Sandhill Cranes Facts and Figures Develped by the Tennessee Wildlife Federatin The fllwing is a cmpilatin f facts and figures regarding sandhill cranes mainly in the eastern U.S. In the near future, the Tennessee Wildlife Resurces Agency (TWRA) Cmmissin will be cnsidering a sandhill crane hunting seasn in east Tennessee. This wuld be the first seasn f its kind in ur state s histry and marks a remarkable ppulatin recvery f the greater sandhill crane ppulatin in the eastern U.S. As is the case with sandhill cranes in several states, the ppulatin that migrates thrugh Tennessee is healthy enugh t supprt bth crane viewing and hunting. We lk frward t the pprtunity t respnsibly hunt sandhill cranes in Tennessee this cming winter. Executive Summary 1. The eastern ppulatin f greater sandhill cranes is healthy and estimated by prfessinal bilgists t be mre than 100,000 birds. 2. Mdern day regulated crane hunting has existed in the U.S. since 1961, and n crane hunting seasn has negatively impacted a crane ppulatin. 3. Sandhill crane hunting and viewing festivals c exist in seven U.S. states. 4. Bth federal and state wildlife bilgists believe that the sandhill ppulatin is healthy enugh t supprt a hunting seasn. The ppulatin numbers f cranes used by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) fr the eastern U.S. and TWRA fr Tennessee are NOT estimates. They are actual cunts f cranes during their surveys. Fr 2012, the USFWS cunt was 87,796 fr the eastern U.S. and TWRA s 2013 cunt was 18,701. These are nt estimates, but rather hard numbers. Ppulatin estimates are significantly higher fr bth the eastern U.S. and Tennessee. 5. The methdlgies used t cunt cranes have been standardized and perfected by wildlife bilgists since the 1950 s when bilgists started using similar techniques t mnitr cntinental waterfwl ppulatins. 6. The ptential impacts n whping cranes frm the hunting f sandhill cranes are verstated. 7. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has histrically issued depredatin tags t landwners t kill sandhill cranes. The rules f these permits als require landwners t leave the cranes t rt after they are killed, resulting in wasting the resurce. 8. Many landwners have stpped applying fr (r never bther t apply fr) depredatin tags because the prcess is tedius, difficult and slw. 9. Sandhill cranes have a prven capability t negatively impact agriculture crps, resulting in significant financial crp damage annually. 10. If apprved, the TWRA will mst likely implement a seasn by taking a cnservative apprach t seasn lengths and bag limits, which we supprt and which has been prven sustainable in ther states.
Why an Eastern Ppulatin Sandhill Crane Hunting Seasn in Tennessee? The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Mississippi and Eastern Flyway Cuncils, and state bilgists have all cncurred that the ppulatin f eastern greater sandhill cranes is large enugh and healthy enugh t sustain regulated hunting. This fact is als played ut in multiple states arund the cuntry where viewing and hunting f sandhills take place n an annual basis, with n detrimental effects t either pastime. The science and bilgical pinin is clear that having a limited hunting seasn n Tennessee s sandhill cranes is viable and safe fr the verall ppulatin. Given this bilgical and scientific supprt fr such a seasn, we shuld allw this seasn t prceed. T nt allw this seasn t ccur in the face f this evidence culd bring int questin any f Tennessee s numerus hunting and/r fishing seasns and make them vulnerable t being verturned r remved frm cnsideratin based slely n pinin and nt science. Nt allwing a hunting seasn fr these cranes wuld arguably cnstitute an unreasnable restrictin upn ur citizen s right t hunt and fish, since the primary reasns given t ppse the seasn have nt been based n science r bilgy, but rather n persnal pinins which ppse hunting fr the purpse f ppsing hunting. The Tennessee eastern ppulatin f greater sandhill cranes is large, healthy, and grwing, and is quite capable f supprting all recreatinal uses, including watching and regulated hunting. Cncerns abut incidental take f whping cranes are unfunded and verstated. Since 1955, there have been nly three dcumented cases in the U.S. f waterfwl hunters accidentally shting whping cranes. An additinal three whping cranes have been killed by pachers/illegal shting, but nt by hunters. The remainder f human caused whping cranes lses are largely attributed t vandals. http://wsbirds.rg/files/cnservatin/whping_cranes_and_shting_related_mrtalities.p df Currently, the eastern ppulatin f whping cranes is cnsidered by the USFWS t be an experimental/nn essential ppulatin. Several ther states that allw fr the hunting f sandhill cranes have develped methds fr effectively educating hunters and preventing the accidental take f whping cranes. Due t the experimental/nn essential status f whping cranes in Tennessee, there is n federal authrity t frce the clsure f a sandhill crane seasn if and when whping cranes are present in the state r area where sandhills will be hunted. Effrts t link sandhill crane hunting t the ptential f accidental take f whping cranes are a back dr attempt t stp Tennessee s prpsed sandhill crane seasn. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service s Mississippi and Eastern Flyway Cuncils have prduced a Eastern Ppulatin Greater Sandhill Crane Management Plan, which includes guidance and allwance fr sandhill crane hunting seasns in the states cvered by these cuncils.
