The state of Tennessee is on the verge of opening a hunting season on
Sandhill Cranes, the Nashville Tennessean reports on Sept 2. The
Tennessee Wildlife Federation has requested the season to be opened on the majestic species.

Many people were concerned when Tennessee officials decided not to
supplemental feed the Sandhill Cranes at Hiawassee Refuge and then canceled
the Sandhill Crane/Cherokee Heritage Festival at Birchwood, Tennessee. This was a festival enjoyed by hundreds of people each year with many returning year after year.

Although I have been a hunter myself, and will be again should the need
arise, I am opposed to this proposal. Many more people may miss seeing
and hearing the spectacle of the "geese" flying over in the thousands,
hundreds, or even seeing and hearing just a few flying over and vocalizing
the entire time.

Children and adults may miss the spectacle of hundreds of Sandhills rising in unison and then settling when a raptor soars over at Hiwassee refuge.

Hunting the Sandhills may place the already endangered Whooping Cranes in
more danger. Both species use the same flyway, and at least one wild
Whooping Crane was present at Hiwassee about three years ago just before officials canceled the next year's festival.

A few years ago in Kansas two Whooping Cranes were shot by Sandhill Crane hunters. One died, and one was permanently injured.

The possibility of someone killing a Whooping Crane while hunting Sandhill
Cranes in Tennessee is certainly there. A few years ago someone shot
two Trumpeter Swans, apparently mistaking them for Snow Geese -
a much easier pair of species to discern.

With the denial of supplemental feeding, the Sandhill flyway seems to have shifted to the west. Fewer Sandhills seem to be flying over Atlanta, with more being reported west of the city.

To cater to the wishes of a few hundred hunters and to perhaps deny many more ordinary people the pleasure of seeing and hearing the magnificent Sandhills does not seem right to me.

Please ask Tennessee State officials to reinstate the Sandhill
Crane/Cherokee Heritage Festival
and deny the Tennessee Wildlife Federation's request to open a hunting
season of Sandhill Cranes.

Parrie Pinyan
Canton, Ga.

* * *

The Sandhill Crane Festival might still be around if bird watchers actually gave money to the programs that benefit the wildlife they like to enjoy. Hunters buy licenses and pay ammo taxes that results in revenue for WMA's and Refuges. Hunting is a billion dollar industry that benefits non hunters (such as bird watchers) in many ways. States along the central flyway already hunt sandhill cranes and misidentification envolving whooping cranes is not a problem.

Biology and wildlife management practices prove that a hunting season for sandhill cranes is needed. It's not possible for this have been done to please a few hunters. A complex and complete plan had to be approved by US Fish and Wildlife. Hunting will benefit the birds much more in the long term as hunters invest back into the natural resources that we enjoy persuing. Bottom line is that you are making a lot of assumptions and using emotions instead of facts.

Chris Sanders

* * *

To anyone who might be curious as to how to enjoy your Sandhill Crane
game dinner, here is a recipe that I came across:

Sandhill Crane Recipe
Often referred to as the “rib-eyes of the skies,” Sandhill cranes
offer a very flavorful and thick breast for the table. Some just cook
it like a rib-eye steak, but here is a recipe that everyone (even the
kids) will enjoy. Its Sandhill K-bobs.

Ingredients:
Sandhill Crane breasts
1 can of ring pineapple
1 bottle of Worcestershire Sauce
2 Bell Pepper
1 Onion
1 Pack of whole mushrooms
1 Tbsp of minced garlic
Salt, pepper & Tony Chachere’s seasonings

First, breast out the bird from the breast bone and thoroughly clean
accordingly. Once washed, slice the breasts in 1″, or slightly larger,
pieces so that they will fit on a skewer. Place them in a container
(that can be sealed). Open can of pineapple and pour the juice over
the breast pieces. Save the pineapple rings in the refrigerator for
grilling. In an approximately equal amount to the pineapple juice,
pour in the Worcestershire Sauce. Add garlic (if desired). Place the
sealed container in the refrigerator and let marinate for 12 or more
hours.

When ready to grill, cut up vegetables and skewer them k-bob style. I alternate each piece of breast meat with a different vegetable or pineapple piece. Grill until fully cooked with a warm red center. Lightly season with Tony Chacere’s to taste. Enjoy.

David Cadieux

* * *

In response to Chris Sanders statement:

"The Sandhill Cranes Festival might still be around if bird watches actually gave money to the programs that benefit the wildlife they like to enjoy."

For those that are now aware of it, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service conducts a survey every 5 years on the number and amount of money spent by Anglers, Hunters and Wildlife Observers. The 2006 survey reported July 18,2007, "In 2006, more than 87 million Americans, or 38 percent of the population age 16 or older hunted, fished or observed wildlife. They spent $120 billion that year pursuing those activities.

30 Million or 13 percent fished and spent $41 Billion.

12.5 Million or 5 percent hunted and spent $23 Billion.

71 Million or 31 percent observed wildlife and spent $45 Billion.

After losing ground in the early 1990's, wildlife-related activities such as bird watching and photography increased 13 percent over the last decade. In 1996, 62.9 million observed wildlife, 66.1 million did so in 2001 and 71.1 million in 2006. Wildlife watchers spending increased 19 percent from $37.5 billion in 1996 to $44.7 Billion in 2006.

Anglers spent $40.6 billion last year, which is similar to 2001 but 16 percent lower than 1996.

For hunting, there was a 10 percent decline in participation from 1996 to 2006."

