Wisconsin Corn Growers in Favor of Sandhill Crane Hunt

Wednesday, October 20th, 2021 -- 9:00 AM

(Raymond Neupert, WRN) The Wisconsin Corn Growers is in favor of a plan for a fall sandhill crane hunt in Wisconsin.

The group cites crop damage to farmers as a reason for the hunts. DNR wildlife damage specialist Brad Koele says juvenile cranes like to pick at seedling corn in the spring. "Last year for example 2020 we had 150 producers call and report crane damage to the Department.

Losses reported by those producers are right around $900,000, and it's been as high as over a $1,000,000 depending on crop prices and some things like that." Koele says farmers are already eligible to hunt cranes during the spring if their crops are being damaged.

"Those are permits that are issued by the Fish and Wildlife Service when damages are verified and it's determined that non-lethal methods are not effective." Koele says farmers have been taking advantage of special hunting permits issued by federal wildlife agencies.

"In 2020, Fish and Wildlife Service issued 192 of those depredation permits in Wisconsin and roughly a little over 1100 cranes were removed through those permits and that includes agricultural damage."

Koele says that cranes caused around 900-thousand dollars worth of damage to Wisconsin's 2 point 1 billion dollar corn harvest in 20-20.

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