Lodge owner decries killing of caribou on property, but others caution against rush to judgment

WARNING: This story contains graphic details. The owner of a remote hunting lodge in northern Manitoba is demanding answers after discovering a horrific scene of mass slaughter and property damage at his property last month. Nick Scigliano, the owner of Nueltin Lake Lodge, found dozens of dead caribou and extensive property damage during a routine check of the site on April 11. What he saw shocked him to his core.
Upon returning to the lodge with police and conservation officers on April 18, Scigliano was confronted with a gruesome sight. Among the dozens of caribou carcasses were pregnant cows and fetuses. The sheer brutality of the scene left Scigliano shaken and calling for justice to be served.
“This is not subsistence hunting. They killed wastefully and left dead carcasses on my doorstep. These images will haunt me forever,” Scigliano said in a press release.
The Manitoba RCMP are currently investigating the property damage at Nueltin Lake Lodge, while conservation officers are looking into the potentially wasted meat. The isolation of the area has made the investigation challenging, with suspects possibly coming from hundreds of kilometers away.
Sgt. Paul Manaigre of the Manitoba RCMP cautions against jumping to conclusions based on images of the dead caribou circulating online. The hunters are believed to be from nearby First Nations communities, and identifying those responsible is no easy task.
The lodge is located in Nueltin Lake Provincial Park, established in 2010 to protect caribou migration routes. While barren-ground caribou in the area are not at risk, their population is in decline. The Manitoba Lodges and Outfitters Association has been advocating for a unified big-game management system in the province to prevent such tragedies.
Indigenous hunting and fishing rights are protected under treaties with the Canadian government, but Myron Cook, a caribou hunter from Barren Lands First Nation, emphasizes that Indigenous hunters have a deep respect for the animals they harvest. He explains that the meat from caribou is treasured and used to provide for elders in the community.
The Manitoba Wildlife Federation, a conservation organization, was appalled by the scene at Nueltin Lake Lodge. Dozens of caribou carcasses were found buried under snow, with some being left to waste. The federation is calling for action to prevent such senseless destruction of wildlife in the future.
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew has pledged to hold those responsible for the slaughter of the caribou accountable to the fullest extent of the law. The RCMP is working diligently to investigate the incident and bring justice to the animals that were needlessly killed.
As the investigation continues, the hope is that those responsible for the mass slaughter at Nueltin Lake Lodge will be identified and face consequences for their actions. The protection of wildlife and the enforcement of hunting regulations are crucial to preserving the delicate balance of nature in remote areas like northern Manitoba.