I assume everyone saw Linda Craiger's post regarding the unanimous vote by the Ky Wildlife commissioners to approve the crane hunt, thank you for posting Linda. The process is not over with and the hunt plan will be filed with legislators on June 15. It's important to voice your opposition now by writing to Governor Beshear and the Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet Secretary, Marcheta Sparrow. If you believe the cranes are more valuable as a wildlife-watching resource than as a game bird, tell them. If you feel that the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR) should have followed the International Crane Foundation's recommendation of delaying the hunt for 2-3 years, tell them. If you feel that Kentucky being the first to hunt the eastern population of Sandhill Cranes in nearly a century does not cast the Commonwealth in a favorable light, be sure and tell them. If you threatened to withdraw your support from KDFWR if the hunt was approved, do it; I am, and tell the Governor and Secretary Sparrow that you are. If you reside in another state and will boycott Kentucky by not spending money here, tell them. They need to be aware of the magnitude of opposition. Their contact information is copied below. Governor Beshear online contact link here: http://www.governor.ky.gov/contact/contact.htm Mailing address: Governor Steve Beshear 700 Capitol Avenue, Suite 100 Frankfort, Kentucky 40601 Secretary Sparrow email address here: Marcheta.Sparrow@xxxxxx Online contact for her office here: http://commerce.ky.gov/officesecretary/contact.htm Mailing address and phone number: Marcheta Sparrow Kentucky Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet Office of the Secretary 24th Floor, Capital Plaza Tower 500 Mero Street Frankfort, Kentucky 40601 (502) 564-4270 Additional contact information here: http://kyc4sandhillcranes.wordpress.com/call-to-action/ More info on the cranes and proposed hunt here: http://kyc4sandhillcranes.wordpress.com/ Whether you reside in Kentucky or another state, please send letter/emails and phone calls expressing your opposition and urge others to do the same. We still have work to do. David Roemer Bowling Green ================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBERS============== The BIRDKY Mailing List requires you to sign your messages with first & last name, city, & state abbreviation. -------------------------------------------------- To post to this mailing list, send e-mail to: birdky@xxxxxxxxxxxxx -------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, send e-mail to: birdky-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject line. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Visit the Kentucky Ornithological Society web site at http://www.biology.eku.edu/kos.htm * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * BIRDKY List Manager: Gary Ritchison, Richmond, KY E-mail: gary.ritchison@xxxxxxx