Sandhill Crane Hunting Seasons in Midwest States - Topic Moved from IBET

[Jeff Skrentny]

Josh,

Two interesting points...thanks for sharing. 

As for the shot bird in IN, don't understand it, and as far as I know no culprit was ever found.  And with that there was also substantial damage done to the headquarters or storage location for the group that does the ultralight reintroduction of Whoopers in WI last year about the same time...who could be so crass as to do these things?   

[rowrlm]

Thanks for all your posts.  I'm a big supporter of Operation Migration and International Crane Foundation.  With only 97 whooping cranes currently in the Eastern flyway (Wisconsin to Florida), a death of any bird is terrible.... even from a predator.  So for the female to be shot in Indiana was a huge hit, especially since she was the only successful female of a wild whooping crane chick.  This year, there were 6 wild chicks hatched in and around Necedah Wildlife Refuge.  A major success.  Of those 6, two are still with their parents...  as we know life is precarious for any wild bird.  So, I will do my part to protect the cranes both sandhill and whooping cranes.

Laura Rowan
rowrlm@yahoo.com

[JoanM]

Hello Birders,

I have been trying to raise awareness by posting pics on Flickr and then posting a link to Governor Doyle's office in Wisconsin for those who are opposed to the Sandhill Hunt so they can voice their opinion.  I found out today that Gov. Doyle will not run for re-election, and is out come January.

Steve and I have been talking about starting a petition.  We can then email the petition around and post links on here and other birding sites so people can sign it.  We have 2 issues to address before the petition can be wriitten.  First, since Tenessee and Kentucky are both proposing a hunt and Illinois has just delisted sandhills, maybe this petition should not only address the hunt in Wisconsin, but the entire Eastern Flyway.  Second, does anyone know who to address this petition to?  I am hoping this is a good place for all concerned people to brainstorm and come up with a good way to present this to the law makers before it is more than proposed, but we hear about it in an article that they have already legalized it.

I would appreciate any input on this.

Thank you!!

[syncrasy]

I think this brings up another interesting point, in that a Whooping Crane was killed in Indiana, where no crane hunting is legal.  Have Whoopers ever been illegally shot in states where crane hunting is allowed?

Josh Engel

I spent this morning on the Google to research this question. It appears there have been at least nine documented shootings of Whooping Cranes in North America since 1989. At least four of these shootings occurred in states where Sandhill Cranes are hunted legally¹.

Here are the two most widely-publicized incidents:

• 2004 November, Kansas (Quivira NWR). Two Whooping Cranes shot by hunters who mistook them for Sandhill Cranes. Source: All About Birds (Cornell Lab)
• 2003 November, Texas (Lake Bardwell). One Whooping Crane killed. Shooting took place in a zone closed to all crane hunting. The shooter was caught and punished (jail and fine). "When questioned, [the shooter] responded that he had always wanted to shoot a sandhill crane and admitted that he shot the whooping crane by mistake, believing it to be a sandhill crane." Source: Journey North Whooping Crane Migration

According to the Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership, writing in early 2004, the Dallas shooting was "the 7th known whooping crane to be shot in North America dating back to 1989, an average of nearly one loss every other year. Shootings have been located in Texas (3), Florida (3), and Canada (1). Only three of the shootings were connected with hunting seasons. Efforts need to be continued to implement the Federal-State contingency plan, and to inform hunters about whooping cranes, including annual press releases, brochures, web pages, hunter education classes, and law enforcement presence." [Adding the 2004 Kansas and 2009 Indiana shootings brings the total shootings count to 9.]

In addition to the quiz Josh mentioned earlier, the Kansas Dept of Wildlife & Parks publishes a brochure called "Whooping Crane Information for Migratory Bird Hunters." The brochure includes the following statement: "As whooping crane numbers increase, we all must work harder to minimize the chance of accidental shootings. Those opposed to hunting, and sandhill crane hunting in particular, are watching for migratory bird hunters to make a mistake. Future accidental shootings may end sandhill crane hunting in Kansas or elsewhere where it is currently legal."

