Balancing wildlife and humans

February 25, 2026

key points from this story:

• Landowners and hunters share conservation goals
• Wildlife cause conflicts with farmers’ crops
• Farmers call for elk population control
• Cougar numbers spark debate on hunting
• Habitat loss disrupts natural balances
• Efforts continue to restore and manage wildlife

After spending some time sitting in on presentations at the recent 97th annual convention of the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation in Yorkton it again came into sharp focus landowners, hunters and wildlife have a very unusual relationship.

Generally, the public – including hunters and farm landowners – are conservationists at least on the surface. Having deer and badgers and moose and squirrels is seen as a good thing – unless of course they are creating direct problems and then their viewpoint can change rather quickly.