Continued from Part 1
2) Sandhill Crane Season:
I was advised in January of 2010 that the Eastern Population of Sandhill Cranes consisted of approximately 20,000 birds and was increasing year over year. That number however had apparently increased to approximately 60,000 birds by 2016 and was consequently raising further concerns in the agricultural community.
The OFAH did submit a letter dated October 02, 2014 to the CWS requesting consideration for the establishment of a Sandhill Crane season in Ontario with apparently no results. However the OFAH and Delta Waterfowl subsequently submitted a joint letter dated October 19, 2018 to the OWAC that included a specific proposal for the establishment of a Sandhill Crane season throughout Ontario that would permit a daily bag limit of two (2) birds during a short season to prevent an over harvest of the number of birds.
I was advised sometime in 2022 (as I recall) that the CWS had an issue regarding using a tag system for a Sandhill Crane season as well as for a Tundra Swan season. Consequently I can understand (do not agree) why the CWS has decided upon a brief two (2) week Sandhill Crane season in Ontario with a daily bag limit of only one (1) bird and a possession limit of only one (1) bird as well. This Sandhill Crane season would be limited to the Hudson-James Bay Waterfowl District, the Northern Waterfowl District and the Central Waterfowl District.
The Eastern Population of Sandhill Cranes is currently estimated to be over 97,000 birds and increasing by 6% per year while the Mid-continent Population of Sandhill Cranes is currently estimated to be nearly 1,000,000 birds ... a ten fold differential in the number of birds. It should be noted that the Management Plan for the Eastern Population of Sandhill Cranes (2010) is to maintain the population between 30,000 to 60,000 birds.
I would like to note that the CWS has estimated the annual Ontario harvest of Sandhill Cranes over the next four (4) years to be between 500 to 1,000 birds. The annual American harvest (Kentucky, Tennessee and Alabama) from the Eastern Population of Sandhill Cranes is currently approximately 1,000 birds.
An annual growth rate of 6% will permit the Eastern Population of Sandhill Cranes to increase by nearly 6,000 birds per year less the estimated annual Ontario harvest of between 500 to 1,000 birds ... remember that this population is already increasing by 6% per year with the annual American harvest of approximately 1,000 birds. Consequently we should expect that the Eastern Population of Sandhill Cranes will continue to increase by approximately 5% per year.
I believe that when my Sandhill Crane population estimates (which are based upon the CWS numbers) are realized that the Sandhill Crane season in Ontario will include the Southern Waterfowl District as well.
The Tundra Swan Season will be covered in Part 3
Jerome Katchin, D.V.M.