hills of a field and accidentally shot their tractor. The bullet hit the metal frame of the machine and no one was injured.
Kellendonk also suggested that hunters may compromise farm biosecurity or bring weed seeds onto fields.
AMM members objected to the resolution, suggesting it could lead to landowners charging hunters for use of Crown land. Another delegate suggested that requiring permission to enter Crown lands would violate the rights of others to enter public land.
The resolution was defeated with just over 69 per cent of delegates voting against it.
Keystone Agricultural Producers president Jill Verwey, in a statement to the Co-operator, said that, “Over the years, KAP has had many discussions with members on issues pertaining to accessing all types of land, including Crown lands. These include concerns relating to biosecurity, trespassing, safety, animal welfare, and others.”
Verwey said KAP has been engaging with the province and advocacy groups regarding the priorities of those who farm Crown lands, “while balancing the rights of all Manitobans to access publicly owned property.”
