[TN-Bird] Re: The crane hunt passes

  • From: TNTuxedo <msha554@xxxxxxxxx>
  • To: David-Aborn@xxxxxxx
  • Date: Fri, 23 Aug 2013 18:25:14 -0500

Hunting license $28.00, waterfowl license $31.00, whatever fee determined
for the Sandhill hunt, and Migratory Bird Permit $2.00 ....life of a
Whooper: PRICELESS


On Fri, Aug 23, 2013 at 10:40 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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