Sandhill Crane Hunting in Tennessee? Tennesseans Say No!

It is breeding season for sandhill cranes like so many other species.  Soon after sandhill crane chicks hatch they leave the nest and follow their parents to learn about their environment and what to eat and how to find food.

All sandhill family photos courtesy of Christy Yuncker

Sandhill cranes have a family life that we humans relate to easily.  They mate for life, live long lives, stay together as a family unit for many months, including when they migrate, and have a complex system of communication that includes posturing, dancing and many vocals that establish who they are and their breeding and feeding territory, helping to maintain order with their neighbors.

The male sandhill crane below is initiating a dance.

He gets the attention of his chick and the chick responds with excitement.

And tries to imitate the dance.

And practices.

In a few months, this family will join other families in their migration journey to warmer climates where food is available during the winter months.  It is during this migration journey that we have the opportunity to see sandhill cranes in Tennessee--a unique population of sandhill cranes known as the Eastern Population of Greater Sandhill Cranes.  This population was once on the brink of extinction.  With the help of wetland conservation, the establishment of hunting regulations and the sandhill crane's ability to adapt to human presence and smaller territories, this population has made a spectacular come back.  That is why Tennessee and visitors have been celebrating sandhill cranes for 22 years at the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge in Southeast Tennessee.

There is no other species of bird in Tennessee that creates this kind of spectacle, offers this type of visibility, has a compelling conservation story, and affords us a viewing opportunity that we use to both celebrate and educate the public about wildlife and wildlife conservation in Tennessee.

Once again, a proposed sandhill crane season is on the table in Tennessee. The Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is currently receiving comments about this proposed season.  The initiative for this hunt comes from a small group of hunters.  In fact, less than a majority of hunters in the state approve of hunting sandhill cranes (42%) while 35% are opposed, according to a recent TWRA survey of Tennessee residents.  That same survey revealed that 62% of Tennessee residents were opposed to sandhill crane hunting and 62% of wildlife watchers were opposed to hunting sandhill cranes.

Listen to the message in the video below and click on the Take Action Now link that follows.  The link will take you to a website with the email addresses of all the commissioners and give you a list of talking points to help you write your letters.  We want our Commissioners to know that this is not just about the "impact" to the Eastern Population of Sandhill Cranes--whether the population can sustain a hunt--this is also about the impact on people who have celebrated and revered sandhill cranes in Tennessee for more than 22 years.

Help us stop this hunt with your letters and phone calls.
 

TAKE ACTION NOW!

All of the sandhill crane family images in this post were taken by Christy Yuncker at Christy Yuncker Photo Journal   Visit her beautiful sandhill crane images and the story of the sandhill cranes that live on her property.

Results of Tennessee Resident and Hunter's Survey on Knowledge of and Opinions on Sandhill Cranes:  62% of residents are opposed to hunting sandhill cranes; only 42% of hunters support and 35% are opposed; 62% of wildlife watchers are opposed.

TN Ornithological Society's Position on Sandhill Crane Hunt

Report from University of Wisconsin, Madison.  Hunting could hurt genetic diversity.

Richard Simms Comments at Nooga.com

Wintering Sandhill Cranes:  three blog posts with close up photos and stories about sandhill cranes wintering at the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge; first post is at the bottom

Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency

Other posts on this blog discussing key issues in Tennessee's Sandhill Crane hunt proposal in 2010.
Sandhill Crane Hunting in Tennessee--Multiple Factors say No!
Greater Sandhill Crane--An Intimate View of Family Life

The history of sandhill crane hunt initiatives in the east at the Kentucky Coalition for Sandhill Cranes website

Summary of the 2011 USFWS National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Activity
Tennessee's Survey Results      To find your state click here

Intimate Visits with a Sandhill Crane Family

Sandhill cranes are loved wherever you find them.  Recently I have become acquainted with several individuals who have spent many hours observing and documenting sandhill crane behavior as the families go about their daily lives.  These are also talented individuals who have shared what they've learned with the rest of the world.

The image you see above is from Christy Yuncker Photo Journal, a website you will want to visit to find a wonderful collection of images and descriptions of sandhill cranes and their behavior.  She and her husband, George Happ, are co-authors of the Sandhill Crane Display Dictionary.

Christy introduced me to Nina Faust, in Homer, Alaska, a videographer who has made a beautiful series of videos of a sandhill crane family living near her home. The videos are moving and intimate documentaries of a sandhill crane family engaged in its daily activities.

Before viewing, settle into your chair and relax.  Each video will draw you into the moment as you hear the gentle purr of a sandhill crane parent and enjoy this intimate visit with a family of sandhills going about their daily life.        





While the proposal to hunt the Eastern Population of sandhill cranes moves forward in the state of Kentucky despite overwhelming opposition, there is a parallel approval process occurring in the regulatory branch of the Migratory Bird Division of USFWS.  This division reviews and approves the regulatory rules that govern proposed hunting seasons for migratory birds.  Kentucky's proposed sandhill crane hunting season is currently under review and the public is invited to comment.  

Two important deadlines:
August 1st--comment deadline in Kentucky.
August 5th--comment deadline for USFWS regulatory ruling.