¹Areas where Sandhill Crane hunting is permitted (source: USGS):

• Mexico since 1940 or earlier. Legal in nine northern and central states.
• Canada since 1959. Legal in Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
• United States since 1961. Legal in Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming. [Minnesota to begin 2010; Wisconsin pending?].

[Illini Images]

http://www.timescolonist.com/news/sandhill+cranes+threatened+Gulf+spill/3243301/story.html

 An article on the effects of the Gulf oil spill on Sandhill Cranes.

Steve Patterson
Illini Images


http://www.flickr.com/photos/illini-images/

[Illini Images]

  I see to the right of the forum posts, an ad from Google, advertising Sandhill Crane hunts in Texas. Am I in the proper forum for my agenda?

Steve

[syncrasy]

 I see to the right of the forum posts, an ad from Google, advertising Sandhill Crane hunts in Texas. Am I in the proper forum for my agenda?

Steve

Now isn't that ironic. I'm sure the forum owner didn't choose the ad. Google's "contextually targeted ads" can be really obnoxious and inappropriate, and are very difficult to control. I had the same problem with my own site about antlions (doodlebugs); ads for pest control companies popped up on many pages, despite the site's conservation/educational mission. A site publisher can set up a filter to block ads from specific companies, but once you block one, another pops up. It's a never-ending battle.

[Illini Images]

  Thanks Mark!

Steve
Illini Images
http://www.flickr.com/photos/illini-images/

[Greg Neise]

 I see to the right of the forum posts, an ad from Google, advertising Sandhill Crane hunts in Texas. Am I in the proper forum for my agenda?

Steve

Now isn't that ironic. I'm sure the forum owner didn't choose the ad. Google's "contextually targeted ads" can be really obnoxious and inappropriate, and are very difficult to control. I had the same problem with my own site about antlions (doodlebugs); ads for pest control companies popped up on many pages, despite the site's conservation/educational mission. A site publisher can set up a filter to block ads from specific companies, but once you block one, another pops up. It's a never-ending battle.

Yes...Google's contextual advertising can be a double edged sword. It's completely robotic: it simply looks at the words on the page and then delivers up ads based on the frequency of said words. I have it set to look within an "über" search of birds and birding...but, hunting would still fit within the parameters.

Usually it turns up things that are of genuine interest—for instance—I discovered Big Pockets Vest Co. via a Google ad on this forum. But, it can be a bit obnoxious, which is why I keep it small.

Hopefully, members of this forum can look past it, or even chuckle at the irony.

[Jeff Skrentny]

Just got back trip downstate, was surprised when I got back to see nothing new posted here.

So was this just a bunch of birders that needed to make some noise and show some righteous indignation for the Sandhills and their concern for Whoopers, or has someone actually taken some leadership on this and put a plan together for action?

Just curious?

[Illini Images]

 Jeff, hope you had a nice trip. First of all, my first post, was asking for help from anyone that knew specifics on who and what departments made our hunting laws. I got a few replies, suggesting who to contact for this information. Most just voiced their opinion. If you(Jeff) can add any information, I would appreciate you input also. One person suggested contacting Kent Van Horn. He is a Migratory Game Bird Ecologist from the Wisc. DNR. I will post what he stated later. I've also contacted the DNR from Illinois, Illinois State Senators,  State legislators from my district, the USFWS, local conservationist, and lawyers. I haven't heard back from all of them. In the mean time I had to admit my father to the hospital(82), so, I've been a bit pre occupied with that. Eventually, at this point, I imagine that getting a petition started, with some specific concerns will be our best course. To whom this petition will be sent to besides our state Representatives& Senators, individual state DNRs, USFWS etc., I'm not fully sure of. But, plan to do my best to find out. Jeff, if you have any specifics, you can share them any time, if you're not too busy on a trip or such. (Mostly, just jokin with ya.)
  But this is what Kent sent to me:
Mr. Patterson,

 

Sorry that I have not responded sooner but I have been busy at a meeting out of state.   I am responding to both your email sent directly to me and on behalf of the Natural Resources Board for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources whom you also emailed.

