A legislative effort to establish a sandhill crane hunting season in Wisconsin came up shy. The bill, which Split Reed reported on back in December, was backed by both local and national pro-hunting conservation organizations. It would have directed the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to “authorize sandhill crane hunting in Wisconsin.”
The advocates and legislators backing the bill pointed to abundant sandhill crane populations in the Badger State, and also hoped that the proposed hunt would help mitigate the estimated $1.9 million in crop damages that the birds are responsible for there each year.
The effort came excruciatingly close to passing. Similar to the federal government, Wisconsin has two legislatures: the Assembly and the State Senate. The Assembly version of the bill, known as Assembly Bill 117, passed the Assembly on February 19 with partisan support from Republicans. However, the State Senate failed to take up the bill before the end of its legislative session because it lacked support.
“We were two votes short to pass it in the Senate,” Republican State Senator Rob Stafsholt told OutdoorNews. “I think that from the conversations I’ve had those two folks had concerns on what the public’s perception was on hunting sandhill cranes. I disagree with that. We only needed one of those two no votes to be a yes.”
This effort to authorize a sandhill crane hunt dates back to August 2024. While proponents of the hunt are disappointed it ultimately failed, they are heartened by how close it came to passing.
“This is the closest we have come to establishing a sandhill crane hunt in Wisconsin in 16 years,” said Cyrus Baird, Delta Walterfowl’s vice president of government affairs. “This was our key priority for Wisconsin this session, but we believe we can build on the progress we’ve made for future legislative sessions.”
During testimony in support of the legislative effort, Baird had argued that the eastern population of sandhills was 3- to 4-times the management plan goal for the species. “A regulated hunting season, designed within strict federal frameworks, is the proven way to manage overabundant wildlife populations,” he said. “Seventeen states and four Canadian provinces already have Sandhill crane seasons. In the eastern population specifically — which Wisconsin is part of — Kentucky, Tennessee, and Alabama have operated safe, sustainable seasons for years without any negative population impacts.”
While the state senate bill may have fallen short, proponents of sandhill crane hunting in Wisconsin say the fight to make Ribeye of the Sky available to local hunters isn’t over. “The science supports our position to allow Wisconsinites the chance to hunt sandhill cranes, and we will continue to work to build support and bring this across the finish line,” said Baird. “We have momentum.”