Sandhill Crane

Hit the nearest clay shooting range you can find and start burning powder in practice rounds! The shotshell manufacturers love dove season, pretty certain dove season ensures their kids college funding.
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Ours are by permit only.
Where I hunt they only give out 10 a year.
Any 12 gauge with like #5 or#4 lead shot will kill them.
Find where there roosting and get set up in the dark AM and let them fly off they seam to mill around before taking off to feed in the wheat fields. other wise it's spot and stalk.
 
Originally Posted By: IamjuggernautGC I never miss dove season. It’s one of my favorites

Sorry, I posted about dove season in a crane hunting thread. Beg pardon... those are seriously large birds. Sandhills Cranes that is, not doves. You guys that know what you are talking about please continue.
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I went crane hunting in TX last season. Guide Used full body decoys, and a frame blinds brushed in with tumbleweeds. No calling and we limited out both days.
 
They are amazing! Super cool birds for sure and they are every bit as good to eat as they are reputed to me. I hunted them while hunting ducks as geese and usually either pass shot them our stalked with in range and shot them. Since I was hunting waterfowl I couldn’t have lead in my possession but I found 3” #2 shot black cloud snow goose loads worked really well. Also if you have a dog I would be very hesitant to let it try to retrieve any crane. I know I would never send one of my dogs to retrieve one. They are pretty tenacious birds when not dead.
 
Hope to drop the Picture bomb by the end of the week. We get a chance for 3 crane , all three of us got tags.
Been getting a good amount of grouse so far this season.


Iamjuggernaut

You get a tag and have you gone out yet???
 
I have only hunted cranes a little bit in Saskatchewan but I can offer one piece of advice. The right speck call or high pitched Canada call can be used to call cranes. Hold it fairly closed and get good pressure then blow into it like a fast feed chuckle for ducks then slowly let out pressure. With some fiddling around you can get some good crane calls.
 
Originally Posted By: YotarunnerI have only hunted cranes a little bit in Saskatchewan but I can offer one piece of advice. The right speck call or high pitched Canada call can be used to call cranes. Hold it fairly closed and get good pressure then blow into it like a fast feed chuckle for ducks then slowly let out pressure. With some fiddling around you can get some good crane calls.
I was wondering if I can use a turkey call for cranes? Will it give the right pitch? As I don't remember I've ever seen a special call for cranes, but that does not mean it does not exist though...
 
Tried huntin them for the first time last weekend. My best advice is shoot them in the head and neck. I hit one with 3 1/2" Hevi Metal BB out of my 12 gauge from about 45 yards and it took it like a champ and flew away. I shot another one with my buddies 10 gauge from about 35 yards or so and all I did was break both of its legs. It wobbled but other than that it didn't seem too worried about its injuries.

My buddy shot one 4 times with his 10 gauge and it tried to bite him when he finally caught up to it. Not one pellet was in the meat when we cleaned that bird. Sandhill Cranes are like a mix between Robo Cop and Michael Myers. When you shoot them in the body they might stall out but they don't die.

The only thing tougher than a coyote or feral hog is a sandhill crane.
 
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I've hunted them in NE New Mexico and can say they are tough critters. Shot at them with a 12 gauge and could hear the bb's hitting and I guess bouncing off of them. Funny as hades to chase.
 
Here in MI there is talk by sportsmen about a season. The anti (bird lovers) have not chimed in, yet, that I know of.

It seems the big brds are just like pheasants in the spring when crops, (corn, soybeans) are sprouting and sending up new growth. The birds love those softened seeds on the bottom of the sprouts.
They will go right down a row and wipe out several feet of the crop. Farmers support a season.
 
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