By August 1st--KDFWR's comment period for the public to voice their opinion about the proposed sandhill crane hunting season ends August 1st, 2011.  If  you are opposed to the hunting of sandhill cranes in the east,  please let your voice be heard. Send your comments to the following KDFWR email address:  rose.mack@ky.gov

By August 5th--USFWS is holding a public comment period on the proposed sandhill crane hunt in Kentucky.  Comments can be made via postal mail or online portal.  You can make your comment online at the following link:  Frameworks for Early Season Migratory Bird Hunting   You may type your comment or provide it as an attachment. You will see a tab that provides for your comment at the top right.  Click on the pdf tab to read the document.  Sandhill cranes are discussed in item # 9, page 44735.  

The postal mailing address is:  Public Comments Processing, Attn:  FWS-R9-MB-2011-0014; Division of Policy and Directives Management; US Fish and Wildlife Service; 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, MS 2042-PDM; Arlington, VA  22203

But don't stop there.  Who do you know that can have an impact on this process?  Role up your sleeves, make a phone call, send an email, send a letter, invite that person to discuss this issue with you. Everyone has access to their state's law makers. You will find your state's US legislators' phone numbers and mail addresses at this link. These are the people who have the power to stop a decision-making process that excludes the voice of the majority of US citizens.

Links and Resources:

Visit sandhill crane hunting for my previous posts on this issue.  The most recent post will be first. When you reach the bottom of the page, click "older posts" to view more.

More on Purple Martins coming up!

Kentucky's Sandhill Crane Hunt Proposal--Your Voice Counts

The sandhill crane hunting proposal developed by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR) has reached the administrative approval level in the form of a proposed regulation that is moving toward a state legislative vote.  If this regulation succeeds in passing and if the hunting proposal meets the regulatory standards of the USFWS, Kentucky will become the first state to open a hunting season on the eastern population of greater sandhill cranes since the population's near extinction.

As most of you know, there are a vast number of hunters and non-hunters in the east who do not want to see this happen.  For many, the first reason that comes to mind springs right out of the heart.  Most of us have been passionate about sandhill cranes from the moment we encountered them.  They are large charismatic birds, social, highly vocal and impressive as they congregate in staging areas during their fall and spring migration. They are the kind of birds that evoke goose bumps and wonder, and the story of their recovery offers a model partnership between humans and nature.  Humans protected them from hunting and conserved wetlands; sandhill cranes adapted to smaller breeding territories and learned to feed in waste grain fields adjacent to wetlands.  We simply stopped harming them and they did the rest.  There is a valuable lesson here for the future of wildlife stewardship in this country.

Besides my passion for sandhill cranes and my wish that this population be allowed to continue their recovery without hunting interference, I would like to share one piece of scientific information in response to those who think, "there are so many birds, how could we possibly harm the population with a limited harvest?"  Jeb Barzen, Director of Field Ecology for the International Crane Foundation, the leading scientific resource for sandhill cranes in our nation, and one that is neutral on the issue of hunting, has the following to say about Kentucky's proposed harvest rate:

No population modeling has yet been done for the Eastern Population of Sandhill Cranes (EP).  The harvest rate proposed for the commonwealth of Kentucky alone could consume a substantial portion of the productivity of the breeding crane population in the Upper Midwest.  Data from one study in Wisconsin suggests that, in the last decade an average of one in three nests fledged a chick each year.  If this rate of productivity is comparable for the EP as a whole, 1500 nesting crane territories would be needed to produce the cranes proposed for harvest in Kentucky.  In addition, the fledging rate is declining so the reproduction rate seen in most recent years might be more relevant.  In 2009 and 2010, approximately one in five nests fledged a chick to migration.  Given this 18% fledging to migration rate, a harvest and crippling removal of 480 birds would require 2,800 nests to replace the hunting loss.  Whether 1500 or 2800 nests, this represents a significant percentage of nesting pairs in Wisconsin and Michigan, likely the primary breeding areas for Sandhill Cranes that migrate through Kentucky.

Dr. Barzen's entire report is available at the link provided below and the data that supports his report is available to anyone through the International Crane Foundation.  This is a valuable document to study for those who are interested in this important issue.  It not only speaks to the breeding ecology of sandhill cranes in the east, but to problems in survey methods and problematic inferences that were used to support the hunting objective in the Management Plan for the Eastern Population of Sandhill Cranes.

What can you do now to help?

1)  First and foremost, the KDFWR is holding an open comment period for the public to voice their opinion about this hunt proposal.  This comment period lasts from July 1, 2011 to August 1st, 2011.  Do not underestimate the power of your voice.  If  you are opposed to the hunting of sandhill cranes in the east,  please let your voice be heard. You may be as detailed or as brief as you wish.  Send your comments to the following KDFWR email address:  rose.mack@ky.gov

2) Second, visit the petition site, "No Hunting for Sandhill Cranes in the East" and support the request that the eastern population management plan be revisited and the hunting objective excluded from this plan.  As I write this post, the petition is only 89 signatures short of reaching its goal of 2500.  Sign it, send it to all your networks, and ask all your friends to do the same!

3) Thirdly, stay on top of this issue by visiting the KY Coalition for Sandhill Cranes website frequently.  This site is easy to navigate and is full of helpful information.  Keep your comments and opposition letters handy and be ready to send them wherever they are needed.

4) Fourthly, pull out your sandhill crane hunt opposition letter, the ones you sent to Tennessee and Kentucky officials, and send it to your state's US senators and congressmen.  We need their help.  Let them know that you are not happy with a system that does not provide for equal representation from the non-wildlife-management, scientific community and that leaves out input from the majority of citizens when considering a new species to target for hunting.  The address and email of your state's US senators and congressmen can be found here.

