The Outspoken Sportsman | hosted by Bill Moore

U.P. Crow Season

For those of you U.P. predator hunters crow season has been greatly restricted. Crow hunting was a popular pastime in both spring and early fall here in the U.P., particularly in the southern part. Then came the Federal Treaty with Mexico that restricted hunting of the Corvidae family, which includes crows.

The DNR Wildlife Division, with no input from U.P. hunters removed the spring season and greatly restricted the fall season. Federal law allows for 124 days of crow hunting but U.P. hunters get only 61 days. I believe this is not fair and diminishes the recreational opportunities to hunt, particularly in the spring.

When I questioned the DNR staff on this issue I was lied to. The response letter from Director Humphries clearly is not factual. When I called the wildlife biologist in charge of this program, Karen Cleveland, she lied to me. As of March 17, 2008 I have received no response from the Wildlife Division Chief or anyone for that matter.

One has to ask if the DNR can be truthful about anything these days, even as simple as to why hunter’s rights are being slowly eroded.

Gregg D. Stoll

The following is the content of the January 2, 2008

letter to Mr. Gregg Stoll

from DNR on the crow season issue.

(The original is letter posted directly below this.)

January 2, 2008

Dear Mr. Stoll:

Thank you for your letter of December 7, 2007, to Director Rebecca A. Humphries. Director Humphries has asked the Wildlife Division to respond to your comments regarding the crow season.

When the current crow season was established, a spring hunt in the Upper Peninsula UP) was no enacted in an effort to protect the common raven. Ravens are much more common in the UP than the rest of the state. While much larger in size, ravens bear a striking resemblance to the American crow and may be difficult for many hunter to distinguish from crows. Further, ravens are protected under the Migratory bird Treaty Act (MBTA) as a species with no open season. The measures used to determine violations of the MBTA include the take of a single individual, egg, or nest. rather than create a situation in which this take would likely happen, the decision was made to provide only a fall crow hunt in the UP.

The current crow season has been in place for 11 years. It was changed based on hunter requests. Your letter is timely i that data collection for the second Atlas of Breeding Birds of Michigan currently is ongoing. At the conclusion of this effort in 2009, date will be available to the Department of Natural Resources for the assessment of Michigan ranges and breeding time of both ravens and crows. This data may allow for the modification of the current crow season and the expansion of crow hunting opportunities in the UP.

We value the input of concerned sportsmen in the regulation process, and will take your input into consideration when assessing any changes to the crow season. Thank you for your interest in this process. If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact Mr. Karen Cleveland, All Bird Specialist, Wildlife Division, at 517-373-1263.

Sincerely,

Douglas A. Reeves, Acting Chief

Wildlife Division

517-373-1263

(The actual document is posted directly below this.)

To: K.L.Cool, Director

Information: Natural Resources Commission

Subject: Crow Hunting Regulations

Authority:

The Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, 1994 PA 451, as amended, authorizes the Director to issue order to manage the wild birds and wild mammals in this state.

Discussion and Background:

The crow is federally regulated. Any regulations that the state adopts must be within the federal framework. The main provisions include the following: 1)the hunting season cannot exceed 124 days: 2))the season must avoid the nesting season. Crows are permanent residents of Michigan but no in the northern Lower Peninsula or Upper Peninsula in the winter. Southern Michigan contains good numbers of crows all year. Fall migrations to wintering areas take place from September through October. The spring crow migration begins in February and continues into March. Nest building begins in April, and young are fledged in late June or July. The northern nesting crows are several weeks later. The proposed crow hunting season will permit hunting of locally raised and migrating birds. This allows the ardent crow hunter with an excellent hunting opportunity to hunt crow and still provides good opportunities for the small game hunter. Crows will not be hunted during February and March in the Upper Peninsula to protect ravens.

Recommendations:

This order was submitted for information only at the May 1996 meeting of the Natural Resources Commission. This item appeared in the Department's May 27, 1996, Calendar and is eligible for approval on June 6, 1996. We are now recommending that it be acted upon at this meeting.

(Signed by all of the following)

George E. Burgoyne, Jr., Chief

Wildlife Division

Herbert Burns, Chief

Law Enforcement Division

C. Edwin Meadows, Jr.

Resource Management Deputy

I approve the staff recommendation.

K.L. Cool

Director