The Minnedosa Game & Fish Association is planning a cruel and archaic crow, magpie, and gopher hunting contest in Manitoba on May 10, 2025. Two-person teams will compete to shoot and kill as many of these animals as possible for points, with cash prizes awarded to those who kill the most animals.
This is the second crow and magpie hunting contest in Manitoba held this spring. In April, Animal Justice and other organizations raised the alarm when the Manitoba Woodlands District and Wildlife Association held a crow and magpie shooting contest. That event was equally disturbing and took place in Warren, Manitoba.
Legal Loophole Leaves Animals to Suffer
Manitoba’s Wildlife Act prohibits hunting contests targeting “wild animals.” However, the statute defines “wild animals” narrowly, excluding many native species from its protection. For example, the Act lists birds such as ravens as “wild animals,” but leaves out crows and magpies. It also protects weasels, foxes, and mink from hunting contests, yet excludes animals like gophers. This loophole in Manitoba’s Wildlife Act leaves many wild animals—including crows, magpies, and gophers—vulnerable to cruel hunting contests. It allows hunters to shoot and kill them purely for “sport and prizes.” To learn more about the Wildlife Act and its provisions, read the full text on the Manitoba government’s website.
Shooting contests can cause immense suffering, and leave animals to die slow, painful, prolonged deaths. Animals also suffer psychological trauma, and losing mates and family members is heartbreaking for them.
Nearly 90 percent of Canadians, including approximately 85 percent of Manitobans, oppose hunting animals for “sport”. It’s time to update Manitoba’s laws to respect and protect all wild animals—including crows, magpies and gophers—and bring the province’s laws in line with public values.
Act Now: Tell Manitoba to End Cruel Killing Contests
Animal Justice filed a complaint with the Chief Veterinary Office (CVO) and sent concerns to Manitoba’s Minister of Natural Resources and Indigenous Futures, Ian Bushie. We urged the province to update its outdated Wildlife Act to protect crows and magpies. Unfortunately, the CVO has refused to monitor these shooting contests. This is despite the Animal Care Act’s prohibition on causing unnecessary distress and suffering to animals. Although the province’s animal cruelty law applies to all “non-human animals with a developed nervous situation”, the CVO argus that it protects only “owned domesticated animals”. This would exclude all wildlife, as well as stray cats and dogs, from the Act’s protections against cruelty.
Crows, magpies, and gophers deserve to live in peace in their natural habitats, free from human harm. These animals desperately need laws that protect them from people who shoot and kill for sport and prizes.
Please contact the government and urge them to amend the Wildlife Act to protect all wild animals from cruel hunting contests.