5) Lastly, conservation is not for the faint of heart!  Congratulate yourself  for your efforts, your determination, and your stewardship.  Then take a deep breath and be ready to go again!  Conservationists are a diverse group of people, hunters and non-hunters.  We won't always agree on everything, but if we keep our focus on the real issue, the well-being of the wildlife species in question, good things will happen for our world.

Links and Resources:

Kentucky Coalition for Sandhill Cranes
International Crane Foundation
Thanks to Charlie Corbeil for permission to used his beautiful sandhill crane images. Visit Charlie's photo gallery for more stunning images.
For more ideas about what to include in your KY hunt proposal opposition comments visit Julie Zickefoose's recent post:  Last Gasp for Sandhill Cranes
Recent media articles on KY's sandhill crane hunt proposal.  In particular read the July 10th article by Carol Besse.
Visit sandhill crane hunting for all my posts on this issue.  The most recent post will be first.  Scroll down and click "older" to view older posts.

Hunt Eastern Sandhill Cranes? Why Not Hunt Eastern Bluebirds?

Sound absurd?  Outrageous?  Amazingly enough, it is possible.  

Anyone can request a proposal to hunt any species for any reason in the United States of America, and that proposal would follow the same course of action that sandhill crane hunt proposals have followed in the east.    

To help in understanding the above statement, let's look briefly at the history of this little blue bird that our Nation loves so much.    

A thrush species that prefers open short cropped lawns and fields adjacent to woodlands, the bluebird is a secondary cavity nester that must rely on nesting holes made by other species. Farming practices changed, development increased, and old timber was harvested. Not only did the availability of nesting cavities sharply decline, but the proliferation of the European house sparrow following its introduction in 1851, greatly increased competition for the cavities that remained.  Between the 1920's and 1970's bluebird populations plummeted, a loss that is estimated by some historians to have reached as high as 90%.

It was at this point in history (1934) that this charming, royal blue thrush inspired what is commonly referred to as the "Bluebird Trail" movement, a grass roots effort that spread across the country urging the construction of nest boxes that bluebirds could substitute for natural cavities.  And the effort was successful.  Thousands of bluebird boxes erected across the nation helped offset this decline.  In Tennessee, this effort has resulted in abundance in some areas.  In the Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Tennessee (edited by Charles P. Nicholson, 1997), the occurrence of the Eastern bluebird in the study's records ranked the eighth highest of any species.

Like the Eastern population of greater sandhill cranes, the history of the eastern bluebird offers an inspiring conservation story.  Neither species has ever been declared endangered.  Fortuitous circumstances came together to offer both the bluebird and the eastern sandhill crane protection and recovery.  Like the sandhill crane, the bluebird also receives protection under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918.
  
Now let's suppose an enthusiastic hunting group decides they want to hunt bluebirds and they petition a state wildlife management organization to develop a proposal and submit it to the flyway council(s). Would you be outraged?  What equal opportunity would you find to oppose this proposal?  What mechanism do we have that would allow conservationists and biologists, experts in the species ecology of bluebirds, to give input into this decision?

The answer is none of substance.  There is an assumption that this opportunity exists, but in actual practice there is no democratic process included in the approval of hunting proposals, and no requirement that opposing views be considered.  
In the case of the eastern sandhill crane hunt proposals, the flyway councils (Mississippi and Atlantic), made up of state wildlife management personnel, deferred to the states for fair input from those opposed to hunting sandhill cranes.  In their inclusion of the hunting objective in the eastern population management plan, council members ignored the lack of population modeling for the eastern population, the problems found in survey methods, and the fact that the endangered Ohio breeding population would be affected.  The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) oversees hunting decisions regarding migratory birds, but keep in mind, the oversight given is one of interpreting and upholding laws, and the use of population ecology (numbers only) to determine how a species will be impacted. There is no examination of complex ecological factors in USFWS oversight.

In the case of Tennessee, opposing input was considered and, in January of 2011, the decision to hunt sandhill cranes was delayed for two years.  In the case of Kentucky, on June 3rd, 2011, the Kentucky Wildlife Resources Commission approved a hunt season on sandhill cranes to be held in December of 2011.  There was no "management need" sited in the Kentucky hunting proposal, only a desire for a new hunting opportunity for local hunters.  In this decision, input from the local scientific community and hunting opponents was largely excluded.  So also, recommendations from national sandhill crane experts.

Both of these hunt proposals targeted the same migratory population of sandhill cranes, a population that has been protected from hunting for nearly a century and has only recovered to its current size in the last two decades.  Evidence from research conducted by the International Crane Foundation indicates that hunting this population at the current time could harm important breeding populations, and that population increase estimates are overinflated due to flaws in count methodology.  All of this information is being ignored in a decision-making process that is almost exclusively governed by wildlife management law enforcement personnel and entrenched in an historic pro-hunt ethic, even though the majority of citizens who enjoy wildlife in  the United States fall outside this activity category.  Additionally, many hunters have voiced their opposition to hunting this population of sandhill cranes; their voice is also not represented.    

