Wildlife group calls for ban on spotlight hunting

Conservation activists are calling for a ban on spotlight hunting.

Wayne Lytwyn says that bullet went through the window 2 feet above his mother-in-law's head and into the closet wall.

He says the incident in Winnipegosis last September left her shaken and his family very upset.

The Manitoba Wildlife Federation says night hunting has reached epidemic levels in parts of the province, and not only poses safety risks, but is damaging Manitoba’s wildlife populations.

"It destroys populations, because it's unregulated,” said Fred Tait of the Manitoba Wildlife Federation. “There isn't a record, official record, of how many animals are killed, when they're killed."

The federation says conservation budget cuts and job vacancies mean there are not enough resources to stop the illegal hunting.

It is calling for the province to ban spotlighting in populated areas and to commit more funding for effective enforcement.

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  The Manitoba Wildlife Federation says the practice of using spotlights to hunt at night is becoming more common and poses a safety risk.