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WINNIPEG 鈥� Every eligible American or other foreign resident hunter who applied for a Manitoba waterfowl license for the upcoming hunting season was awarded a seven-day license through the province鈥檚 new foreign resident lottery system, a provincial spokesman said Tuesday, Aug. 15.

The province of Manitoba held a lottery in late July for its new Foreign Resident Migratory Game Bird licenses, and awarded 1,834 licenses in the drawing process. Those hunters can hunt migratory game birds in Manitoba without the services of an outfitter this fall, the spokesperson said. The province also approved 353 鈥渓egacy licenses,鈥� which were available to foreign resident land interest holders who Those landowners also can hunt migratory game birds without an outfitter.

The lottery is a key component of the a new regulation Manitoba implemented on Nov. 3, 2022, after a 45-day comment period that ended Friday, Oct. 7, 2022. As part of its initial phase-in strategy, the province allowed all foreign resident applicants 鈥� most of whom are American 鈥渇reelance鈥� hunters 鈥� to successfully draw a seven-day license for this year鈥檚 waterfowl season.

After this year鈥檚 initial phase-in season, Manitoba will cap the number of licenses available for freelance American waterfowl hunters who don鈥檛 book through an outfitter, while prioritizing resident waterfowl hunting opportunities and supporting existing licensed outfitters.

the province said access to quality freelance waterfowl hunting opportunities on private and public land throughout North America has diminished, while competition for access has increased over time.

鈥淭he goal of this project is to protect and maintain the ability for everyday Manitobans and Americans to access world-class hunting opportunities in the province,鈥� a provincial spokesperson 鈥淭his ability is under threat from illegal outfitting and significant land access competition.鈥�

Foreign Resident Migratory Game Bird licenses and Foreign Resident Legacy Migratory Game Bird Licenses cost $218.25 (Canadian funds), plus $11.50 for the drawing application.

More information on the new Foreign Resident Migratory Game Bird licenses and Manitoba hunting season dates can be found in the province鈥檚 2023 hunting guide at .

In related news, as part of ongoing efforts to mitigate the spread of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) again this fall is requiring waterfowl hunters returning from Canada to remove entrails, neck, feet and feathers 鈥� except for one wing 鈥� from game bird carcasses. In addition, carcasses must be rinsed in fresh, clean, potable water; show no evidence of contamination from dirt, blood or feces; be imported in leak-proof plastic packaging and stored in a leak-proof cooler; and be chilled or frozen.

Hunters can, however, leave the skin intact on harvested game birds, APHIS last year required that skin be removed before harvested game birds could be imported into the United States.