How frightening is it to consider that the same thing could happen to the eastern bluebird? That it could happen to any of your favorite song birds or another wildlife species that you particularly enjoy. Think it is impossible?  As long as we have the current decision-making system in place, hunting any species is possible, and the decision about whether to hunt or not will be governed by numbers ecology, and will not require a deeper look into other ecological factors, nor invite representation from leading scientific authorities in the community.  This is what we are watching happen to sandhill cranes in the east.

Photo credit:  Charlie Corbeil, Charlie Corbeil Photography

The system we have in place is founded on the hunting ethic that existed over a century ago.  Its original premise is sound; we need law enforcement to manage the laws that protect wildlife and regulate hunting.  However, when that same system brings a pro-hunting bias to the decision-making table and excludes opposing views, we have a problem, especially when the best available science says that hunting is not in the best interest of the species population.

The Endangered Species Act of 1973 recognized wildlife and plants as having "aesthetic, ecological, educational, historical, recreational, and scientific value to the Nation and its people."  To that end, as citizens of this country, we have a mission and a responsibility to conserve wildlife and plant species for future generations.

Serving consumptive special interest groups in the face of information that casts doubts on the welfare of a species population definitely does not fit into this National ethic. Neither does the exclusion of scientific information that would further protect a recovering species.  Now exclude the views of a majority segment of the public---non-consumptive wildlife watchers and hunters who are opposed to the hunting of sandhill cranes---and the efficacy of this decision-making process comes even more glaringly into question.   After all, isn't this country founded on democracy?

What can we do?

First, if you have not already done so, help crane advocates stop Kentucky's hunt proposal from going forward by writing and expressing your opposition to Kentucky's Governor.  Also visit the Kentucky Coalition for Sandhill Cranes' action page to learn more about action needed in Kentucky.

Second, sign the "No Hunting for Sandhill Cranes in East" petition.  This petition addresses the Management Plan for the Eastern Population of Sandhill Cranes and targets the Department of Interior for assistance with revising this plan

Thirdly, and of great importance, contact your state's US legislators and ask for their assistance in resolving the current flaws we are encountering in our wildlife management decision-making.  Our wildlife management organizations need our support, not our opposition.  Advocate for a decision-making system that includes more species science, more representation from the non-consumptive conservation public, and more input from species experts, both locally and nationally.  Only with this kind of decision-making will we succeed in protecting wild species for the enjoyment of all our citizens and future generations.    

Links and Resources:

To read more about the sandhill crane hunting issues on this blog, visit sandhill crane hunting.  
To see a timeline of wildlife conservation history, visit:  Origins of Wildlife Laws and Enforcement.  
And to read more about the joy of having eastern bluebirds around, visit bluebird family.

KY Sandhill Crane Hunt Not Final--Act Now!

The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources is planning to implement a hunting season on the eastern population of sandhill cranes in December of this year. The hunt proposal was approved in a June 3rd vote held by the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission.

On Wednesday of next week, June 15th, the regulation will be filed with Kentucky legislators, the next step in the approval process.  Eastern sandhill crane advocates are asking that everyone opposed to the hunting of the eastern population of sandhill cranes send letters to Governor Steve Beshere prior to June 15 requesting that he withdraw the plan.   It will be beneficial to also copy your letter to the Secretary of the Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet, Marcheta Sparrow.  (email links provided below)

Even if you are not a resident of the state of Kentucky, your voice in opposition to this hunt is important.  The eastern population of greater sandhill cranes has only recently recovered from the brink of extinction in the 1930's and has now been protected for nearly 100 years.  There is no "wildlife management" reason for this hunt.  If it goes forward, it will serve a small number of hunters who desire a new hunting opportunity.  On the other hand, population modeling for the eastern population does not currently exist, and harm to the population can result.

Please join us in voicing your opposition to this hunting season.  We are hunters and non-hunters who value sandhill cranes for their majesty, as watchable wildlife, and as ambassadors for successful conservation efforts.

Please visit the Kentucky Sandhill Crane Coalitions Call to Action page for more details about the Kentucky legislative committee and the schedule of events for this hunt proposal.

For the history of the sandhill crane hunt issue in the east, visit Sandhill Crane Hunting on this blog.

Will Sandhill Cranes be Hunted in Kentucky?

This important decision will be made on Friday of this week, June 3rd, by the nine members of the Kentucky Dept. of Fish and Wildlife Resources Commission.  If it passes, the Eastern Population of Greater Sandhill Cranes will move closer to being hunted--hunted for the first time since they were nearly extirpated in the early 1930's when hunting was ceased.    

Sandhill crane taking off in Barren County, Kentucky, 2010.  Image by David Roemer.

This would not be a decision to celebrate, but a great loss for wildlife.  There are only a small percentage of hunters who are interested in this hunt, and many hunters who are very opposed to it.  This is not a we-they issue.  Those of us who do not wish to see the eastern population of greater sandhill cranes hunted are all in this together.  We are sandhill crane lovers, hunters and non-hunters.    

Sandhill crane chick.  Image by Charlie Corbeil.

If you have not already done so, please help protect eastern sandhills by voicing your opposition to this hunt.  As you write your letter or make your comments, be sure to mention the following:  your recent visit to the state of Kentucky, and your involvement in fishing or hunting or boating.  Also mention if you've taken part in breeding bird surveys, or made wildlife contributions in that state, or been involved in bird banding.  The Commissioners will be more interested in what you have to say if they understand your interest in their state and their state's wildlife.

