****** shoot whooping cranes

but the article also says:
The birds, also known for their dance-like movements, are protected under the Endangered Species Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Shooting a whooping crane could lead to a $100,000 fine and a year in federal prison.

A year ago, a 26-year-old South Dakota man pleaded guilty to killing a whooping crane and was sentenced to two years' probation and an $85,000 fine, according to the U.S. attorney's office.
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Obviously the acceptance of shooting sandhill cranes is a problem as well. It is hard to protect one giant bird when you're allowed to shoot similar-looking giant birds and can just claim mistaken identity. The first rule of guns is always know what you're aiming at, but it's hard for the courts to stick someone with a deliberate act when there's easy opportunity for them to claim otherwise.

The other problem is simply the usual one worldwide of trying to get the courts to apply meaningful sentences in the first place (case in point being the boy with the one dollar fine). This is where the courts fall down: they have the capability of giving large fines and jail time and they rarely do.
 
I can only agree with you both have said.

@Chlidonias, thanks for the after-commentary! :)
Some very valid points.

A hunter that cannot distinguish between 2 very different species is not worth the salt of this Earth. A transparent judgement taking into account the rarity of the birds, the disqualification of these events of a part of the hunting fraternity (in failing to know what you hunt ..). It is a far cry to put this down as just sorry … mistaken identity and let people walk away with no sense of the severity of the crime in hand.
 
Can't the US authorities give year-round protection to Sandhill Crane? For heavens' sake, a pretty hefty wedge of federal money has been put into the rescue of Whooping Crane. Surely no reasonable hunter would object.
 
jbnbsn99 said:
You assume hunters are reasonable.
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I assume hunters have ethics and morality too. Part of those ethics are knowing what you hunt and failing to distinguish between sandhill and whooper crane in my mind disqualifies anyone from any further hunting for sport, personal enjoyment or whatever valid reason one can have.

It is a shame this does not hold up in court apparently.
 
The UK got rid of its Cranes before the law on quarry species could be codified, so maybe it's a bit unfair of me to stick my neck in. The recent recolonisation has happened with a change in attitudes. All the same though, hunting cranes strikes me as being like hunting swans - frankly it's sacrilege.
 
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