Here are the pertinent slides from the 2017 migratory bird season wrapup presentation from February 2018. Note, there were no resolutions pertaining to sandhill cra es that I could find in 2018 or 2019.





Looking at the history of the results of the WCC questions, the voters still favor a hunt, but the margin is shrinking drastically. It doesn't look like the WCC supports a sandhill crane season, so going over their heads and going straight to legislators could jump start the process.

Mark, are they in your opinion good eating?
Over the years I have been tempted to find out
but I hate to violate the law anymore than I have to.

Zim

To answer some questions. Federally, sandhill crane hunting would be approved in Wisconsin if brought to the Flyway councils. The argument needs to be framed to get support from the public. The season and permit numbers have already been established. Just takes Wisconsin pursuing it.

Cranes are great eating.

ICF already has all of the crane data pretty publicly accessible population wise. Also, Wisconsin needs to have population estimates to establish a season(set quotas). They are already collecting the data necessary.

Be glad to answer more questions if there are any.

Zim, I sure would not break the law to eat one. I feel they are better then duck or geese, but what is that saying? I have shot 100's of them and tried them all sorts of ways. Maybe I just a bad cook. They are not as dark meated as a duck or goose. But they are still dark meat. I made a lot of sausage mixing 1/3 beef, 1/3 pork and 1/3 crane, stuffed in a polish size casing and smoked. I like them best like that. Goes to show if you mix enough beef and pork with something and smoke it, its good. If you want to shoot some. About mid Oct until about the Oct 23 they will peak around me. I see 1000's a day then. There are none here now. I have never seen any stay to nest.

Thank you ice and Mark for that info. They nest everywhere here in the spring. Seems like they usually have one, sometimes two offspring.
They are interesting birds for sure. Their color changes quite a bit from spring when they arrive to fall when they leave.
The International Crane Foundation facility is about 10 miles from my house, have done some work with those folks over the years.

Zim

Thanks. I am reaching out to a legislator to see if we can get the ball rolling.

Once evers gets this RR track crossing thing handled I am sure he will get right on this.

Now that is funny.

Zim

Might as well ask for a two for one deal and see if they will open a badger season as well

I shot lots of them in North Dakota and Canada. Both pass shooting and decoying them.

Fun bird to hunt

From the post above we can see that at the public hearings that each time the resolution was voted on the yes votes declined and the no votes rose, so maybe using the WCC is a tool to use but not the sole method to establish seasons etc. There must be some research from some organization, university etc. that has done some study(s) on crane damage to crops. That is also one avenue of approach.

Bryce

That's a tactic all game wardens use, I don't buy it. #fakenews

I'll go for bear foot snaring and you can pursue the badger season.

Now you might as well go for all three. Call it the expanded wildlife opportunity act.

I'll do what I can.
Wi seems to keep accomplishing at least 1 pro trapping thing every year.