# Petition to start Sandhills Crane season in Michigan



## Fowl Play (Nov 30, 2014)

SMH. I don't see why signing a petition hurts or is a waste of time. It takes all of a minute or less. So, it doesn't pass. So what. At least the those in office know we are active and will vote accordingly. Perhaps, if more participated and we were more vocal, maybe we have a voice. Standing on the sidelines has never got anyone anywhere. The antis don't play for the end game, they play for incremental small wins. We should do the same.


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## Grouseguy (Sep 27, 2008)

We need 921 more per the link. Not sure why we wouldn't stand up to voice our collective voice.


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## Socks (Jan 8, 2007)

craigrh13 said:


> Waste your time? It literally takes less time then what it took you to write thst sentence...


Whatever dude. I'm one of those that actually went out and tried to get signatures. I only managed to get about 20. Hell my boss at the time wouldn't sign and he was a deer and duck hunter so don't try telling me that a sandhill season is possible if we can't even hunt friggin doves. Want to know why it didn't pass? Because other hunters weren't willing to join forces and educate the public.


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## craigrh13 (Oct 24, 2011)

I completely agree. Deer probably wouldn't even survive on a ballot. However, responses like " it's a waste of time to sign the ballot" are ridiculous. It's that kind of thinking that will never change anything. It literally takes seconds to do yet people would rather take the time it takes to type "it's not worth my time" then to do anything at all. Regardless of how meaningful it might be.


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## TNL (Jan 6, 2005)

i'm not sure what weight a petition holds, but I know that legislators listen to their constituents when they bombarded en mass. So if we really want to get these animals designated as game animals it's going to take organization. 

There are a myriad of conservation groups out there from DU to local game & fish clubs. ALL these clubs need to get on the same page and have their members contact their congressmen in the House and Senate. There's no one better to get this done than MUCC. MUCC has the resources, the connections, and the where-with-all to get something like this done, but ALL the groups need to get on board. 

Again, the legislation needs to be referendum proof by an appropriation. Tom Casperson (R) Escanaba is head of the natural resources committee. He's championed these efforts before and I'm sure he'd do it again. He's behind the driving force for the wolf bill that's on the floor right now. It never even went to committee. He, as the Chair, moved it directly to the floor. The same could be done next December for the doves & sandhills. 

It can be done. Look at Right to Work. They said it would never happen. That lame duck bill got pushed through both R houses and signed by the R Gov in less than 2 weeks. Casperson's and Snyder's term are up in 2018, so time is critical.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

Zeboy said:


> That is not at all what happened!
> 
> 
> Sue Tabor - a house rep,passed a law (it passed the house , the senate and was signed by the governor) adding doves to the game list in Michigan. The problem was that the original bill had appropriations on it which makes it referendum proof. By the time the bill passed, the appropriations were stripped from the bill.
> ...


yup. these kinds of things are like a big chess game. Just like when the license fee package was proposed. That thing took years...I mean YEARS...to work through the system. Until you've spent some time in the emerald city (Lansing) to see how it happens, you have no idea how crazy the system is. Complete nonsense, but it's the game we are required to play.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

TNL said:


> ...Tom Casperson (R) Escanaba is head of the natural resources committee. He's championed these efforts before and I'm sure he'd do it again.


Don't get me started on Casperson. I can tell you horror stories...unless you're a sportsman in the UP. Then his **** doesn't stink!!!


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## Luv2hunteup (Mar 22, 2003)

Zeboy said:


> It will be interesting to see if the wolf bill does get "rammed" through or not, and hopefully the appropriations won't get stripped off it - otherwise there is no use even having it voted on. If Sportsman had any leadership in Michigan, cranes and doves would already be on that same bill that you are referring to with wolves. It should be a revised game list bill not of a wolf bill. Individual factions of sportsman keeping trying to do it alone in Michigan.
> 
> Regarding the OP - Petitioning the US F &W may be a step in the right direction but it cannot get us a season if cranes are not considered a game species in Michigan - which they are not. For example US F & W allows Michigan to hunt doves if we want. State law doesn't allow it.
> 
> ...


SB 1187 has already passed the Senate.


