The federal government is considering allowing sandhill cranes to be hunted in northern Ontario, potentially starting this fall. The Canadian Wildlife Service is proposing a limited hunting season in select parts of the north to address concerns from hunters and farmers about crop damage caused by increasing crane populations.
Christopher Sharp, a population management biologist with the Canadian Wildlife Service, mentioned that the agency collected data on sandhill cranes in Ontario and Quebec to evaluate the situation. The eastern population of sandhill cranes in Canada, which includes Ontario and Quebec, has seen significant growth over the years, reaching levels that can now support limited hunting.
The proposal aims to manage conflicts with farmers in northern Ontario where sandhill cranes feed on harvested fields during migration. The hunting season would be restricted to specific areas in northern Ontario, including Algoma, Nipissing, and Temiskaming, and areas south of Sudbury, with a two-week duration and a limit of one crane per day per hunter.
To participate in the hunt, hunters would need a provincial small game license and a federal migratory bird hunting permit. Public feedback on the proposed hunting season is open until Feb. 12.
Interest in hunting sandhill cranes is expected to be moderate among hunters, with the birds’ meat being dubbed the “ribeye of the sky” due to its taste and tenderness. The Canadian Wildlife Service is taking a cautious approach to ensure sustainability in any potential hunting activities.