Findings from the Wisconsin Legislative Council Study Committee on Sandhill Cranes have been released.
25th District Representative Paul Tittl, who chairs the committee, explained that the data shows that with an increase in population, and farmers continuing to be affected, hunting would be reasonable.
After hearing from experts, the committee learned that in 2023, there were about 112,000 sandhill cranes, although that’s considered to be undercounted.
The cranes have also learned to adapt to being around humans and can affect farm fields by eating the seedlings of crops like potatoes and corn.
The council study committee’s findings show about $1.9 million in damage from the cranes. Representatives also explained that the sandhill crane has been hunted in the U.S. for over 6 decades, with some states, such as Kentucky, Tennessee, and Alabama, already permitting hunts.
If there were a sandhill hunting season in Wisconsin, permits would have been created via state legislation and some approval from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).
That process could take about two to three years. Tittl explained last week that his committee will discuss cranes in January in the Wisconsin Assembly through the Sporting Heritage and Outdoors Committee.
The Wisconsin Senate is also working on two bills that could allow hunting and provide farmers with financial opportunities to recover costs from crop damage caused by sandhill cranes.
