On August 1st, Wisconsin Waterfowl Association announced the formation of a bipartisan Legislative Council Study Committee on Sandhill Cranes. This committee, which includes state legislators and representatives from agricultural, birding, and hunting communities, is set to address the burgeoning sandhill crane population in Wisconsin and its associated issues, including as crop damage. The committee’s first meeting took place on August 1 at the Horicon Marsh Education Center.

Bruce Ross, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Waterfowl Association (WWA), praised the establishment of this committee, emphasizing the need for a management plan for the state’s increasing sandhill crane population. He advocated for science-based solutions to manage the population and mitigate crop damage.

State Representative Paul Tittl (R – Manitowoc) chairs the committee, which includes public members like Todd Schaller, Vice President of WWA and former Chief Warden of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Schaller’s appointment underscores the committee’s commitment to using scientific data to inform wildlife management decisions.

The sandhill crane population in Wisconsin has seen significant growth since the early 1900s, when federal protection was established through the international treaty on migratory birds. The population has doubled in the past decade, surpassing the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s upper population goals by nearly 100%. This rapid growth has resulted in increased agricultural damage, estimated at over $1.6 million in 2022, with more than 1200 cranes destroyed under federal kill permits.

Farmers have been using the chemical deterrent AVIPEL™ to mitigate crop damage, costing approximately $2 million in 2020 for application on 200,000 acres. The potential area affected could expand to 3,000,000 acres with the crane population’s continued growth. There is currently no financial relief for farmers dealing with crane-caused crop depredation or for the use of AVIPEL™.

In addition to agricultural impacts, the growing crane population poses other challenges. Negative human interactions, like those experienced with increasing Canada goose populations, are expected to rise as cranes become more prevalent across Wisconsin.

Currently, Sandhill cranes are hunted in 17 states and 3 provinces, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service based on annual population counts and scientific research.

The Wisconsin Waterfowl Association is a state-based non-profit conservation organization dedicated to the conservation of Wisconsin’s waterfowl and wetland resources. Since 1984, WWA has worked to restore critical habitat in Wisconsin, educate the next generation of waterfowl hunters, and advocate for policies that protect Wisconsin’s resources and the rights of citizens to hunt.