Your comments need not be long, just simply state your interest in the issue and your opposition.  You can find all the commissioners phone numbers and addresses listed at the following link:   Kentucky Coalition for Sandhill Cranes--Call to Action

An important note about contacting commissioners:  Commissioner Gassett responded to my letter and has responded to others, and his response was appreciated.  He has made it clear that he favors the hunting of sandhill cranes. My experience with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission was that each commissioner had a different background, attitude and opinion on hunting sandhill cranes in Tennessee. All were interested in the information and concerns they received.  Direct your comments to the other commissioners, as well as, to Commissioner Gassett.

At this date, email and phone calls are the best way to insure that your voice is heard.  To reach all the commissioners by email, it is suggested you address your comments to "Commissioners, Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Resources", and email to KDFWR Commissioner Jon Gassett at jon.gassett@ky.gov, with a request that he distribute the letter to commissioners prior to June 3, 2011 meeting.

Greater sandhill cranes defining territory on staging grounds.  

Watercolor by Vickie Henderson.

Links and Resources:

Call to Action at the Kentucky Coalition for Sandhill Cranes

For the history of the sandhill crane hunt issue in the east, visit Sandhill Crane Hunting on this blog.

A Tribute to Sandhill Cranes in Tennessee

This post contains a lovely tribute to the eastern population of Greater Sandhill cranes that migrates through my home state of Tennessee.  The slideshow was created by talented members of the Riverwalk Bird Club in southeast Tennessee and features images of sandhill cranes arriving, landing, foraging and departing the Hiwassee State Wildlife Refuge near Dayton, TN.  Foraging right along with the sandhill cranes, you will also see endangered Whooping cranes that mingle with sandhills at this refuge.

A special 'thank you' to Charles Dean, Bret Douglas, and Cynthia and Jimmy Wilkerson for their beautiful photography!

In recent years the refuge has been a major staging area and the midway point for migrating sandhill cranes who are funneled through the state as the Mississippi and Atlantic flyways come together through Tennessee.  Cranes are attracted to the wide-open confluence of the Tennessee and Hiwassee Rivers which form shallows, safe roosting sites for cranes.  Both sandhill cranes and Whooping cranes must roost in shallow water to find safety from nocturnal predators.  The planting of corn and wheat at the refuge for overwintering waterfowl and other species has provided a place where cranes can forage and rest before continuing on their migration.  In recent years, the weather has been hospitable and food plentiful enough, that many cranes have also wintered over in the refuge area.  This has been a divergence from the population's historical migration pattern.  

Sandhill fly-in at the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge, TN.  Watercolor by Vickie Henderson.

To read more about this hunt proposal visit the following links:

Sandhill Crane Hunting in TN?  Multiple factors say NO and Sandhill Family Life

Julie Zickefoose's discussion on 10,000 Birds:  Sandhill Cranes: Game Birds? and

Shooting Sandhills in Tennessee

TN Ornithological Society's information and position on the proposed sandhill crane hunt and TN Ornithological Society's letter to the Commission

Gary Louck of Greenback, TN--blog post, Cranes in Peril--gives his own position on the hunt proposal and includes other letters written to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission

Stephen Lyn Bales, author of Ghost Birds:  Sandhill Hunting in Tennessee?

Greater Sandhill Cranes--An Intimate View of Family Life

"Our ability to perceive quality in nature begins,
as in art, with the pretty.  It expands through
successive stages of beautiful to values as yet
uncaptured by language.  The quality of cranes lies,
I think, in this higher gamut, as yet beyond the reach of words.
            --Aldo Leopold--A Sand County Almanac and Sketches Here and There            

When Aldo Leopold was writing these words in the 1940's, he, as well as other leading biologists across the continent, thought Sandhill cranes would vanish along with Whooping Cranes.  "At this pivotal time, the crane's capacity to inspire human caring and action made a crucial difference to the species' future, as did the commitment of a few individuals....Sandhill populations recovered because of changes both in human behavior and crane behavior."  (Archibald and Harris in the introduction to On Ancient Wings by Michael Forsberg.)

The conservation of wetlands, the occurrence of adjacent agricultural waste grain fields, and stringent hunting restrictions were all key to this recovery.

Sandhill cranes are tenacious about their migration path and their stop-over sites.  But this behavior is known to change over time with the influence of human activity. Traditionally in the east, sandhill cranes migrated from breeding grounds in Wisconsin to wintering grounds in south Georgia and Florida.  But in recent years the planting of corn at the Hiwassee State Wildlife Refuge, intended to attract and support hunted water fowl, also attracted sandhill cranes.  Consequently, a quarter of the eastern migrating population has wintered in east Tennessee in recent years.

Sandhill cranes staging in waste grain fields adjacent to the confluence of the Hiwassee and Tennessee Rivers at the Hiwassee State Wildlife Refuge in 2004.

It is this spectacle of staging and wintering-over Sandhill cranes, along with the reintroduction of the endangered Whooping crane, that has attracted and delighted thousands of wildlife viewers to the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge in the past nineteen years. In fact, the wildlife viewing festival that resulted, The Cherokee Heritage and Sandhill Crane Viewing Days, was named to the Top Twenty Events list in 2002 by the Southeast Tourism Society.

