General Information

Hunting on Public Land

Finding a great place to hunt may be challenging. Manitoba hunters are fortunate that the search is not nearly as difficult as it is in many jurisdictions, where public land is rare. The most commonly hunted public lands in Manitoba are wildlife management areas (WMA), provincial forests, some provincial parks, and Crown lands, as well as privately owned land.

Maps, including land ownership maps, are available that provide valuable information to hunters. For more information or to purchase maps, please contact (link opens in new browser window) Canada Map Sales toll-free at 1-877-627-7226.

Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs)

Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) are Crown lands designated by the Province of Manitoba for the protection of wildlife habitat and for wildlife-related forms of outdoor recreation, such as hunting. There are now 80 WMAs in Manitoba, encompassing some 2.5 million hectares (5.0 million acres) of land. See summaries of restrictions for hunting while on private lands, big game hunting or game bird hunting.

Leased Crown Land

Most leased Crown land is open for hunting. However, there may be limited areas of leased Crown lands, which are intensively used, such as corrals, feeding areas and building sites, where hunting is prohibited. These areas will be identified by approved signs provided by Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives. Permission is not required to hunt on leased provincial Crown land, which is not posted in this manner. It is recommended that hunters notify leaseholders before entry. Please do not damage trails, drive across fields, or leave gates open.

Provincial Parks

(link opens in new browser window) Provincial Parks are multiple use areas where a variety of outdoor recreation occurs, including hunting. The use of off-road vehicles may be restricted. Persons may not hunt, possess a loaded firearm, or discharge a firearm within 300 metres of recreation areas, cottages, dumps, roads and prescribed trails (including those portions of Provincial Trunk Highways #10 and #39 that fall within the Grass River Provincial Park).

For your convenience, selected provincial park campgrounds remain open into the fall. Services may be reduced and the fees (if applicable) are based on the level of service provided. For more information, contact the local Manitoba Conservation district office.

The Whiteshell Provincial Park has “No Hunting Areas,” which differ from most provincial parks. For more information, including a map, contact one of the Manitoba Conservation District offices in Whiteshell Provincial Park.

Provincial Forests, Timber Cutting Areas and Forest Access Roads

Hunters are advised to use discretion when hunting in the vicinity of a resource road, timber operation, forest-harvested area or mine. Signs may be posted to prohibit hunting on or within 300 metres of such areas for safety or conservation purposes.

International Peace Garden, Community Pastures, P.F.R.A. Dykes and other Federal Lands

Before entering these lands, hunters must obtain permission from the management authority. Not all federal lands are open to hunting. For more information, please contact the appropriate management authority.