The federal government is proposing the reintroduction of sandhill cranes to the menu in northern Ontario, potentially as early as this autumn. The Canadian Wildlife Service is suggesting a controlled hunting season to allow the harvest of sandhill cranes in specific northern regions, marking the first legal hunting opportunity for the species in Ontario.
This proposal comes after continuous lobbying efforts from hunters and farmers who have expressed concerns about the increasing damage to crops caused by the growing crane populations. Christopher Sharp, a population management biologist with the Canadian Wildlife Service, mentioned that data collection and evaluation conducted by Environment and Climate Change Canada have provided insights into the situation with sandhill cranes in Ontario and Quebec.
Sandhill cranes in Canada consist of two main populations. The eastern population, found in Ontario and Quebec, has shown a significant increase in numbers over the past few decades, with approximately 100,000 birds currently. The species, which was on the brink of extinction in the late 19th and early 20th centuries due to unregulated hunting and wetland destruction, has made a remarkable recovery.
With the eastern population thriving and adapting well to agricultural landscapes, conflicts with farmers have escalated, particularly in northern Ontario, where large flocks feed on harvested fields during migration. The proposed hunting season would be limited to specific areas in northern Ontario where sandhill cranes are most abundant during fall migration, such as Algoma, Nipissing, Temiskaming, and regions south of Sudbury, including the Hudson and James Bay District.
To ensure sustainability, the hunting season would last two weeks, with hunters allowed to harvest one crane per day in designated areas. The harvest would be restricted to farmland to avoid disturbing cranes roosting in the boreal forest, except in the Hudson and James Bay District. Hunters interested in participating would need both a provincial small game license and a federal migratory bird hunting permit.
The public can provide feedback on the proposed hunting season until February 12. While interest in hunting sandhill cranes is expected to be moderate, the meat is often referred to as the “ribeye of the sky” by hunters, indicating its quality and taste. Sharp emphasized the need for a cautious approach to ensure the sustainable management of the sandhill crane population.