Wis. Waterfowl Assn.

Part 3: Your Hunting Rights in the Crosshairs

By RVL / October 10, 2025

Part 3:

Your Hunting Rights

in the Crosshairs
For the third time in 12 years, a bill to establish a responsible sandhill crane hunt is advancing through the state legislature. But without your active support, it will stall yet again. And if it fails, it could have negative consequences for your constitutional right to hunt.

This is the third article in a four-part series highlighting WWA’s efforts to establish a responsible sandhill crane hunt in Wisconsin.
Wisconsin citizens have a constitutional right to hunt, established just 22 years ago with 82% voter approval. This overwhelming support recognized the state’s strong hunting heritage and the disproportionate contributions hunters make to conservation.
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Who’s Working in Madison to

Protect Your Hunting Rights?
This constitutional right is limited only by “reasonable restrictions contained in law.” Such restrictions may include season length, harvest limits, or closed areas. However, no laws exist that would preclude a sandhill crane hunt in Wisconsin. In fact, federal wildlife managers support such a hunt here, as already occurs in one-third of U.S. states.

For the past five years, WWA has been educating legislators and promoting win-win solutions to Wisconsin’s crane challenges. Now, with a bill advancing through the legislature, we face strong opposition from anti-hunting groups—and legal issues are moving to the forefront.
Wisconsin’s Supreme Court has affirmed that the DNR has the authority to declare the crane a “game species,” and the Conservation Congress has voted three times to recommend establishing a hunt. Yet the DNR maintains it needs direction from the legislature. Lawmakers, however, have not provided that guidance—perhaps influenced by anti-hunting appeals. These are the same politicians who took an oath to uphold the state Constitution when they assumed office.

To the extent that anti-hunting arguments are given weight by politicians, your hunting rights are weakened.
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Coming up:

How your active support is necessary

to support a responsible sandhill crane hunt.

Questions: 

info@wisducks.org
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Wisconsin Waterfowl Association | PO Box 427 | Wales, WI 53183 US

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