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Clint Janzen was going about his day on his routine trap checks when he came across something he'd never seen in his life.
A live cougar with its paw stuck in one of his humane traps, and not happy to be there.
"The feeling was hard to explain, the shock and awe of actually seeing a live cougar. It was really awesome."
Janzen promptly called Wildlife Conservation, and they met up with him at his trapline located near the Duck Mountains.
The conservation officers confirmed that this was the first time that a live cougar had ever been recorded to be trapped in the province.
It's important to mention that the traps that Janzen uses are a variety that leave a gap in the jaws, wide enough to hold a creature in place, but not physically harm them.
Conservation officers used this rare opportunity to take some samples of hair, blood, and scat, and fit this big cat with a tracker, which will give them invaluable insight into the movement and habits of these elusive creatures.
Even Janzen noted that he'd never seen a live cougar in person, even though he's been trapping since a young age.
Overall, this is a great insight into the value trappers have for wildlife preservation.
Janzen usually uses these traps for wolves and coyotes, which he notes have been progressively moving out of the mountains, and into agricultural lands.
These trapping efforts assist Manitoba's Problem Predator Removal Program, but can even be used to mitigate the damage done by unwanted beaver populations that can flood critical farmland and ruin crops.
This latest catch of a Cougar is just another way that the trapping community has given back and allowed us to learn more about the animals that share the ecosystem with us.
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- Contributed by Michael Brossart
Do you have any questions for the provinces energy sector?
Manitoba Hydro will be holding its annual public meeting, where the senior leadership team will be discussing the past year, this coming year, and the concerns of their customers.
The meeting will take place online at 7 pm this Wednesday, March 13th. you can join this meeting by going to the Manitoba Hydro website, or by clicking the link below
If you can't make it to the meeting, a recording of this public meeting will be available online on the Manitoba Hydro website.
For all the details, and to get involved, check out Manitoba Hydro's Website
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- Contributed by Michael Brossart
With the number of cases of measles in other provinces increasing, public health officials are reminding Manitobans that staying up to date on your vaccinations is one of the best and most important ways to prevent and reduce the risk of measles and other serious illnesses.
So far, there have been no cases of measles reported in Manitoba this year, with the last reported case in the province being back in 2019.
The most recognized symptom of measles is a red, blotchy rash, which often begins on the face and spreads down the body.
But other common symptoms of this very contagious disease include fever, runny nose, cough, drowsiness, irritability, and red eyes.
As part of Manitoba’s routine immunization schedule, children can receive two doses of the vaccine that protects against measles, with the first at 12 months and again between the ages of four and six.
People who are traveling are also encouraged to see their healthcare provider or a travel clinic four to six weeks before their trip to see if they or their children need additional doses of the vaccine.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
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The outflow from the Shellmouth Reservoir was increased beginning on Friday, going from 300 to 500 cubic feet per second.
The increase is part of the normal operation to draw down the level of the dam in preparation for spring runoff from the upper Assiniboine River.
The province says because of the water flow increase, water levels from the Shellmouth Reservoir to Russell will rise by about a foot, while the levels from Russell to Brandon will go up by six inches or less.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
Early projections for springtime weather across Southern Manitoba are looking positive so far.
David Phillips is a senior climatologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada.
"Our models suggest that what we are going to see in the spring is in some parts of Manitoba, such as around the lakes and North of that, would be a normal spring. But warmer than normal from southeastern Saskatchewan and across into southern Manitoba." said David Phillips, a Senior Climatologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Phillips is also quick to say though that we should not be putting our shovels and winter wear into storage just yet.
:When I look at Dauphin for example, after March 1st, you still get on average in a normal spring (March to early June) about 37 cm of snow, or about 1/3 of what you would normally get throughout the year. And days (with a high) below -20, in an average year you would still get 6-7 days like that in March and April.".