In this post, with the generous permission of my friend, Charlie Corbeil, naturalist and talented photographer from Brevard County, Florida, you are seeing intimate views of a Sandhill crane family.  The large gathering of cranes described above is made up of family units consisting of a pair of crane parents and usually one, sometimes two, juveniles--juveniles that have rapidly grown to nearly the size of their parents in a few short months, fledged just in time to migrate, and still retain their peeping chick voices. In fact, the cries of a juvenile sandhill crane separated from parents during migration can move an observer to tears.     

Sandhill cranes mate for life.  Young are taught their migration route by their parents and remain with their parents until the next breeding season.  It is in this family unit that young are protected, learn to find food and learn to select safe roosting sites in wetland shallows.  Here is where juveniles are socialized and learn important survival skills, including those needed for pair bonding and reproduction.  

In the beautiful slide show below, you will enjoy a rare close-up view of a sandhill crane family shortly after their two chicks hatch.  Sandhill cranes are attentive parents.  As you view the images, you will find their gentleness heart-warming, their beauty and elegance "beyond the reach of words."  

A special thank you to Charlie Corbeil for sharing his beautiful photography.

In North America there are only two true cranes--Sandhill cranes and Whooping Cranes.  In eastern North America, we enjoy the eastern population of the Greater Sandhill Crane, a subspecies of Sandhill cranes, and in recent years, the Whooping Crane, a reintroduced population whose arrival marked the first wild migration of Whooping cranes in the east in over a century.

A Sandhill Crane Hunt Proposal in Tennessee is now in its final stages and inviting public comment.  Take a moment to visit the links provided below and let the TN Wildlife Resources Commission know you DON'T want a sandhill crane hunt in Tennessee.  If the Commission passes this hunt proposal, Tennessee will be the first state in US history to initiate a hunting season for Sandhill cranes in the east (Atlantic/Mississippi Flyways).  Other states are lined up to follow (KY, MN, WI).

  

Scroll to the bottom of this page, Sandhill Crane Hunt Proposal, to find TWRA's comment link.  Below I have listed some reasons that support opposition to this hunt.  Please add your own.

Reasons to oppose this hunt include but are not limited to: 

• Sandhill cranes are a valuable wildlife watching attraction in TN.  Initiating a hunt will severely interfere with the pleasure of wildlife watchers.   
• Hunting sandhill cranes will damage the relationships between the rapidly growing numbers of wildlife watchers in TN and the TN Wildlife Resources Agency.
• Initiating a hunt on a species that has never been hunted in the east is a serious consideration and requires a longer period of investigation and public input than has been allowed.
• Initiating this hunt will add an additional danger to rare Whooping cranes that have been reintroduced in the east.  
• Size estimates for this population are not standardized or consistently measured making the assumptions supporting this hunt inadequate.  
• Human use and consumption of wetland habitat used by this population is inadequately investigated.    
• The nine depredation permits issues in TN over the past three years is an inadequate number to support hunting based on nuisance or population management

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission will make the final decision.  The members of this commission  can be found here; email addresses and fax numbers are provided.

To read more about why this hunt is a bad idea visit:

Sandhill Crane Hunting in TN?  Multiple factors say, NO

Also visit the TN Ornithological Society's information and position on the proposed sandhill crane hunt and their well articulated letter to the Commission

Clink this link to find out what's happening in Kentucky 

Blog posts around the continent opposing the hunting of cranes in Tennessee:  

Julie Zickefoose's discussion on 10,000 Birds, Shooting Sandhills in Tennessee

The Birder's Report:  Help Stop the Sandhill Crane Hunt

Stephen Lyn Bales, author of Ghost Birds, on Sandhill Cranes in Tennessee.

Gary Louck of Greenback, TN--Cranes in Peril

Sandhill Crane Hunting in Tennessee? Multiple Factors Say, NO

"The cranes were spectacular--thousands and thousands of them, on the shore, on distant sandbars, in flight behind me and in front of me, soaring in from all directions, filling the air with their wonderful calls." 
Sketchbook journal--Vickie Henderson, Feb 5, 2000, Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge, Tennessee

This was my initial description of the spectacle of staging sandhill cranes at the Hiwassee State Wildlife Refuge in TN, an awe-inspiring experience that launched me into a ten-year journey that has been dedicated to experiencing wildlife in wild places and sharing the joy of that experience through art.

It was at this refuge, during this sandhill crane migration and the Cherokee Heritage and Sandhill Crane Viewing Days, a joint venture between members of the TN Ornithological Society (TOS) and the TN Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA), that I experienced my first wild sightings of three magnificent birds, the Greater Sandhill Crane, Bald Eagle and Golden Eagle, all in one day.  At this event I also learned about TWRA's Golden Eagle hacking project, and the upcoming ultralight-led migration project that has, since that time, successfully re-introduced migrating Whooping Cranes to the east.

Later that year, in June of 2000, I drove from Tennessee to Wyoming to join TWRA's Golden Eagle hacking project's climbing crew in the collection of golden eaglets to be transported back to Tennessee.  (See "hacking" explanation at end of post.)

Preparation for my cross-country journey included a thirty-minute orientation meeting with TWRA's Bruce Anderson, head of the project, at his regional office in Crossville, TN.  This was the extent of what we knew about each other before I joined the TWRA team in Gillette, WY as a volunteer, my first ever endeavor of this kind.  

