[TN-Bird] Re: The crane hunt passes
- From: "Alice Beth & Lew" <ablroyce@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: David-Aborn@xxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 23 Aug 2013 12:07:13 -0400
I know that there are many responsible hunters, but all are not. If it is
determined that one whooping crane is killed, can this issue be revisited?
I am not surprised but deeply disappointed. In a world where we have to
make decisions about everyday life about what is necessary and what is not,
this decision was totally unnecessary.
Alice Beth Royce
Maryville
Blount County
On Fri, Aug 23, 2013 at 11:40 AM, Aborn, David <David-Aborn@xxxxxxx> wrote:
> Knoxville, TN (WTVC-TV) - Tennessee will have the first sandhill crane
> in the state's modern-day history beginning Nov. 28, 2013. The historic
> step has been down a tumultuous and controversial path however.****
>
>
> In 2011 the Tennessee Fish & Wildlife Commission deferred the decision for
> two years. It was standing room only in a Knoxville conference room
> Thursday and Friday as wildlife officials, hunters, wildlife watchers and
> conservationists from across the state gathered to consider whether or not
> to hunt sandhills during the 3-year experimental season. It was a unanimous
> vote in support of a hunting season among the 11 of 13 commissioners
> present.****
>
>
> Numerous speakers argued for and against a hunting season. The opposition
> has been lead primarily by members of the Tennessee Ornithological Society
> (TOS). Vickie Henderson spoke on behalf of TOS.****
>
>
> Much of Henderson's presentation to commissioners focused on concerns
> about the potential for inadvertent kills of endangered whooping cranes.**
> **
>
>
> "I'm disappointed," said Henderson following the vote. "I've loved and
> learned about sandhill cranes for 13 years now. I'm also concerned about
> whooping cranes. Hunters are good and well-educated about identifying
> different species but we're still very concerned because we've put so many
> years into saving [whooping cranes]."****
>
>
> Henderson said there are a mere 104 whooping cranes in the entire East,
> and most migrate through Tennessee. While adult whooping cranes are almost
> solid white, she showed several photographs illustrating that juvenile
> whooping cranes and sandhills have very similar plumage and are hard to
> identify in the field. ****
>
>
> Biologists countered that they reduced legal shooting hours to avoid "low
> light" situations and said that before receiving a permit, hunters will be
> required to pass a mandatory bird identification class.****
>
>
> Wildlife Commissioner Jamie Woodson, said, "I feel very confident that
> this does not present a serious threat. Hunters have had a long tradition
> of distinguishing between different species... they must distinguish
> between a gadwall and a hen mallard and there are consequences if they
> don't."****
>
>
> Consequences include potential enforcement under state or federal law.
> However since the eastern population of whooping cranes are considered
> "experimental," they do not carry the same severe penalties traditionally
> applied to other endangered species.****
>
>
> TOS and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency have partnered on the
> annual Sandhill Crane Festival at the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge in Meigs
> County for 22 years. The festival, attended by thousands of locals and
> out-of-state tourists, has helped generate a significant "emotional"
> attachment to the sandhills among the non-hunting public. Henderson said
> that one study showed the festival generated $232,000 in positive economic
> impact on the area last year. She said the decision to hunt the cranes will
> definitely have a negative impact on the festival.****
>
>
> "One foundation provides a $10,000 grant for the crane festival in 2013
> and they've already told us they will not make anymore donations if a hunt
> hunt takes place," said Henderson. "We've also had a number of volunteers
> that said if they hunt sandhill cranes we won't volunteer anymore. So
> there's an impact because people are very passionate about this issue."***
> *
>
>
> The contentious meeting was the very first for newly-appointed wildlife
> commissioner David Watson from Chattanooga. Even before the vote Watson
> said that hunting and watching wildlife do not have to be mutually
> exclusive.****
>
>
> "There are other festivals being held now in these other states that are
> hunting sandhill cranes and those festivals are co-existing with hunting,"
> he said. "There might be an initial emotional backlash [to a hunting
> season], but I think it would recover."****
>
>
> Woodson said, "I think we have an opportunity to accomodate all users. To
> say we've got to do one or the other -- that is a false choice."****
>
>
> During the official public comment period wildlife officials said they
> received 1,073 comments, including letters from former President Jimmy
> Carter and wildlife researcher Dr. Jane Goodall. Both were among the 888
> comments opposed to sandhill crane hunt. Many speakers argued that wildlife
> commissioners should represent all Tennesseans, not just hunters.****
>
>
> Others however argued that commissioners should make the decision based
> upon science and biology, not based on emotion.****
>
>
> Dr. Gray Anderson, TWRA's Asst. Chief of Wildlife said that sandhill
> cranes are considered a "native" species in Tennessee. he said in the early
> part of the century sandhill cranes numbers did fall to extremely low
> levels, although no one knows exactly how low. The birds in the
> mid-continent region rebounded first and states there have been hunting
> sandhills since the 1960's. Some hunters refer to the birds "rib eyes in
> the sky" due to their tasty flesh.****
>
>
> The eastern population of sandhill cranes began to rebound in significant
> numbers about 25 years ago. Anderson said the eastern population now
> numbers around 87,000 birds. A significant number of those birds do pass
> through southeast Tennessee with tens of thousands remaining in and around
> the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge for most of the winter.****
>
>
> The Sandhill Hunt Details****
>
>
> Wildlife officials passed a season, bag limit and other regualtions
> significantly lower than what could have been allowed under federal
> guidelines.****
>
>
> The season will be open from Nov. 28 thru Jan. 1 (ending 17 days before
> the 2014 Sandhill Crane Festival). Hunting will only be allowed east of
> Hwy. 56 and south of I-40. There will be 400 packets issued in a public
> drawing held on October 19th at Birchwood Elementary School. Each packet
> will include 3 permits. Hunters will be required to have a regular hunting
> license and a waterfowl license to participate in the drawing. Sandhill
> hunters will also be required to possess a federal migratory bird stamp.
> Each hunter will also have to show proof that they've successfully passed
> an online bird identification course before their permits are valid.****
>
>
> Legal shooting hours will be from Sunrise to 3 pm each day (to avoid
> "low-light" conditions and easier bird identification). Hunters will be
> required to tag each downed bird, just like tagging a deer. They will also
> be required to "check in" their harvests by mail and fill out a mandatory
> "end-of-season" diary.****
>
> ** **
>
> ** **
>
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