Photo courtesy of Kentucky Fish & Wildlife

FRANKFORT, Ky. — The Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission voted 8-0 Friday to approve a hunting season for sandhill cranes, the first for the eastern population of the species that was once nearly wiped out by overhunting reports the Louisville Courier Journal.

The vote to allow hunting the giant birds in Kentucky for the first time in a century came after the commission heard nearly four hours of testimony from about 15 opponents – some of them saying they were hunters themselves – and about 6 supporters.

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