Those sandhill cranes you see in rural fields in Door and Kewaunee counties may be fair game for hunters in the future.  The Wisconsin legislature proposed two new bills to make sandhill crane hunting open in the state.  The bills, called Senate Bill 112 and Assembly Bill 117, were introduced by the Joint Legislative Council and relate to hunting sandhill cranes, which are known to cause crop damage, including corn.  

Sandhill cranes are protected by federal law, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service can initiate a hunting season for the migratory bird. The bill would require the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to conduct a free sandhill crane hunter education program.

The bills also include a reimbursement program through the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) to compensate farmers whose crops are damaged by wildlife.

You can read the complete legislative bill here.

(photo credit Wisconsin PBS)