 

I serve as the Migratory Game Bird Ecologist for the state of Wisconsin.  I am responsible for the surveys, regulations and population management of birds that migrate through Wisconsin and are hunted.   In this capacity I work with other states, provinces and the federal governments of Canada and the US in the management of these birds.  I recently led an effort to write a management plan for the Eastern Population of Sandhill Cranes which is found in eastern North America.

 

Your questions appear to be centered on sandhill cranes and sandhill crane hunting. 

 

First, on behalf of the state of Wisconsin, I will let you know that there is no proposed hunt for sandhill cranes in Wisconsin. 

For clarification, the Minnesota sandhill crane hunting season will only occur in the northwest corner of Minnesota and involves a long hunted sandhill crane population in the central US which is different from the population that breeds in Wisconsin.

 

Second, please be aware that migratory game birds such as sandhill cranes are ultimately managed at the federal level since they are a resource that moves between countries and states. The US Fish and Wildlife Service is the agency designated with the responsibility for the management of migratory birds so questions on the management of these birds should be directed to this agency.   I would recommend that you contact James Kelley (James_R_Kelley@fws.gov) of the US Fish and Wildlife Service if you have additional questions following my response.  For questions related the designation of sandhill cranes as a game bird and hunting proposals for other states, I recommend that you speak with Mr. Kelley or contact the respective states.

 

Finally, I will offer you some information on sandhill cranes related to some of your questions/comments.

 

Sandhill Cranes are the most numerous of the world’s cranes at a population over 600,000.  Migratory populations in North America extend from coast to coast.  Some sandhill cranes that migrate through North America breed in Siberia.  I have personally been able to observe breeding sandhill cranes from the boreal forest in Alaska to the marshes of south Florida as I worked in different regions of the continent.  Their ability to live in a wide range of locations across the continent is very impressive.

 

There are 3 subspecies of sandhill cranes; the lesser, greater and Canadian, although there is some debate among biologists if the Canadian is actually a species or just an intermediate size of the greater or a hybrid of the 2 species.

 

The USFWS has designated the sandhill crane as a game bird and manages this species according to 6 migratory and 3 non-migratory populations.  The largest of these migratory populations is the Mid-Continent Population at over 450,000 and is a mix of lesser, greater and Canadian subspecies.   In addition to greater sandhill cranes being a portion of the Mid-Continent Population, there are 4 other populations that consist of greater sandhill cranes; Central Valley, Lower Colorado River Valley, Rocky Mountain and Eastern.   The Eastern Population of Sandhill Cranes is the largest of these with near 60,000 cranes.

 

The breeding range of the eastern population of sandhill cranes is primarily in Wisconsin, Michigan and southern Ontario with an ever expanding range into MN, IA, IL, IN, OH and states in the northern Atlantic Flyway.   This population has shown significant growth and range expansion in the last 20 years.   As the population has expanded it has attracted the attention of people with three primary socio-economic interests; people who enjoy watching sandhill cranes, people who would like to hunt sandhill cranes and farmers experiencing crop damage from sandhill cranes.  In February of 2010, all the states/provinces in the Mississippi and Atlantic Flyways (includes all states east of a line from MN to LA) approved the Management Plan for the Eastern Population of Sandhill Cranes which described the population and monitoring tools, identified the social-economic issues and described management actions such as mitigating agricultural crop damage, research needs, monitoring viewing interest in cranes and establishing hunting seasons.

 

Of the 6 migratory populations of sandhill cranes 3 have approved hunting seasons; Mid-Continent, Rocky Mountain and Lower Colorado River Valley. The most recent estimates for the size of the 3 hunted populations are 498,000, 21,000 and 2,800 respectively. 

 

The Mid-Continent population has been hunted since 1961.  As the largest population, it also has attracted significant interest by people for viewing the large migrations that concentrate along river systems in the central plains states.  Hunting and viewing have been long held interests in this population.  The hunting season in Minnesota that will begin in 2010 is in northwest Minnesota and a part of the range of the Mid-Continent Population.

 

Sandhill cranes are currently hunted in 11 states, 3 Canadian provinces and Mexico. All three species; greater, lesser and Canadian are included in these hunted areas.  In recent years the total continental estimated harvest of sandhill cranes has been near 35,000.  There are currently no states or provinces with hunting seasons in the Eastern Population.

