Wisconsin Senate Bill 620 would require the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to authorize Sandhill crane hunting in Wisconsin.  

Debate about a possible Sandhill crane hunt has been ongoing for several years, yet to date there has been no specific evaluation of the potential effects of such a hunt.  Longstanding questions remain unanswered such as the reliability of breeding and migratory crane population estimates, potential overharvest of critcal breeding populations, the extent of crop damage and whether a hunting season would reduce it.   

Unique to Wisconsin is the potential for conflict with the federal program that has been in place for two decades to establish a breeding population of endangered Whooping cranes in the state.  Central Wisconsin which has the highest Sandhill crane population is also the site for breeding, rearing and releasing Whooping cranes into habitat shared with Sandhill cranes including federal and state wildlife refuges.  Due to overlapping ecology, shared habitat, physical similarities and other factors, a Sandhill crane hunt could result in Whooping cranes being shot.  Because there are very few Whooping cranes, loss of even one breeding adult would adversely affect the reintroduction effort.

Further, the value of a healthy and stable Sandhill crane population and the growing Whooping crane population to Wisconsin's tourism has not been evaluated.  Numerous out of state residents travel to Wisconsin each year to view the cranes and attend annual festivals.  Substantial financial contributions to the Whooping crane reintroduction program have also been made by out of state residents.       

Now is the time for legislators to take a leadership role by requiring DNR to undertake a comprehensive and transparent decision-making process before further legislative actions or actions by the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board are taken to authroize a Sandhill crane hunt.

By signing this petition, I am letting Wisconsin lawmakers know that I oppose a Sandhill crane hunt until a comprehensive environmental impact study is done.  This study would include a clear purpose and need statement, evaluation of alternatives, impact assessment, and measures to minimize possibe advderse effects.  It would also seek and consider input from  state and federal review agencies, outside experts such as the International Crane Foundation, and the public.