Phillips says early projections are showing that summer temperatures will be above normal this year, which makes any precipitation that we get between now and then crucial for industries like agriculture and forestry.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
Dauphin Fire Department continues to inch closer to their goal of raising five thousand dollars through their annual Fill the Boot campaign.
Firefighters were perched atop both the Dauphin Marketplace Mall and the Dauphin Co-op on Saturday, where they collected just over fifteen hundred dollars.
That brings their total collected so far to around thirty-five hundred dollars, with the fundraiser continuing for the remainder of the month
Funds collected through the Fill the Boot campaign are given to Muscular Dystrophy Canada.
Donations can still be made in person at the Dauphin Fire Hall, or online through links provided on the Dauphin Fire Department's Facebook page.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
Two men charged after a 2022 homicide on the Keeseekoowenin Ojibway First Nation will return to court in July.
In December of that year, Clear Lake RCMP were called to a home on a report of an unresponsive male.
They located a 54-year-old man, who was pronounced dead at the scene, while a 24-year-old woman was taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
30-year-old Trevor Bone and 22-year-old Dakota Bone are each charged with Second Degree Murder and Aggravated Assault.
They are due back in a Brandon court on July 5th.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
Residents in Roblin will have a chance to look over details of the proposed 2024 budget for the municipality.
A public meeting to present fiscal plan is set for March 25th at 7 pm at the Roblin Community Centre, with residents also able to take it in online via Zoom.
Copies of the financial plan will be available for viewing beginning on March 18th.
Anyone wanting to ask questions or make comments on the budget during this meeting is asked to pre-register with the municipality by March 21st.
Questions or comments can also be emailed before the meeting to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
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- Contributed by Michael Brossart
It's time once again to spring forward, as Daylight Savings Time begins this weekend.
Daylight Savings Time will begin this year on Sunday, March 10 at 2 a.m. local time, and while we might have to wake up a bit earlier, it also marks a significant increase in daily sunlight hours to come.
While many provinces have talked about dropping this bi-annual clock change, only Saskatchewan and the Yukon do not observe it.
There's been a great deal of discussion around abolishing this practice, but any province wanting to scrap daylight saving has faced delays in putting new practices into place or is waiting for American states in the same time zones to pull the trigger.
But for now, don't forget to double-check your clocks tomorrow so they match up with daylight savings time, and you're not an hour late on Monday morning.
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- Contributed by Michael Brossart
The Manitoba government is putting up almost a million dollars this year to help protect fish and wildlife.
The Manitoba government has approved $958,000 for new projects this year through the Fish and Wildlife Enhancement Fund that will go to 17 projects to protect and monitor fish and wildlife species and bolster access to fishing and hunting opportunities.
The money comes from a provincial fund that is supported through donations and restitution payments collected from fish and wildlife infractions
The fund continues to grow every year, as the Manitoba government contributes 10 percent of the annual fees collected from recreational angling, hunting, and trapping licenses.
In addition, the fund is supported through restitution payments collected from fish and wildlife infractions, along with donations to the fund.
For all the details on the funding, and the projects it supports, visit the Government Of Manitoba Website
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- Contributed by Michael Brossart
Raising money has never looked so cool, as a polar plunge will be raising funds for the Manitoba Special Olympics team this weekend.
A hole will be carved in Katherine Lake off HWY 19 this weekend where people raising these funds will hurl themselves into the icy waters.
Adell Gauthier, Director of Fund Development for this program, says the local group has been raising a lot of money for this cause.
"So the Clear Lake Polar Plunge, at this moment, is showing online that they've raised $7500 so far, which is incredible. I actually want to shout out to Toni Andreychuk who's taken the lead as our top fundraiser. She has raised more than $2000 on her own."
Gauthier encourages people to donate to the various polar plungers, or to come out in person, have a hot chocolate, and show your support.
If you want to donate to this cause, visit PlungeManitoba.com, or get to Katherine Lake for noon on Saturday!
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- Contributed by Michael Brossart
