[TN-Bird] TOS does not at this time endorse crane hunting in TN

The following is an article appearing in The Tennessee Warbler August, 2008 
Page 6.
It was prepared by Richard Connors, president of the Tennessee Ornithological 
Society.
Wallace Coffey is forwarding this article so that non-TOS members can be made 
aware:
(the headline to the article is:) TOS Statement on Hunting Sandhill Cranes

Earlier this year the Tennessee Wildlife Federation (formerly Tennessee 
Conservation League), an
independent organization representing hunters, requested Tennessee Wildlife 
Resources Agency (TWRA)
move to implement hunting of Sandhill Cranes. There had been rumors before, but 
the public TWRA
Commissioners' meeting this winter brought it to light in the press. TWRA is to 
begin a detailed study of
Sandhill Cranes which may take years to complete. Here is excerpt from TOS 
Conservation Policy
Committee co-chair Melinda Welton's research this spring:

"What will first be needed is a management plan that TWRA hopes to complete by 
March 2009. The
plan will need to include an intensive monitoring program." and this "could be 
very expensive.
Currently there are no states in either the Atlantic or Mississippi Flyways 
with SACR hunting seasons.
After TWRA completes the management plan they will bring it to both of these 
flyways for their
approval. The plan will then be submitted to the USFWS who will work with the 
two flyways to make
a decision. They expect the process to take 3 to 5 years."

One problem is endangered Whooping Crane associating with Sandhill Cranes. No 
amount of hunter
training will assure that no Whooping Cranes would be shot. In the Eastern 
flyway Whooping Cranes are
still being introduced.

Problem of feeding: cranes are eating crops, some of which is meant for 
waterfowl. TWRA has been
spending resources feeding and managing cranes. Hiwassee Refuge and Tennessee 
in general, was
originally thought to be stop-over territory only. As you know, many stay 
through the winter if there is food
to eat (if you feed them they will stay). Some crop damage has been documented 
and a few farmers have
gotten permits, which allow them to "remove" up to 25 birds on their property. 
None have actually been
shot by farmers yet, as the "problem" birds moved on before any action could be 
taken. Hunting and
shooting as means of scaring them off, forcing the flock to move on, is the 
management technique TWRA
has come up with. The Sandhill Crane population is increasing, but hunting may 
not be the answer to
population control.

One result of all this is that TWRA will no longer sponsor the Crane Days at 
Hiwassee Refuge and will no
longer feed cranes there. It is unfortunate that they are turning their backs 
on what was previously deemed
"watchable wildlife". We recommend TWRA simply stop feeding cranes specifically 
and see if this takes
care of the problem. In our view, Sandhill Crane and Whooping Crane viewing is 
more valuable than all
other considerations combined.

Tennessee Ornithological Society does not support hunting of Sandhill Cranes in 
Tennessee. Below is
statement drafted by TOS Conservation Policy Committee and approved by the TOS 
Board of Directors
at the spring 2008 meeting:

"The Tennessee Ornithological Society does not at this time endorse a hunting 
season on Sandhill
Cranes. While crop depredation may be a problem, we believe other management 
techniques to
reduce depredation and slow the crane population growth should be fully 
implemented prior to the
opening of crane hunting. These include active efforts to reduce the 
short-stopping and concentrating
of cranes. We also support research on the economic impact of both crop 
depredation and cranewatching."


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