This survey data from USF&W shows a decline in fishing and hunting, plus an increase in participation and spending by wildlife observers. One thing that could contribute to that was the introduction of the digital cameras in the early 2000's. This turned a lot of birdwatchers into photographers, the computer that allows birders to process and store bird photos just added to the pleasure of birding, now you can bird anytime by clicking on your computer. The cost of hunting and fishing have helped the decline, plus available land to hunt and good waters to fish.

Birders have ask TWRA for programs that would allow birders and photographers to enter wildlife refuges to observe and photograph wildlife. We have offered to help purchase corn to feed the Sandhill Cranes, but so far all that's happened is the Sandhill Crane Festival and viewing has received less and less attention and now an open season on Sandhills is proposed. Birders, photographers and wildlife watchers will pay fees to use wildlife refuges; they will not pay fees to see the wildlife killed. This is the only way hunters have contributed money is in the purchase of permits to hunt and the purchase of guns and ammo.

The Watchable Wildlife license plates you see on autos reads "Watchable" Wildlife, have you ever seen a license plate that read "Shootable Wildlife"? These plates are purchased by people that enjoy watching wildlife; they would purchase more and pay fees to enter TWRA refuges if TWRA would allow it. I have been told this would take a change in the laws that govern TWRA, if so let the wildlife watchers help them get the laws changed.

Wildlife watchers and photographers outnumber and outspend hunters 6 to 1. We are not asking anyone to stop hunting; time is taking care of that. We are asking TWRA to look at Wildlife Watchers, let us go in Hiwassee Refuge, get in a blind and enjoy the sight and sounds of Sandhill Cranes up close. If you have ever heard a Sandhill Crane you will never forget that sound, the only sound a dead Crane makes is when it hits the ground.

The only way for us to enter TWRA refuges now is to purchase a hunting license and wait on hunting season to open, the birding and photographing season is open the year round. We have wildlife observers asking for a chance to enjoy our sport and will help support efforts to change laws blocking our access to TWRA refuges, we do not support an open season on Sandhills.

If a hunter accidentally killed a Whooping Crane while using a TWRA permit to kill Sandhills, would they be arrested and fined or jailed? Would TWRA be responsible as they issued the permit?

Harold Sharp
Riverwalk Bird Club

* * *

As a an avid bird watcher and supporter of avian conservation, the recent reports that the TWRA and the Tennessee Wildlife Federation are considering allowing hunters to hunt Sandhill Cranes, greatly concerns me.

I am not a member of PETA nor am I an animal rights extremist. I simply believe in creating policies and programs which seek to educate and inform our community about the various issues which affect avian conservation. I realize that there are periods when hunting is necessary to protect a species from over population and disease; however, I believe this is one instance in which this is not the case.

For many years, the Sandhill Crane populations were in decline. Luckily, the TWRA, wildlife conservationists, bird clubs, and ornithologists stepped up and worked together to create initiatives which helped to increase their populations and provide safe havens and feeding grounds for them which helped encourage their growth and cause them to stop over for extended periods of time during their migration periods.

These migration “stop-over’s” easily attract nearly 10,000 wildlife enthusiasts each year alone to the Hiawassee Refuge area and smaller communities which benefit from the increased revenues brought in by small bouts of ecotourism. It is a proven fact that the sport of bird watching is a multi-billion dollar business nationwide and is a valuable part of our nation’s economy, far greater than that of the sport of hunting. Another aspect of concern is that any proposed hunting season would have to coincide with viewing times which we all know can be dangerous for those who are disguising themselves to observe or photograph the birds. I can tell you that the last thing hunters want to disturb are angry birdwatchers that have traveled hundreds of miles to see a bird only to watch them chased away or even killed in front of them.

Another reason to tread cautiously around this delicate conservation issue is because of the tremendous resemblance of the juvenile and adult Whooping Crane which closely resembles a Sandhill Crane. As we all know, not all hunters are responsible and fully understand their prey nor do they take the time to learn about the other species which resemble it. There was a time in my life when I hunted frequently, and to this day, I still know many avid hunters. While some of them are very respectable, I have also met my fair share of hunters who do not follow the rules set forth by the state, hence the need for Wildlife Resource Officers. How many times have you been to a wildlife refuge where there were an abundance of TWRA officers around to make sure that the proper hunting laws were enforced?

While their populations are considerably on the rise, this does not mean that it is an acceptable or prudent time to start allowing hunters the opportunity to hunt them. As for the argument that they are destroying fields and hurting farmer’s profits, this is just simply not the case. Where I do believe that there does occur some loss due to the Sandhill Cranes, I also believe it can just as easily be associated with or attributed to deer, crows, doves, squirrels, and other animals which feed off of the crops/corn as well.

Each year, one of the greatest joys my wife and I enjoy is sitting on our back porch and watching the thousands of Sandhill Cranes fly over our neighborhood during their migration periods. We love hearing them from miles away before even seeing them. It is an amazing site to behold. I encourage the TWRA and the Tennessee Wildlife Federation to reconsider their quest to allow permitted hunting of the Sandhill Crane. Although their numbers are on the rise, they have yet to reach a dangerous or precarious level which would require a permitted hunting season. Hunters have plenty of opportunities to hunt other types of animals as it is. Leave the Sandhill Cranes alone….

For the Birds:

J. Matt Lea

-Founder, Greater Chattanooga Aviculture Society and Take Flight-Chattanooga
-Member, Chattanooga Chapter of the Tennessee Ornithological Society
-Legislative Liaison for the Southeast Tennessee Avicultural Society
-Member, Cornell University Lab of Ornithology