A legislative study committee debated a package of draft legislation to tackle management of Wisconsin’s growing sandhill crane population Wednesday, including a proposal to hunt the birds. The committee will vote on the bills at its final meeting next month.
The committee of lawmakers, conservationists and farmers met Wednesday to discuss five draft proposals. The bills would direct the Department of Natural Resources to hold a sandhill crane hunt pending federal approval, allow hunters to obtain state permits to kill problem birds and create a framework for reimbursements or rebates to corn growers who incur costs from seed treatments to prevent crop damage.
After being nearly hunted to extinction in the late 1800s, the eastern population of sandhill cranes, which includes Wisconsin, has rebounded to more than 110,000 birds in the most recent count. As their population has grown, the birds have caused crop losses mostly for Wisconsin corn and potato growers that totaled nearly $2 million last year.