The basis fr allwing these hunting seasns is that the ppulatin has recvered t a level that can supprt and sustain hunting and that these birds are classified as a game bird. 1,260 sandhill cranes were killed during depredatin takings, primarily fr agriculture (141 depredatin permits authrizing the kill f 2,525 cranes were issued), in USFWS Regin 3 (Minnesta, Wiscnsin, Michigan, Ohi, Illinis, Indiana, Iwa and Missuri) during 2011. The Sandhill Crane Ppulatin Eastern sandhill cranes last three years fall staging cunt (nt estimate): 2012 = 87,796; 2011=71,975; and 2010=49,666 (USFWS actual crane cunt numbers). Eastern ppulatin f greater sandhill cranes is estimated t be ver 100,000 individuals accrding t wildlife prfessinals. In Tennessee, the previus five year cunts were as fllws: 2009 = 20,191; 2010 = 48505; 2011 = 16540; 2012 = 13356; 2013 = 18,071 (USFWS/TWRA Mid Winter Survey crane cunt) The eastern ppulatin sandhill crane is the greater sandhill crane, while the western sandhill is the lesser sandhill crane. The methdlgies used t cunt cranes have been standardized and perfected by wildlife bilgists since the 1950 s when bilgists started using similar techniques t mnitr cntinental waterfwl and waterbird ppulatins. Mst f the sandhill cranes presently hunted in the U.S. belng t the Mid Cntinent Ppulatin, which at mre than 500,000 birds is the largest sandhill crane ppulatin in Nrth America. The Mid Cntinent Ppulatin winters in Alaska, Siberia, and Canada and migrates thrugh the Central Flyway t its wintering grunds in Texas, New Mexic, sutheastern Arizna, and Mexic. Frm 2000 t 2009, it s estimated that 8,600 hunters harvested abut 17,000 sandhills annually frm the Mid Cntinent Ppulatin. While certainly less numerus than their Midwestern cunterparts, the sandhill ppulatin in the East has grwn significantly in the last 30 40 years. As f the USFWS fall 2009 survey, the Eastern ppulatin numbered slightly less than 60,000 birds up frm 30,000 in 1996. Prfessinal bilgists believe that the ppulatin is nw mre than 100,000 individual birds. Where Sandhill Crane Hunting Currently Occurs States and Canadian prvinces that have sandhill crane hunting seasns: A ttal f 15 U.S. states, 3 Canadian prvinces, and Mexic allw sandhill crane hunting. Texas and New Mexic have been hunting sandhills since 1961 In ttal, 13 states in the West and Midwest, including nine f the 10 states in the Central Flyway, allw sandhill crane hunting tday. Sandhill crane hunting seasns currently exist in (asterisk represents states where hunting and viewing festivals ccur): Alaska * Arizna * Utah Clrad * Kansas
Mntana New Mexic * Nrth Dakta * Oklahma Suth Dakta Texas * Wyming Minnesta Wiscnsin (Native American tribes are hunting the greater sandhill crane) Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitba Mexic Minnesta apprved a sandhill crane hunting seasn in July 2011. In the prcess, Minnesta became the first state in the Mississippi Flyway t hld a sandhill crane in almst 100 years in the fall f 2011. That hunt was limited t the nrthwest crner f the state, hwever, which is used by members f the Mid Cntinent Ppulatin as a nesting and migratin resting spt. Minnesta s inaugural crane hunt ran Sept. 4 t Oct. 10, and 1,962 hunters paid $3.50 fr a crane permit. In additin t Minnesta, Kentucky passed a sandhill crane hunting seasn and held a successful hunt in 2011/2012 and 2012/2013. Sandhill Crane Viewing Festivals (please nte in previus sectin states that have viewing festivals and which allw hunting f sandhills) States that have sandhill crane viewing festivals (asterisk indicates states that allw crane hunting and als nte that this des nt represent an exhaustive list f festivals but rather thse readily finable via Ggle