This is a message from Jan Green
As far as anyone can tell there was no DNR public process of noticee and
comment for creating a hunt for Sandhill Cranes in Minnesota. The
decision was directly from Commissioner Mark Holsten.
Last spring it was rumored at DNR that they were considering this
change. I naively assumed that it could not be done without a hearing
because Sandhill Cranes are not listed as a game bird species in
Minnesota statutes (97A.015 - definitions). Instead the Commissioner
relied on statutes 97B.803 and 97B.731 for regulating migratory game
birds. These relate to the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service and their
classification of "webless migratory game birds". That classification
covers species that are not taxonomically waterfowl.
In Minnesota, species that may be hunted under that federal program,
which flows from the Migratory Bird Treaty Acts, are: King Rail,
Virginia Rail, Common Moorhen, American Coot, Sandhill Crane, Wilson's
Snipe, American Woodcock, White-wing Dove and Mourning Dove. There is
not a DNR rule for King Rail, Common Moorhen and White-winged Dove, but
the rest are legally hunted in Minnesota. So is American Crow but I am
not sure how that fits into the regulatory structure.
Regardless how one feels about hunting, and I am not philosophically
opposed, this was a terrible decision. It was done without any analysis
of the science or the management implications for the several crane
sub-species. Outrage is appropriately expressed to the DNR Commissioner.
Jan
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