Anybody have any sandhill crane stories or experience this year?

We just finished our crane hunt here in Arizona, and it was a fabulous hunt.

Jerry

I wish we could hunt them here. Thousands of the rats with wings.

I've shot... well ugh, let's say "many dozens" of them because I don't want to sound too bloodthirsty.

Great sandhill crane hunting in Manitoba, Canada -- I was hunting around Delta/Portage la Prairie. You haven't lived until you have had a flock of 5000 birds come in to the decoys... (both sandhill cranes and snow geese flocks of this size sure got my heart going!

jpb

[ 11-17-2003, 19:00: Message edited by: jpb ]

Here in Montana they are getting more plentiful, but not thick. We have to get special permit for them I think. Are they any good to eat?

Greg

Guys:

Here's a picture of our recent sandhill hunt.

Jerry

Here is my two sons with our limits.

Jerry

[ 11-21-2003, 07:47: Message edited by: Jerry Eden ]

Still learning to post, so I guess I screw up a lot. Heres the pic.

Jerry

Hello,

Those who have hunted and killed a Sandhill Crane, how big are they in weight? How fast do they fly? And what size of Hevi-Shot or Bismuth would be ideal to smack one?

Thanks!

Also, if you care to possibly explain "how," "How are Sandhill Cranes hunted?"

Jerry,
Very ugly birds but a fantastic looking dog!!!

Hawkeye47

Does anyone else think they tast like roastbeef.....or is it just me.

urdubob

Cougar:

A crane probobly averages 10-11 lbs with a good one at 15 lbs. With their big wings they can cover a lot of ground very quickly. They regularly fly with geese, in fact during our recent hunt one flock of cranes, which had formed a long string, had about 20 snow geese in the middle of the flight. They are very wary, so approaching them in a field won't get you a shot, but may guarnatee they won't come back to the same field in a while, if ever that season. They require more stealth than goose hunting, which is what makes them so much fun to hunt. Most guys try to study their flyway habits, and locate themselvs in an area that provides cover, to shoot them as they approach a landing site. Others use decoys, and hide around their spreads. As to shot, I used lead BB'S in a 2 3/4 1&1/2 oz of shot Federal 12 Ga Shell.

Hawkeye, I am surprised you called the birds ugly, and not the guys holding them, LOL. The dog is good looking, and she retrevied all those big buggers.

URDUBOB, Rib eye in the sky. If you don't cook them to death they do taste like beef.

Jerry