SB 1876/HB1867 in the Tennessee Legislature aims to criminalize Sandhill Crane hunting. The bill will be voted on Wednesday March 6th by the TN Senate Energy, Agriculture, and Natural Resources Committee. Tennessee has had a hunting season since 2013 as the Eastern population of Sandhill Cranes is high enough that the US Fish and Wildlife Service, state agencies, and wildlife biologists deemed that limited hunting would not affect the populations of this magnificent animal.
30,000 sandhill cranes winter in Tennessee. Populations around the Hiwassee Refuge and Reelfoot Lake have abundant numbers of cranes for hunting and wildlife viewing. Hunting opportunities are governed through sound science based management and are very limited, requiring a permit to be drawn for a very limited amount of hunting opportunities. These hunters annually contribute to tourism dollars in the towns and counties where these populations winter in Tennessee. The high number of Cranes centralized in small areas can cause agricultural damage and regulated hunting in Tennessee helps mitigate that damage. Additionally, Tennesseans lucky enough to draw a crane permit must pass an identification test to limit incidental take of other protected waterfowl species.
Please protect this hunting opportunity and contact your legislators, especially the members of the Senate Energy, Agriculture, and Natural Resources Committee to voice your opinion. Click on the link below to see who sits on the committee, then call their offices and express your opposition quickly.
Energy, Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee - TN General Assembly
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