Outdoor lovers OK Wis. crane hunt

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Outdoor enthusiasts have overwhelmingly endorsed the idea of hunting sandhill cranes in Wisconsin.

The Wisconsin Conservation Congress asked people at its annual statewide hearings Monday whether they would support a crane hunt. According to results the state Department of Natural Resources released Wednesday, 2,559 people voted "yes" and 1,271 people voted "no."

Overall, 65 counties approved a hunt. Four rejected the idea. Three tied on the question.

Sandhill cranes were hunted to near extinction around the turn of the 20th century, but the species has since rebounded and is now found throughout North America and eastern Siberia.

The DNR says a hunt wouldn't jeopardize Wisconsin's overall population. Bird lovers have railed against the idea, saying hunters already kill enough animals.

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