As a result of the combined recommendations of the Flyway Councils, 
the Saskatchewan Department of Natural Resources, the Canadian Wildlife 
Service, and the U. S. Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, an experi- 
mental open season was authorized by the Secretary of the Interior. 
Regulations for this season limited hunting to the major concentration 
areas of lesser sandhill cranes in western Texas and eastern New Mexico 
during the period January 1-30, 1961. Prior to the opening date, however, 
it was discovered that the authority of the Texas Game and Fish Commission 
to regulate hunting of migratory game birds did not include sandhill 
cranes. Therefore, this first sandhill crane hunting season, which 
specified a limit of two birds daily and two in possession, was limited 
to a six-county area in New Mexico. 
Shortly after the open season was formally set, plans were formu- 
lated to conduct studies adequate to appraise the effects of the hunting 
season and to obtain all information possible on races, age and sex 
ratios, and food habits materials of bagged birds, as well as impact of 
hunting on crane populations, crippling losses, hunter success, and 
other facts pertinent to management of this species. 
Objectives 
A cooperative study was organized between the New Mexico Department 
of Game and Fish and the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, designed 
to gather information toward the following objectives: 
1. To obtain and accumulate all possible information on the 
_ mumbers of cranes in the hunting area, the dates of their 
- arrivals and departures, and on crane depredations during 
the season. 
2. To ascertain the racial composition of the flocks. 
3. To devise techniques for sexing and aging cranes in the field. 
4. To evaluate the effect of the hunting season on flock size 
and distribution. 
5. To accumulate information on: 
(a) Hunter success 
(b) Crippling loss 
(c) Hunting methods 
(d) Palatability and sporting quality of cranes 
(e) Landowners' and sportsmen's reaction to season 
(f) Climatic influences on hunting 
(g) Food habits of cranes 
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