TWRA Accepting Comments on Proposed Sandhill Crane Hunting Season

NASHVILLE --- The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency has established a web page providing information on sandhill cranes in Tennessee and a proposal for a sandhill crane hunting season in 2011-12. The agency is now accepting comments concerning the proposed hunt and the comment period will run through Jan. 19, 2011.

 

The agency is expected to make a final recommendation on the proposed hunt to its commission in January 2011.

 

The breeding, migration and wintering range of the Eastern Population (EP) of sandhill cranes is located within the Mississippi and Atlantic flyways. The Eastern Population has seen significant growth during the past 30-40 years. In Tennessee, wintering sandhill crane numbers have increased substantially in the past two decades, averaging more than 12,000 cranes annually since 2005. The 2010 mid-winter count documented more than 40,000 sandhill cranes, most of which were found in southeastern Tennessee.

 

The explosive growth in the crane in the last 20 years has generated much enthusiasm from both the wildlife watching public, and waterfowl hunters who see sandhill cranes as a potential new game species. Sandhill cranes are managed as a game species by the United States Fish & Wildlife Service.

 

Sandhill cranes are hunted in 11 states and three Canadian provinces in the Central and Pacific flyways. Also, at current population levels, sandhill crane impacts to agriculture are resulting in the annual issuance of 200-300 depredation permits in the Mississippi Flyway states and over 100 additional depredation permits being issued in Canada.

 

For more information, check the “Hot Topics” section on the front page of this website.

 

Comments may be submitted by mail to: Sandhill Crane Comments, TWRA, Wildlife Management Division, P.O. 40747, Nashville, TN 37204 or email by clicking here. Please include “Sandhill Crane Comments” on the subject line of emailed submissions.

 

---TWRA---