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## Big Frank 25 (Feb 21, 2002)

Luv2hunteup said:


> SB 1187 has already passed the Senate.


http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2015-2016/billengrossed/Senate/pdf/2016-SEBS-1187.pdf


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## Big Frank 25 (Feb 21, 2002)

https://howardmeyerson.com/2014/09/19/sandhill-cranes-rebound-in-michigan-opens-hunt-possibilities/


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## Zorba (Jan 24, 2007)

I posted this in another forum about wolves but, it pertains to this very subject.



The problem is which law sets precedence ? One by ballot initiative enacted by the people, or one enacted by the legislature? I hope I never see a ballot initiative ever again pertaining to hunting rights. I hope I'm wrong, but there are just not enough of us hunters anymore to keep our hunting heritage if the people get a direct vote on hunting issues.

Can you imagine a ballot initiative pertaining to trapping? You could kiss that good bye. There isn't even enough people who are educated on the subject of trapping to have a fair vote.

This is a big problem that's going to effect all of us for future generations to come. We have to stop looking at hunting, fishing, trapping, etc. as a recreational pass time and make it a part of our heritage just as the tribal members have done and as our ancestors did before us. All the people of this state should have the right to gather, harvest, and forage fairly the God given resources around them.

Could you imagine what our founding fathers would thought if the right to hunt, fish, or gather ever was to come in question? I would bet there would have been another amendment to the constitution making it a right


If there is to be any type of proposal on a Sand Hill Crane hunt it will have to be done very carefully and well thought out. Any mistakes could rule out the hunt for generations to come.


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## fowlme (Jun 19, 2009)

Signed .


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## Big Frank 25 (Feb 21, 2002)

Michigan House approves resolution seeking sandhill crane hunting season

http://www.abc12.com/content/news/M...-sandhill-crane-hunting-season-451479143.html


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## wavie (Feb 2, 2004)

signed
why should it even go to a ballot?
let the nrc do their job.


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

If it goes to a ballot KISS IT GOOD BYE!!!!

Think doves


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## Duck-Hunter (Mar 31, 2005)

I agree. It should be in the hands of the feds, DNR, NRC.

No way it'll pass in a ballot. Every since I've heard everyone getting excited about this "crane season" (I don't have Facebook). I simply put it "if we can't shoot doves no way in hell we will be able to shoot cranes".

We need a season. I couldn't tell you how many times a year I have land owners say "I wish you boys could do something with those cranes for me" they are destructive. I was fortunate enough to be handed a crop damage permit by one of the land owners.


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

Duck-hunter Do they taste like rib eye of the sky like it is said?


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## GuppyII (Sep 14, 2008)

Yes they are excellent eating Multibeard. I've shot some in Texas and they were always the first we ate when we came home.


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## Luv2hunteup (Mar 22, 2003)

Latest info from the House.
http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(55...g.aspx?page=GetObject&objectname=2017-HR-0154


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## Shlwego (Sep 13, 2006)

I have hunted cranes in Manitoba. They are by far my favorite gamebird to eat. Better than turkey, better than grouse, better than anything else that flies. It's red meat, treat it like a steak and you can't go wrong. But....

Much as I would love to see it, I have serious doubts we'll ever get a season here. I was at an event in Farmington last month that drew a lot of bird watchers (I'm interested in watching birds, too, and mostly the kind of watching that also involves shooting, but seeing 50K Chimney Swifts all funnel into a smokestack at dusk sounded compelling, so I went). There was a table there from the Songbird Protection group that had posters up saying that "Sandhill Cranes were under threat" in Michigan. They were mobilizing and getting anti-crane hunting petitions signed. I had a fun time chatting them up and telling them how really tasty cranes were. They didn't like me much.... If you want to see what we're up against here's your link:
http://www.songbirdprotection.com/
I think it'll be a long road, and very unlikely to have a positive outcome for hunting. I strongly suggest that if you'd like to see a season here, that you contact your local representatives, and spread the word to others to contact their reps. You can be sure our opponents will be lighting up their phones and emails urging them to vote down hunting of cranes, and unless we come out strong against that, we haven't got a prayer.

Hate to be pessimistic, but that's the way I see it.


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