 

In summary, sandhill cranes are an abundant game bird in North America.  In the range of the Eastern Population sandhill crane we have seen an expansion of their breeding range and doubling of the population in the last 20 years.  Sandhill cranes have been hunted in North America sustainably for nearly 50 years.  Hunting and viewing of sandhill cranes have co-existed successfully and grown in interest among people in the states were they have been hunted for many years.  From a biological perspective hunting of sandhill cranes within the Eastern Population is possible and a plan for managing this population of cranes, including hunting, has been approved by the state/provincial wildlife agencies in eastern North America.

 

If you have additional questions on the process for how hunting seasons on sandhill cranes are established and approved, I will leave those for the US Fish and Wildlife Service (James_R_Kelley@fws.gov) to answer.

 


Kent Van Horn
Migratory Game Bird Ecologist
Bureau of Wildlife
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
phone: (608) 266-8841
fax: (608) 267-7857
e-mail: kent.vanhorn@dnr.state.wi.us
So I'm continuing to gather all the information we might need to proceed with letting our voice to be heard by the right people that would directly or indirectly be involved in making such a hunt for Greater Sandhill Cranes in the Eastern flyway.
Steve Patterson
Illini Images
Oglesby,IL

[jpollock]

Regarding the question of whether there is any threat of a sandhill crane hunt being started in Illinois, I would say that the possiblity of this is distant at best.  Here's an article that describes how crane hunts are started because cranes can do a lot of damage to young crops:  http://audubonmagazine.org/ask/ask.html

(Note that the link also addresses the question someone asked about how the birds taste.  The excellent book Crane Music by Paul Johnsgard describes the boom in the midwest population, and also tells how  William Bartram, the first naturalist to mention the bird, claimed that it "makes an excellent soup.")

Because most of our cranes are in the Chicago Wilderness area where there is neither a lot of agriculture nor a lot of hunting, it seem unlikely to me that we're looking at any sort of imminent crane hunt.

I checked with Jim Herkert of the IDNR, and he explained that it would require statute and rule changes here in IL and also some USFWS process including: (a) revision to the state wildlife code (cranes are currently listed as “non-game birds”), (b) IL Ad Rules would also have to be developed to govern the season (once the wildlife code was amended).

Also on the federal side, such a change would need (a) approval by the Flyway Council, (b) approval by the USFWS regulatory committee (which acts on recommendations from the flyway council), (c) approval from the USFWS director, and (d) publication in the federal register.

He added that there are no discussions within DNR about opening up a season on cranes in Illinois that he is aware of.

[Illini Images]

 It looks like Tennessee will be seeking a Sandhill hunt in the next couple of years.
Mr. Patterson,
TWRA recently submitted a sandhill crane hunt plan to the Mississippi Flyway Council for the 2011-2012 season.  This is a preliminary hunt plan that was required in order to qualify for a hunting season.  During the coming year, we will be seeking public input regarding a possible crane hunting season.  The TWRA Commission will decide next year if we will pursue hunting them or not.  If you have an opinion on the issue, I encourage you to comment to us and/or the TWRA Commission.  Hope this answers your question.
 
 
Tim White
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
Waterfowl Program Coordinator
PO Box 40747
Nashville, TN 37204
(615) 781-6610
Fax: (615) 781-6654
Timothy.White@tn.gov
 
 
>>> Richard Kirk 7/26/2010 2:25 PM >>>
Mr. Patterson,
I have forwarded your email to Tim White, TWRA Waterfowl Coordinator.  Tennessee, currently, does not have a Sandhill Crane hunting season, but has submitted a plan to the Mississippi Flyway Council.  Tim was just at the Mississippi Flyway meeting and should be able to supply you with the latest info.
 
Thanks


 Steve Patterson
Illini Images
Oglesby,Il

http://www.flickr.com/photos/illini-images/

[Illini Images]

From: James_R_Kelley@fws.gov
Date: 8/3/2010 6:59:52 AM
To: Steve Patterson
Subject: Re: Sandhill Crane Hunting
 
Dear Mr. Patterson

Thank you for your inquiry regarding hunting of sandhill cranes in the eastern U.S. Attached is a recently-published Federal Register notice that includes the proposal to open a hunting season for cranes in northwest Minnesota, which are part of the Mid-continent Population of sandhill cranes. The comment period for this proposed rule is open until August 9.

