summary 
As a result of repeated requests from the Central Flyway States for 
a lesser sandhill crane hunting season; also to relieve crop losses from 
crane:depredations in Texas and New Mexico as well as the Prairie Provinces 
of Canada; and because studies indicated that the greater sandhill cranes 
and the rare whooping crane would not be endangered, the first open season 
on cranes in over 40 years was held in New Mexico during the period 
January 1-30, 1961. 
When the season opened, a total of 150,000 cranes were coumted 
on the major wintering grounds of west Texas and eastern New Mexico. 
The 6-county area in New Mexico open to hunting contained 7 reost sites 
which were utilized by 31,000 cranes. After 1 week of hunting and 
throughout the remainder of the season this population dropped to approxi- 
mately 1,500 birds. 
It is estimated that 1,146 hunters took advantage of the open season. 
This relatively light hunting pressure was attributed to unfamiliarity 
of sportsmen with mnting cranes, the lateness of the season, and to the 
movement of the crane population out of the hunting area after the first 
week. 
Methods of hunting included jump and pass shooting and shooting 
over decoys, with the latter proving most successful. 
The 12-gauge shotgun with shot sizes of numbers ); and 2 was the most 
popular weapon used by the hunters. 
A total of 143 cranes, 80 percent in the first 7 days, were checked 
during the season. Measurements were taken on 137. 
The total harvest was estimated to be 52 cranes, or 1.7 percent of 
the birds in the area open to hunting; and crippling losses were believed 
negligible. 
Sporting and table qualities of sandhill cranes are considered 
excellent. 
From weights and measurements recorded for 137 of the 143 birds 
checked, it was found that no greater sandhill cranes were included in 
the bagged sample. 
The age and sex ratios were recorded on 137 and 120 cranes, respec- 
tively. The ratio for age was 107 adult to 30 immature, and for sex, 
59 males to 60 females. 
The average weight of 46 adult male cranes was 7 Ibs. 12 oz., and 
of 50 adult females, 7 lbs. 1 oz. When 7 lbs. ) oz. was used as the 
dividing line, 82 percent of the adult females checked weighed less and 
78 percent of the adult males exceeded this amount. 
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