North American Crane Working Group

 

Date of this Version

1992

Document Type

Article

Citation

Edens, R.H. Reducing conflicts between snow goose hunters and whooping cranes at Bosque Del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. In: Wood D. A., ed. 1992. Proceedings 1988 North American Crane Workshop, Feb. 22–24, 1988. Lake Wales, Florida (Tallahassee, FL: State of Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission Nongame Wildlife Program Technical Report #12, 1992), pp. 275-284.

Comments

Used by permission of the North American Crane Working Group.

Abstract

The Bosque snow goose (Chen caerulescens) hunt was initiated in 1966 and had become an important recreational hunt by 1975, when the experimental whooping crane (Grus americana) foster parent program was initiated. Since 16 sandhill cranes (G. canadensIs) had been mistakenly shot prior to the program, concern was that whooping cranes might also be shot. The Bosque Snow Goose Hunter Training Program was initiated in 1977, consisting of a 1-hour slide/tape presentatIon and a 10-minute bird identification test. Modifications to hunt procedures and the requirement of all hunters to attend the hunter training program resulted in zero shooting incidents regarding whooping cranes in a 12-year period. Only 4 incidents were recorded regarding other non-target species violations in the same period.

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