Commission to Consider Sandhill Crane Hunts

The Idaho Fish and Game Commission will consider and set sandhill crane hunting seasons and permit levels at its meeting in Sun Valley May 16-18. The current proposal is for 500 permits for southeast Idaho, the same as in 2006. Fish and Game would like to hear from those with comments on that proposal. Sandhill cranes are one of the most long-lived birds; some may live 20 years. They are reddish-brown with a red crown, stand nearly 3 feet tall, and have a wingspan of almost seven feet. Their trumpeting call is loud, distinctive, and stirring to hear on an early morning. Their recovery has been good, but they also cause depredation problems on grain crops in some areas. The Rocky Mountain population of greater sandhill cranes is a wildlife management success story. Numbers have increased from a few thousand in the 1960s to around 23,000 last fall. Southeast Idaho, mainly Teton, Caribou and Bear Lake counties, host the largest concentration of the birds in Idaho when they gather in August and early September for their fall migration to wintering areas in southern Colorado and New Mexico. The first hunting seasons for cranes in Idaho were in 1996 with 20 permits in Caribou County. Three years of population surveys were used to determine how many permits could be issued. As crane numbers have increased, hunters have seen more permits become available. Allowable harvest of cranes is set by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. "This year Idaho's harvest allocation has been set at 306 birds, a similar number to last year." says Tom Hemker, statewide waterfowl coordinator for Idaho Fish and Game. Last year the allocation was 336, of which 236 birds were taken by hunters. Fish and Game proposes 500 permits to take 336 birds because not all hunters are successful. In the Upper Snake Region, biologists are proposing new hunting opportunities in Bonneville and Jefferson counties with 20 permits each. Teton and Fremont counties would have 80 permits each. Half the permits would be for September 1 through 7 and half September 8 through 15. For those who want to comment: The Upper Snake regional office at 4279 Commerce Circle, Idaho Falls, will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 9. Comments may also be sent by e-mail to dmeints@idfg.idaho.gov. The deadline for all comments is 5 p.m. Friday, May 11. In the Southeast Region, department biologists will be available to answer questions about sandhill cranes from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. May 11 at the Fish and Game office, at 1345 Barton Road in Pocatello. Comments also may be submitted by telephone at 232-4703.