As for potential hunting seasons for the Eastern Population of cranes in the Mississippi Flyway, no states have proposals to hunt cranes this year. We are aware that Tennessee and Kentucky have submitted plans to the Flyway Council for crane seasons for 2011. However, requests for these seasons will not be submitted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service until next year. At that time, we will publish a proposed rule for public comment. Thanks for your interest in our nation's migratory bird resource.

(See attached file: Early Season Proposed.pdf)


Jim Kelley
Mississippi Flyway Representative
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Division of Migratory Bird Management
BHW Federal Building, Room 501
1 Federal Drive
Fort Snelling, MN 55111-4056
Ph: (612) 713-5409
Fx: (612) 713-5424
Cell: (301) 525-7352
email: james_r_kelley@fws.gov

"Steve Patterson" <fishn51@comcast.net>


"Steve Patterson" <fishn51@comcast.net>
07/22/2010 10:15 AM
 

To
<James_R_Kelley@fws.gov>


cc
 


Subject
Sandhill Crane Hunting
 
 
How can I receive information on proposed Greater Sandhill Crane hunting in their eastern flyway? I recently learned of the decision to open a season to hunt Sandhills in the northwestern counties. I also heard of proposed hunts in Wisconsin, Kentucky, and Tennessee. I'd like information on how these hunts are approved and what citizens can do to make their oppinions known to those that approve such hunts of the Greater Sandhill Cranes in the eastern flyway.

Thank You,
Steve E Patterson

[syncrasy]

From: James_R_Kelley@fws.gov
Date: 8/3/2010 6:59:52 AM
To: Steve Patterson
Subject: Re: Sandhill Crane Hunting

[snip]

The comment period for this [Minnesota] proposed rule is open until August 9.

[snip]

Interestingly, the Minnesota DNR says public input was/is not necessary. Here's the statement the Minnesota DNR prepared for staff so that they could respond to queries:

----

Per our telephone conversation today, we in the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) want you to know:

• While we did not conduct a formal public input process for this new hunting season, we did inform the media and certain bird-related organizations of our intent.  As early as February, daily newspapers printed stories that stated the DNR was pursuing federal approval for a limited crane hunting season in far northwestern Minnesota.  Similarly, we had conversations during that same time with birding and conservation organizations.  The newspaper and other media coverage never triggered the type of response that suggested a strong need for public input.
• The opening of a new hunting season does not have a defined public input process.  This is not an excuse.  Instead, it speaks to the fact that new hunting seasons are relatively rare.  The previous two new hunting seasons–dove and prairie chicken–were not created by the DNR; they were created by the state Legislature.
• Legislative action was not required in this instance because the DNR acted within its existing authority.  State law states the Commissioner of Natural Resources shall open migratory bird seasons within a federal framework.  That’s what happened.
• Sandhill cranes are a federal trust species, meaning the federal government sets the national policy on whether these birds can be hunted and, if so, the framework in each state for an appropriate hunting season.  In this case, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agreed that a hunting season could be held in far northwestern Minnesota.  This decision was based on a sandhill crane management plan that aims to ensure the long-term survival of this species while also allowing hunting opportunity.  Sandhill cranes in that part of the state are part of the mid-continent population that was estimated at 498,400 in 2009.  The current population objective range in the mid-continent population sandhill crane management plan is 349,000 to 472,000.
• The population of cranes to be hunted in Minnesota is hunted in many places outside of Minnesota, including adjacent North and South Dakota and Manitoba.

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
DNR Building - 500 Lafayette Road
Saint Paul, Minnesota  55155-4020

----

Still, the process by which the Minnesota plan was implemented has been criticized by conservationists. For example, Mr. Mark Martell, Director of Bird Conservation for Audubon Minnesota, says the Minnesota DNR's actions constitute a "unilateral" decision without "full and thorough dialogue with the people of Minnesota." (Source: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union mailing list.)