An Oconomowoc police officer shot a sandhill crane after reports of its repeated damage to residents’ property, causing some neighbors to wonder whether authorities could have taken other measures to address the issues caused by the federally-protected bird.
Throughout April, the same sandhill crane kept damaging a resident’s vehicle and other property on South Maple Street, according to documents the Oconomowoc Police Department provided to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The ongoing issues led the resident to alert the police of damage and contact USDA-Wildlife Services to obtain a permit for law enforcement to shoot the bird.
Since sandhill cranes are migratory birds that are federally protected, a federally issued permit by the USDA-Wildlife Services or U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is required to shoot them.
Oconomowoc police shot the sandhill crane on April 28, police said
The police department verified the permit April 28 and shot the bird the same day, according to a redacted police report. Neighbors nearby confirmed to police that the same sandhill crane had caused damage to other vehicles and property on the street.
The DNR confirmed it received a complaint about a sandhill crane nuisance issue in Oconomowoc in early April and reported the issue per department protocol.
Some neighbors whose property was damaged by the bird told Fox 6 they would have preferred the bird be relocated or that other alternatives be taken to mitigate the issue.
Sandhill crane causing problems likely was in area for rest of year, DNR ecologist says
Taylor Finger, game bird ecologist with the DNR, told the Journal Sentinel that the sandhill crane causing issues in Oconomowoc likely would have stuck around the area for many more months and it was unlikely that it could have been relocated.
While some populations of sandhill cranes migrate further north for the summer, the Oconomowoc bird and all other sandhill cranes spotted this time of year in Wisconsin are part of the eastern population that’s here to stay, nest and breed for the rest of the year, Finger said.
This bird picked a spot that was just too close to people, Finger said. “(The crane) was going to be a problem from here on out.”
Migratory birds that are federally protected are generally not relocated, since they’ll just fly back to the spot they came from, or another bird will take its place, Finger said.
What the Wisconsin DNR advises residents do to address issues caused by sandhill cranes in their neighborhood
When sandhill cranes are spotted within municipalities, residents can take small steps to ensure the birds don’t get too comfortable in the area or cause nuisance issues, Finger said.
Finger advises that people don’t get too close or feed the bird, which means they should take their bird feeders down. People can put up party streamers or other décor that causes movement that makes the birds uncomfortable, he said. Those with docks on lakes can put up owls, while those with lawns can put up fake deer or other animal statues.
Birds may see their reflection in car or house windows and defend against what they think is another bird in their area, he said. Stickers on windows or closing shades can break up that reflection, Finger said.
It’s unknown if residents in Oconomowoc were feeding or interacting with the bird. But when people do interact with birds, including sandhill cranes, and they act up, that’s where differences in opinion come up with how to mitigate issues, Finger said.
“Everyone likes to see wildlife up close and personal, but it’s important to keep wildlife wild,” Finger said.
Bill introduced in March proposes sandhill crane hunting season in Wisconsin
In March, legislators introduced a third bill in the last 14 years to open Wisconsin’s crane hunting season. The proposal, called SB112 in the Senate and AB117 in the Assembly, would open crane hunting as well as provide financial support for farmers whose crops are impacted by crane damage.
Gov. Tony Evers’ 2025-27 state budget included a proposal to provide $3.7 million to reimburse corn farmers up to 50% of the cost of crane-deterring seed treatment. It does not include a crane hunting option.
About 48% of surveyed state residents opposed crane hunting while 35% were neutral and 17.6% supported it, when asked by the University of Wisconsin Survey Center for a 2023 study.
Contact the reporter at bfogarty@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Oconomowoc police shoot sandhill crane following nuisance complaints