internet searches): Tanana Valley Sandhill Crane Festival, Fairbanks, Alaska * Wings Over Wilcx, Birding and Nature Festival, Wilcx, Arizna * Festival f the Cranes, Bsque del Apache Natinal Wildlife Refuge, San Antni, New Mexic * Mnte Vista Crane Festival, San Luis Valley, Clrad * Yampa Valley Crane Festival, Steambat Springs, Clrad * Sandhill Crane Festival, Steele, Nrth Dakta * Whping and Sandhill Crane Festival, Prt Aransas, Texas * Necedah Lins Whping Crane Festival, Juneau, Wiscnsin cancelled due t lack f interest after 10 years * http://www.wiscnews.cm/news/lcal/article_5609b000 6adf 11e0 97c0 001cc4c002e0.html Whping Crane Festival, Berlin, Wiscnsin * Sandhill Crane Festival, Sacrament San Jaquin Delta, Califrnia Sandhill Crane Festival, (Eatn Cunty) Bellevue, Michigan Sandhill Crane and Art Festival Cranefest, Calhun C., Michigan
Hiwassee Refuge, Tennessee CraneWatch Festival, Kearney, Nebraska Othell Sandhill Crane Festival, Kennewick, Washingtn Flrida Crane Festival, Gainsville, Flrida Sandhill Crane Crp Damage As the ppulatin has grwn, s t have reprts f sandhill crane crp damage. Crp depredatin is increasing because f the cranes attractin t new shts f spring agricultural crps, including crn and winter wheat. Cranes uprt the germinating seed f crn plants r ther crps and feed n the attached kernel. Later in the year, farmers deal with grazing and trampling damage t winter wheat, as well as damage t standing un harvested crn, when large cncentratins f sandhill cranes are present. A reprt frm the U.S. Department f Agriculture shwed 84 cmplaints f sandhill crane crp damage frm Wiscnsin alne in 2007, resulting in $263,000 in damages. As a result f this damage, between 200 and 300 harvest permits are issued fr sandhill cranes each year in the Mississippi Flyway t deal with crp damage. Thugh nt issued as part f a frmal hunting seasn, these depredatin permits have prvided bilgists with evidence that sandhills can be harvested withut impacting the verall ppulatin. In Tennessee, the number f crane depredatin tags has declined frm a high f 4 in 2008 (90 cranes killed) t a recent number f ne permit in 2011 and 2012 (17 and 18 cranes killed respectively). In speaking with lcal land wners and farmers in the Sequatchie Valley, the primary reasn fr the lw numbers and decline in permits appears t be (a) many landwners and farmers are unaware that depredatin permits are available, (b) they are leery f wrking with the federal gvernment and the requirements f the permit, (c) the permits are time cnsuming and difficult t btain, requiring multiple calls t the USFWS and thers, and (d) that because f the difficulty in btaining the permits they are ften nt timely issued, and are nt available t address crp depredatin prblems. Expectatins f a Tennessee Sandhill Crane Seasn While n frmal presentatin has been given by TWRA establishing the parameters f a 2013 sandhill crane seasn, we can infer, frm a previusly prpsed and publicly discussed seasn cnsidered in 2011, the agency wuld design a limited hunting seasn n this game bird that wuld clsely fllw current waterfwl hunting seasns. We wuld expect the agency t issue 700 1000 permits t hunters, which wuld allw each hunter t harvest up t three cranes during the seasn. Thus, the ttal ptential harvest available in a Tennessee seasn wuld be belw the allwable amunt identified by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Additinally, we wuld expect and have requested that the TWRA fllw the lead f ther states and cnduct educatin and training fr hunters as t the differences in appearance f sandhill crane and whping cranes. While we d nt fear that hunters will accidentally take whping cranes, we feel it prudent t be cautius and prvide the training nnetheless.