+1

Also, as discussed earlier in the thread, there are lots of businesses making a living off of having them there. Also, preserving the habitat to support them has many collateral benefits such as maintaining the quality of the recreational fishing, which supports boat builders, boat sales and repairs, marinas, hotels, vacation homes, Cabela's and so on. The shrimp and crabs in the grocery store are coming from the same ecosystem. Saving the ecosystem for the Cranes means saving the food supply for humans too. Personally, I like crab and shrimp more than tofu chunks\.

The goal for population size for recovery is 1,000, which seems very attainable.

Government dreaming up ways to waste our money.

what makes you suspect the shooter is going to be identified?

it didn't happen in a parking lot in a Wal-Mart there are probably 2-3 guys tops who where there when it was shot. maybe less than that.

Sometimes you have to move backwards, to move forward. Same way with saving a species. It is in human nature to save something even if it costs a ton of money. Hopefully they won't be artificially sustained and live on their own which I think they are for the most part.

Did you NOT read any of this?

We had 3 hanging around our goose lease in the Nada area early in the season. Not sure how you could confuse them with anything, even on a foggy day. If the guy shot it on purpose, then I hope he gets the full punishment. I'm going to guess that the treatment of the last guy who turned himself in will keep this one from doing the same.

Yes, but becareful if you need drinking water if you live in Corpus Christi, or have cattle or farming land that catches water going into the river basin.

Saltily of the bay is an on going battle. Whether it's the Colorado, Guadalupe, Neuces, lavaca it's the same issue. Flow rates.

The whooping crane carries the most legal weight against state agencies because of its federal status.

It's a catch 22. There is a lot of issues that could of went down if suit would of held. Would of been a big win for the gulf(fish, wildlife, people) but a big loss for anyone that caughts any water that runs into the Gaudalupe river basin, or uses water from the river basin, including municipalities. Add now a precedent that follows through to every river basin in Texas that joins the gulf.

Sad we are in the situation and the drought differently excellerated it.

Sooner or later something has to give. In our life time we may very well see the breaking point.

We are at that critical point right now, actually well past it - ask those who depend on the bay.

Their water has been taken away and they are losing their economic survival.

Meanwhile, city dwellers fill pools, water lawns and golf courses. However, even if we turn all of those uses off right now, there still would not be enough to help those dependent on the bays or the farmers.

If this was happening on a ranch to deer or cattle, the analysis would be too many animals to fit the carrying capacity and the solution would be to lower the numbers. What politician will have the honesty and strength to stand up and say we are full, no more room in this state, or at least the western 2/3's?

Absolutely agree, great info in here. And if the bird was shot, the offender deserves vigorous prosecution AND defense in accordance with applicable laws and rights granted in our fair land. But a couple of things piqued my interest.

1. From the article, it's not even certain that the crane actually was shot. Have there been any updates confirming it as a shooting? If so, that should be clarified. If not, might we have our feathers ruffled for little more than nothing?



2.

Um, no. No it's not, Dr. Smith. And I'm hoping it's not what you really meant.

Population control.... very true

but people are living longer and having more kids.. they gota go somewere..

Yep, and unfortunately, too many of those super populating the place are the uneducated and ignorant. Too many them are getting a check from the system because they choose to not do anything productive to contribute. There are more not contributing all the time and too few of us who are. And our numbers are dwindling.

The city of Fort Worth still allows irrigation, limited, but allows it. Even though there are significant losses to our supply reservoirs, no significant precipitation in sight to change that dismal situation. It's about money. If you stop people from irrigating you sell less water. If you sell less water you can't fund infrastructure upgrades and improvements. To hell with down stream.

Hence the reason I said earlier its a slippery slope. Bad situation for everyone. Right now only win win would be for Mother Nature to get a little more consitant and free flowing on rain fall.

A lot more consitant actually

While that is the real root problem, I was thinking more of our state actively recruiting businesses and people to move here with promises of no property taxes for umpteen years so I can pay for them, but yes, you are correct.

I don't hunt waterfowl but I do hunt doves and quail. When doves are flying in low on the horizon from the direction of a setting or rising sun their color is not discernable. They are just black shapes that are in fact easily identifiable as doves (by shape and flight pattern).

It would really complicate dove hunting if there was an endangered species that had the same form and flight pattern. Sandhills are in fact the same shape as WC's. I've never seen them fly close, but I would assume that they have a similar flight pattern as WC's.

Also, it most definitely IS okay to hunt Sandhills where WC's exist, because they can and do rest in areas on the way to and from the refuge during migration.

Now, I'm not saying that IF it was shot by a hunter, that he/she doesn't know they shot AT it. Because even if it was a mistake shot at a black form, the bird would have turned and given them the opportunity to see it's plumage. What I AM saying is that it MIGHT have been an honest mistake somewhere up the country by a legal Sandhill hunter who could have been relieved that they "missed". When in fact they put a pellet or two in the bird that lead to it's death down the migration route a week or so later.

That idiot lady who said it's "unforgivable" needs to learn some critical thinking skills. There are definitely ways it's forgivable.

Not sure why our resident lawyer didn't point this out.

Main thing is I don't get how the law is going to prosecute someone so hard for making a mistake when in real life its everyone's fault.... that one bird didn't decide the fait of the species.... human progression did. So before anyone starts pointing fingers may turn it around and check yourself

Both great posts.

I checked, I haven't don't anything to those birds. Now the USACE has, but that's a Fed on Fed crime.

Weve had 15 inches if rain in houston in dec. And jan.so i think it depends on what part of the state your in.

But overall we will never catch up on our consumption, I know alot about this as a licensed irrigator, 60% of water used in the City of Houston is through irrigation and they love it because they make alot of $. The Tceq just realized this was a problem in the last 10 years and changed the laws in 2011 but they do not have the ability to enforce them. People need to stop hiring unlicensed illegals that dont know how to actually design systems not to waste water and that will be a big step. Also new smart ET controllers are the wave of the future along with southwestern style scapes.