Shocking footage from a remote lodge, raises question about wildlife management, treaty rights, and land use in northern Manitoba

A disturbing discovery at a remote lodge near the Manitoba-Nunavut border has RCMP investigating, after the lodge owner says dozens of caribou were killed near his property and left behind.

A video was posted online by lodge owner Nick Scigliano. It shows dozens of caribou carcasses scattered across the grounds. Scigliano returned to the property on April 11^th and again a week later with RCMP and conservation officers to assess vandalism to his property, but Scigliano says it’s not just the vandalism.

“If I would have arrived at the lake and just saw the vandalism at those buildings, we would not be having this discussion right now,” said Scigliano.

The U.S.-based owner says it was the destruction of the animals that pushed him to post the video, despite hesitation. He says while the land is privately owned, it remains Indigenous territory and emphasizes that those responsible for the waste should be held accountable.

“We are going to take this very seriously going forward, so these caribou will be there for generations to come, hunted the right way, their way, used 100 per cent, nothing wasted,” said Scigliano.

Chris Heald with the Manitoba Wildlife Federation flew in with his team shortly after Scigliano made the discovery. Heald estimates between 50 and 75 carcasses were left behind near the lodge, which he says were mostly female, and some unborn calves were also left behind.

“There were a lot of carcasses on the ice, a lot of wasted meat, there was a lot to comprehend that day,” said Heald.

While some meat was taken, he claims others were stripped only for select cuts.

“Obviously, there were different groups there during that one- or two-month period when they had access with snowmobiles, so it’s not all bad actors, but there is an awful lot of bad actors there to make this wastage.”

Seal River Watershed Alliance, Executive Director Stephanie Thorassie, is urging caution before pointing fingers, due to a lack of monitoring at the park.

“We need people out there to monitor and watch what is happening, not necessarily to enforce anything, but to see what happened, so we get the full story,” said Thorassie.

She says in her culture, every part of the caribou has meaning and use, not just the meat, and that if there was mass waste, those involved were not respecting the long-lasting traditions

“We consume the whole caribou if we can, we use the bones for tools, we can make thread from the sinue, the stomach, and become a cooking pot, so there are ways to use,” Thorassie explained.

RCMP and the province said they are actively investigating but would not confirm if charges have been laid.