Once there, in the course of four packed days of off-road driving, the collection of thirteen eaglets from nests using ropes and ascenders (leaving one eaglet in the nest for parents to raise), and the feeding of eaglets in the evenings, I developed an enormous regard and respect for the wildlife officers involved in this project.  In that compact amount of time, I was exposed to a deep reverence for wildlife, a dedicated work ethic, a sound devotion to conservation, militant "tree hugger" attitudes directed toward the project team, and, yes, to hunting.  The brief hunting encounter involved the sacrifice of a rabbit to add fresh meat to the young eaglets' diet, otherwise consisting of frozen mice transported from TN.  

All of the members of this wildlife team, with the exception of one other volunteer, were employees of TWRA.  All, with the exception of yours truly, were hunters.  On a very personal level, this experience forever opened my mind and heightened my regard for the best of those individuals we term "hunters".  Those of us who watch wildlife and choose not to hunt have something infinitely valuable in common with these hunters--we all revere wildlife and want to save the wild places they inhabit.

Of all the reasons I don't want to see a sandhill crane hunt in Tennessee, this one ranks high among them. Sandhill cranes have done more to bring hunters and wildlife watchers together in TN than all other species combined, and the festival that celebrated their presence has been responsible for inspiring and educating thousands of people about wildlife projects in Tennessee.  The spectacle and delight of staging sandhill cranes formed the center-piece that provided opportunity to educate, adding numbers to our environmental forces, bringing revenue into our state, and inspiring individuals like me to get involved.

And what Tennessee is doing to help wildlife and the environment is exciting and something to be celebrated.  Since 2003, more than 350,000 acres have been protected across Tennessee, and TWRA is the steward of all these lands and its wildlife inhabitants.

Regarding these land transactions, TN's Environment and Conservation Commissioner, Jim Fyke, in his message in the current issue of the TN Conservationist, credits Governor Phil Bredesen for his invaluable leadership in these conservation efforts and says the following:  "Governor Bredesen knew preserving our state's most special habitats and natural features today was a long-term investment in the quality of life for all Tennesseans.  He realized economic vitality and our natural resources are directly linked, especially in Tennessee.  Thoughtful conservation investment in these resources helps promote heritage tourism and sustainable outdoor recreation activities with meaningful future returns."

If we need to assign economic value to the Greater Sandhill Crane's sheltered presence in Tennessee in order to deter the current effort to hunt them, there it is.  But, before I continue with the economic factors, lets look at cranes themselves, their Whooping crane cousins, and some complex factors that indicate that hunting cranes would be an unwise decision--a decision, by the way, that is not made by TWRA, but by a commission of Tennessee citizens who are relying on our voices to help them determine the outcome of this issue.          

Sandhill Crane Ecology

The eastern population of Greater Sandhill Cranes has come back from the brink of extinction from only 25 breeding pairs remaining in Wisconsin in the 1930's to more than 50,000 now migrating through the Atlantic and Mississippi flyways.  I am proud that Tennessee has been a part of this success story through the conservation of wetlands and refuge crop plantings that helped sustain these struggling cranes, as well as, supported wintering waterfowl and other migrating species.

It is here that I want to mention that the numbers often quoted for sandhill crane populations, "500-600,000 sandhill cranes" are referencing sandhill crane populations in the central flyway, the majority of which are the Lesser Sandhill Crane, a separate and distinct sub-species of sandhill crane.  The only sandhill cranes present in the state of Tennessee are members of the eastern population of Greater Sandhill Cranes.   

Sandhill cranes are family-oriented birds, mating for life, remaining in family groups throughout the breeding season and during migration.  Though lost mates are eventually replaced, the surviving partner in the pair is known to grieve the loss.  Juveniles separated from parents during migration are less likely to survive, having lost both protection and assistance in finding food.  Though sandhill families migrate in flocks, they do not mingle or adopt lost juveniles, but rather, establish small territories within a flock's feeding ground and defend their family's territory against intrusion.  

A sandhill crane's first breeding season begins at two to seven years of age, averaging 4.3 years of age, with the laying of two eggs, and more often with only one colt surviving.  Though sandhill cranes are typically long-lived, this makes for a slow and low reproductive replacement rate.  

Historically our country has relied heavily on population numbers to determine the health of a species without sufficient consideration of species' ecology and the impact of human use and consumption of vital habitat.  Sandhill cranes rely on wetlands for their survival. They must roost in shallow water as a protection from predators.          

The United States Environmental Protection Agency presents these facts about the status and trends of US wetlands:   The lower 48 states contained an estimated 105.5 million acres of wetlands in 1997, an area about the size of California.  Between 1986 and 1997, an estimated 58,500 acres of wetlands were lost each year in the conterminous United States.  [This period followed the implementation of wetland protection measures. Until another study is released, the implication is that this trend continues.]  Loss of wetlands today involve more than physical loss due to drainage and development, but other factors that are more difficult to measure.  Other threats include chemical contamination, excess nutrients, and sediment from air and water.  Global climate change could affect wetlands through increased air temperature; shifts in precipitation; increased frequency of storms, droughts, and floods; increased atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration; and sea level rise.  All of these impacts could affect species composition and wetland functions.

We do not know how these factors will affect this population of Greater Sandhill Cranes.

