Sandhill crane hunting proposal delayed

Two-year wait will be used to study crane population

Anne Paine
http://www.tennessean.com/article/20110122/NEWS01/101220327/-1/sports0101/Proposal-hunt-sandhill-cranes-delayed

A proposal to hunt sandhill cranes in Tennessee was laid to rest Friday — at least for now.

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission voted to delay consideration of the plan for two years. It had raised concerns among birders and some hunters as well.
Commissioner Mitchell Parks made a motion Friday for a one- rather than two-year wait, which failed to rally support.

"I don't see the need of dragging this out forever," he said.

Commissioner Eric Wright had said the day before that a wait was to learn more about the crane population and to allow conflicting groups to try to work together.
Public comments gathered on the proposal showed 72 percent opposed a season on cranes, while 28 percent supported it. A telephone poll resulted in a closer margin, 37 percent opposed to 32 percent.

The Tennessee Wildlife Federation had pushed the state wildlife agency to consider the hunt, and the Tennessee Farm Bureau backed it, saying the birds damage crops.
The eastern population of sandhill cranes, which nearly disappeared in the 1930s, has been growing. The birds stop on migration, feeding and resting at the Hiwassee Refuge northeast of Chattanooga, and are celebrated at an annual crane festival that draws thousands of visitors.

Questions still unanswered

Questions remain about the sustainability of hunting the red-capped birds, according to the Tennessee Ornithological Society.

They reproduce slowly, unlike many hunted species, and aren't comparable to two sandhill crane populations to the west that are hunted, group members said. They want the festival turned into an eco-travel jewel that brings money to the state and wildlife agency.

Mike Butler, CEO of the wildlife federation, said some biologists say the population could support hunting and wildlife viewing, and it should grow even more in two years.