Sandhill Crane Comments: The Silence is Deafening (and Response -2)
Editorial Opinion
by Richard Simms
posted December 7, 2010

http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_190009.asp

Editorial Opinion of Richard Simms, Chattanoogan.com Outdoors Editor

Insiders say the discussion and feedback regarding a proposed hunting season for sandhill cranes in Tennessee is surprisingly silent, especially among the hunting community.

Meanwhile Tennessee Wildlife Commissioners who will ultimately vote "Yea" or "Nay" on the hunting season are hearing from folks who are opposed to the season.

Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency Region III Manager John Mayer said, "Personally I’ve not been hearing anything (regarding the hunting season proposal). I understand that commissioners are hearing a lot from the opposition. What concerns me is that if everyone doesn’t share their opinion. I don’t want anybody sitting back and thinking someone else is going to talk for them."

It is not surprising that the non-consumptive community seems to be speaking out the loudest. In virtually any situation in life, the folks who perceive they are about to "lose" something are the ones who protest the loudest, while those who stand to gain something stand mum.

The birdwatching community perceives a huge loss. For decades the tens of thousands of sandhill cranes that winter on the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge in Meigs County have been the focus of a massive wildlife education and tourism campaign. The "Sandhill Crane Days" have been one of the most successful non-consumptive wildlife gatherings I've ever witnessed.

Click HERE to listen to the haunting "trill" of sandhill cranes.

The TWRA, along with birdwatching and tourism groups, has helped spearhead and build the effort that's received widespread recognition.

And now the birdwatchers feel blindsided by TWRA's proposal to establish a limited hunting season for the cranes. Under the proposal hunting would not be allowed on the Hiwassee Refuge. However the birders are concerned that any hunting in the area will discourage the sandhills from "stopping over" at Hiwassee during their winter migration.

TWRA officials say that's doubtful and that their hunting proposal is on the very "conservative" side. TWRA Waterfowl Biologist Tim White says the U.S. Fish & Wildlife guidelines provide for a maximum annual harvest of 10 percent of the flyway population. He says that would equal about 6,000 cranes taken each year.

He says however TWRA is only proposing 733 permits with a maximum of three cranes each, totaling 2,199 cranes. And he says normally he would expect a mere 25 percent success rate, totalling about 550 cranes taken by hunters, which are said to make excellent table fare. That is about 1 percent of the nearly 50,000 sandhill cranes that wintered on the Hiwassee Refuge last year.

The birdwatchers also express concern that hunters might inadvertantly take endangered whooping cranes that also migrate through the area in small numbers following a federal re-introduction effort several years ago.

White counters that he believes it is unlikely and that the initial guidelines of the whooping crane re-introduction specifically spelled out that the effort could never interfere or halt any hunting within the area of re-introduction.

Hunters complain that the sandhill cranes have taken over what is intended to be a refuge for ducks and geese, literally running the ducks and geese off through over-competition.

Birdwatchers say, "So what?" It's a wildlife refuge and it should be up to the wildlife to determine what seeks "refuge" there. Not us.

Hunters say, "But we pay a lot of money for that refuge while the birdwatchers contribute absolutely nothing."

It is a never-ending tit-for-tat. In every discussion I've had with either side, each can counter any statement made by the opposition.

Here is the way I see it.

Do I want to hunt sandhill cranes?

Not really. But if it is biologically sound, I believe I should have the right to whether I actually do it or not.

In Tennessee the birdwatching community thrives and they "watch" lots of the same birds I could hunt ... ducks, geese, dove, quail, grouse, turkeys, woodcock, snipe, and English sparrows (yes, there is a hunting season for English sparrows). So why not sandhill cranes?

On the other hand I think TWRA has shot itself (or potential sandhill crane hunters) in the foot by working tirelessly for decades to encourage a very special, and highly-successful, wildlife observation opportunity through the Sandhill Crane Days. They have introduced literally thousands and thousands of non-hunters to the beauty and joys of a unique wildlife species, creating a huge "Sandhill Crane Fan Base." And then they say, "Now we want to shoot them."

I'm not surprised that wildlife commissioners might be receiving some nasty letters.

With the exception of an excellent web page providing information, elements of TWRA's education effort about the proposal have been less-than-organized. At one point TWRA posted a simple, single-question online survey asking, "Are you for a sandhill crane hunting season? Yes or No." However after a few days, for unknown reasons, the survey was shut down with no results tabulated.

Hmmm?

So if I actually had a vote.... how would I vote?

I'm a hunter and I'm a serious supporter of the rights of hunters. But in this case I've heard from virtually no one in my personal hunting network who is just dying to go sandhill crane hunting. My perception is that most are like me... a few hundred hunters who simply want "the right" to hunt sandhills whether they actually do it or not.

On the other hand I see thousands (maybe tens of thousands) of non-hunters who have come to love the cranes, and as a result they have a far greater appreciation for wildlife in general... and if we all work together rather than squaring off in our opposite corners, we can accomplish great things in the future.

Therefore, I believe in this case, as a hunter, I am willing to surrender the sandhill crane battle in hopes the two sides can ultimately join hands and win the war. I need someone to convince me otherwise.

SIDEBAR: I do wish however, the non-consumptive community would help pay for it all.

Hunters should never believe that our licenses "buy us the right to hunt." Our licenses buy us the opportunity to protect and enhance all wildlife populations... the ones we hunt and the ones we don't.

The non-hunters should be doing the same... and they aren't.

Your Opinion?

Do you have an opinion?

If so, first e-mail it to TWRA. The deadline for doing so is January 19, 2011.

Then if you want it posted here, e-mail it Richard Simms... preferably 250 words or less. Include your name and city.