Whooping Cranes 

In the fall of 2001, Operation Migration conducted the first-ever ultralight-led migration with endangered Whooping cranes, leading them from Necedah National Wildlife Refuge in Wisconsin to Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge in Florida.  In the spring these juveniles returned to their fledging grounds unassisted by humans, representing the first Whooping cranes to fly in the Atlantic and Mississippi Flyways in over a century.  As a result of this project, involving the cooperation of two national governments, and many state and private organizations, we now have 96 Whooping cranes migrating in the east, a population that has been introduced to help safeguard the remaining wild Whooping crane population that migrates from breeding grounds in Canada to wintering grounds on the coast of Texas.  This original wild population suffered a loss of 10% in their 2009 wintering season, attributable to insufficient food supply and starvation caused by restricted fresh water inflows from the Guadalupe River.  A law suit against Texas water regulators has been filed by U.S. environmentalists.  

When Whooping Cranes were re-introduced in the east, they were designated as a "nonessential experimental population" by the USFWS, essentially meaning that if a Whooping Crane is accidentally injured or killed during a lawful act, the person committing the act cannot be prosecuted. This designation was necessary to reach agreement with all the states affected by the presence of re-introduced, migrating Whooping cranes.  In addition, the flyway states are partners in this endeavor and these partnerships made, and still make, the Whooping crane reintroduction possible.  

Having said that, Tennessee represents the midway point of the eastern Whooping Crane's migration from Wisconsin to Florida, a journey through a migration corridor that acts as a funnel for migrating cranes.  The Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge is a major staging area for this population of whoopers, as well as, sandhill cranes.  These re-introduced Whooping Cranes represent an investment of millions of dollars and ten years of concerted effort on the part of public and private organizations and many thousands of supporters in an effort to help safeguard an endangered species against extinction.    

Though I am confident that the USFWS and TWRA would do everything possible to educate potential hunters should this proposal go forward, this education would not eliminate the risk of bad aim or a strayed shot, nor would it eliminate the possibility of human error in identification.  The Whooping Cranes and Sandhill Cranes of the Hiwassee refuge and surrounding area frequently mingle; they feed together and they come and go together.  In poor light, in the sun's glare, while looking skyward at distant birds in flight, the most experienced of us cannot easily distinguish them in an instant.  

Greater sandhill cranes and four Whooping cranes mingle while feeding at the Hiwassee State Wildlife Refuge on an overcast day.  The white and cinnamon Whooping crane in the upper left is a juvenile.
    

This brings me back to the economic issues.
The proposal to hunt sandhill cranes in Tennessee has reached this level, the level of final commission decision, because a small group of organized hunters knew the approval system well enough to actively pursue it.  The hunt, if approved, will serve a small group of special interests, not the majority of the citizens in Tennessee, and take valuable time and money from other wildlife management projects.  Between 2008 and 2010 only nine sandhill depredation permits were requested in TN and granted by the USFWS, indicating that hunting as a management tool is currently a weak argument for this hunt.  Public relations and funding dollars, on the other hand, are enormous arguments for opposing the hunt.

Funding
I recently had the pleasure of hearing TWRA's Executive Director, Ed Carter, speak at a Tennessee for Wilderness Planning meeting in LaFollette, TN.  In that talk, he addressed the issue of funding for the agency, which is currently based on the sales of licenses and taxes on hunting paraphernalia.  Currently, a hunting license may be purchased by a hunter and that revenue will be matched by the federal government to support the agency.  By contrast, if a non-hunter purchases a license and checks the non-hunter box on the application, no matching funds are received by the state.  There is something very wrong with this picture. Our federal and state laws and regulations are not keeping pace with the rapid increase in wildlife-watching participation.

According to a USFWS survey, from 1996 to 2006, wildlife watching by TN residents increased by 81%, while hunting declined by 25%; from 2001-2005 spending by resident hunters was down 10%, while spending by wildlife watchers was up 112%.  And among the 2.8 million residents and non-residents who participated in wildlife related activities in Tennessee in 2006, 84% were wildlife watching and only 12% were hunting.  (See the resource links below to find the same information for your state.)

The trend is clear, but wildlife-watching dollars are not being funneled to the agency responsible for managing the places wildlife watchers enjoy.  And the problem is not just here in Tennessee, but it is true in every state in the USA.  We, as wildlife watchers and hunters, need to support our state wildlife management organizations by lobbying to change the laws that govern their funding.  Besides believing that it is in my state's best interest to deny the approval of a sandhill crane hunt, I also believe it is in the best interest of every state in the flyway.  Tennessee has an opportunity to set a precedent here.  And as one of its concerned citizens, I would like to see that precedent set in favor of harmony, rather than hunting, and instead, focus on pro-active planning and thoughtful harnessing of the growing numbers of wildlife watchers in our state.  We need all of their energy to help change antiquated laws so that our wildlife management programs can go forward with sufficient funding.

And to all wildlife watchers who enjoy our state, the time is now to send your opinion on the proposed sandhill crane hunt in TN to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission.  Every letter makes a difference.

Photo credits:  Photo of the author holding a golden eaglet in Wyoming taken by Bruce Anderson.

Definitions:

Hacking:  Hacking is a means of re-establishing an extirpated population of raptors and involves placing a juvenile raptor in an enclosure and feeding it until it is ready to fledge or take its first flight.  Young raptors are known to return to the place where they initially fledge to establish their own nesting territory.  This is the method that has been used throughout the USA to re-establish bald eagle and peregrin falcon populations.

Tree Hugger:  a derogatory slang expression for an environmentalist or someone who is trying to save wildlife