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Cree hunters asked to forgo southern goose hunt for second spring due to COVID-19

The southern goose hunt has become more and more popular over the last several years with Cree hunters from northern Quebec. They travel to farms along the St Lawrence River and over the border into Ontario, near places like Alfred and Peterborough.

Fears over highly contagious COVID-19 variants worry officials

CBC North Cree Unit ·
A Cree hunter harvesting geese in a file photo. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing numbers of Quebec Cree were travelling each spring to places along the St. Lawrence River and Alfred, Ont. to harvest geese in farm fields.

For the second year in a row, Cree hunters are being asked not to travel south to hunt returning geese, because of the risks of bringing COVID-19 back to the communities. 

"It's just too risky," said Fred Tomatuk, president of the Cree Trappers Association, which announced the voluntary measure last week.

The southern goose hunt has become increasingly popular over the last several years among Cree hunters from northern Quebec. They travel to farms along the St. Lawrence River and over the border into Ontario, near places like Alfred and Peterborough, among others.

The hunters get an early chance to harvest geese and the farmers get help dealing with birds that swarm their fields eating just planted seeds. 

"When you come back to the community … you might have caught that virus. You're going to bring it back to your family. You're going to bring it back to your community." 

It's just too risky.- Fred Tomatuk, president of the Cree Trappers Association

Tomatuk said many of the regions where Cree hunters go are in orange or red zones (areas on higher alert due to higher number of COVID-19 cases). Some of those regions are also dealing with rising cases of COVID-19 variants known as B1351 and B117, which has been shown to be highly contagious.

"It's very, very clear why we're doing this," said Tomatuk. 

A Cree youth hunting near Alfred, Ont., in a file photo. For the second year in a row, the Cree Trappers Association and Cree leaders are asking hunters not to make plans to go hunt geese in the south. (Fred Tomatuk/Facebook)

Officials at the Cree Nation Government also put out a message Friday asking people to be vigilant regarding travel outside their community. 

"COVID-19 variants pose a serious threat and are responsible for the triggering of third waves, so people are asked to be extremely cautious when planning for goose break," said a message issued Friday by Cree leadership. 

Tomatuk said he expects most Cree hunters will answer the call as they did last year and not make plans to travel south. 

"We're concerned about every individual hunter, we are concerned about his family. We are concerned about the communities and concerned about the [people] of Eeyou Istchee," he said, using the traditional name for the Cree territory.

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