Land Access
We invite you to enjoy MHC-owned lands and explore Manitoba’s natural landscape. However, since our lands are considered private property, there are certain permission requirements for those looking to use our lands for specific activities.
2026 Hunting Update
MHC has launched a new app for requesting permission to use MHC land. The new portal can be found HERE.
An update email has gone out to all of those who have registered to hunt on MHC lands previously with information on the changes. If you have not received an email and expected one, please check your ‘Other’ or ‘Spam’ folder.
- Permission requests for big-game season will be available through our new permissions webpage.
- You’ll be able to easily search and manage permission requests for yourself and members of your hunting party through the new permissions webpage.
- The likelihood of encountering other hunters on MHC lands will be lower, improving your hunting experience.
- You can easily scan across the province using a digital map to search for the property you want to hunt.
Please see below for additional FAQs.
Thank you for your patience as we worked to improve our systems.
Hunting
Explore the interactive map HERE to find accessible lands for hunting and recreational purposes
Small Game and Waterfowl
Migratory Game Bird, Upland Game Bird and Wild Turkey hunters do not require permission for hunting. Please use the hunting map below to ensure you are allowed to hunt on your desired property.
Big Game Hunters
All big game hunters that plan on using our lands for hunting must follow the below steps:
- Read our Hunting Policy
- Use the new Hunting Portal to apply for hunting permission.
Recreation Users
We encourage all Manitobans to enjoy our properties for recreational activities such as hiking, birding, wildlife photography, snowshoeing, and more.
Stay tuned for an updated interactive map built exclusively for recreational users. This map will help you identify access points, find the best trails, discover which bird species you might spot on these lands, and more!
Please be aware that some of these properties are open to hunting, and all users should exercise additional caution during hunting seasons. We recommend:
- Wearing high-visibility clothing, such as blaze orange, so you can be easily seen and identified
- Making your presence known to others on the property by talking, whistling, or otherwise making noise as you move
- Keeping dogs on a leash and outfitting them with blaze orange as well
- Staying on established trails and avoiding dawn and dusk, when hunting activity is highest
- Checking provincial hunting season dates before you head out so you know what to expect
If in doubt, or you have additional questions please contact info@mbhabitat.ca
Note on Risk: MHC properties may be home to people and wildlife alike. Accessing these properties comes with inherent risk such as hunters, running farm equipment, gopher holes/other wildlife impacts, and rough terrain. You are accessing these properties at your own risk and MHC cannot be held responsible for incidents that occur while on the land.
Note on Wildlife: Many species of wildlife call these properties home. Please be mindful and respectful while accessing the land and carry out everything that you carry in. Together, we can make sure these lands act as valuable habitat for our provincial wildlife.
FAQs
Through the generosity of our community, MHC has acquired a variety of properties, which we conserve in perpetuity. As a local conservation charity with a diverse supporter base, our policy is to allow public access on these properties whenever possible, and it is our duty to do so responsibly and equitably. That responsibility includes the need for land stewardship that takes safe and sustainable harvest of species into account.
As a rural landowner, we continue to work to ensure we do not allow activities that put others at risk. We recognize that changing systems can be difficult, but this change is rooted in our goal to always be responsible a neighbour in the communities where we work.
In the interest of conservation, safety and hunting quality, we are moving to shorter windows that also include rest days on Wednesdays. We recognize that this change will be most drastic for hunters that have historically received season-long permission. However, the newly introduced limit to sole possession of a property’s permission for a given block means that even on high-demand properties, permission-holders are (barring trespassing) the only big-game hunters there at a given time. This compromise is a significant step forward for safety and hunting quality on our lands
As always, printed permission is required when accessing our properties for big-game hunting. Big-game hunters accessing our lands without permission are subject both to appropriate legal action and hunting bans on MHC properties. Manitoba Conservation is an active partner in this rollout, and will be working with us to enforce trespassing violations.
No. As of now, we are only accepting permission requests through the new website.
We have been working on this app for some time now but encountered web-based issues in the final days of testing. Instead of running the risk of these known issues crashing the system when launched, we delayed to ensure they were resolved. That doesn’t mean things are perfect, but given the sheer volume of requests, it was important to begin the transition as soon as possible .
Low-impact activities like hiking, birding, wildlife photography, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing are welcome. Motorized vehicles, camping, and open fires are not permitted unless otherwise posted.
Some of our properties are open to hunting, while others are not. For this reason we recommend you exercise caution. Wear blaze orange or other high-visibility clothing, stay on established trails, make noise as you move, and avoid dawn and dusk when hunting activity is highest. If you’d rather avoid hunting activity entirely, choose a property that is not open to hunting. Our new interactive map is in development to help you make better informed choices on which properties you’d like to visit.
Yes, but keep dogs on a leash at all times. During hunting season, outfit your dog with blaze orange too.