DNR considers hunting season for sandhill cranes

On Wednesday, the DNR Board will continue its talks about a possible hunting season for sandhill cranes. A crane expert is scheduled to tell the board that there are non-lethal ways to reduce crop damage caused by the birds.

Hunters this spring approved an advisory statewide question supporting a hunting season for sandhill cranes. Some state lawmakers also want to let hunters pull the trigger on the cranes, claiming the birds cause a lot of crop damage. The International Crane Foundation based near Baraboo says it doesn’t have a position on a possible sandhill crane hunt, but foundation field ecology director Jeb Barzen says hunting cranes won’t stop crop damage.

Barzen also says more farmers are treating their corn seeds with a non-lethal substance that makes the seed taste bad to sandhills.

Barzen says the substance, marketed as Avipel, is relatively inexpensive, doesn’t run off the farm field or affect the taste of an ear of corn.