Hunting Cranes

Desert Rat · 08-01-2011, 07:52 AM

Not sure how common this is but I know a few states sometimes have a short season for hunting sandhill cranes.

Anyone ever tried this?

It's probably easier to bag an antelope than a crane.

1. They fly too damn high for shotguns.
2. They feed in open grain fields with 1,000 sharp eyes looking for you.
3. And they aren't bashful about flying away if they even THINK they are in danger.

We used to try to hunt them with 30/06. If you wanted a shot, you took it at close to 300 yds and then it was like shooting at a skinny stick...which is about all a crane is.

I saw ONE bird taken this way.

Seems to be the only effective way to hunt them would be to construct VERY good blind at their entrance or departure route to grain and then lie in wait for them to glide over low enough for shotguns. But this would be a lot of effort for little gain and low chance of success IMHO.

They are the devil's own bird for hunting.

(But always fun to try.)

DorGunR · 08-01-2011, 08:03 AM

Do you have any recipes for cranes?

Czubek · 08-01-2011, 08:08 AM

Years ago, when I10 was going through south ippississiM, the eco nazis, even back then, attempted to stop a bridge being built in Pascagoula, saying the only sand hill cranes left in the universe were right where that bridge was to be built. Needless to say, there were a ton of sand hill crane recipes and a couple of cook books floating around.

You can maybe do a little research on that, I bet you find something.

Brian

Railbuggy · 08-01-2011, 08:16 AM

I've seen some in my AO around(SW Ohio) the Ohio river but mostly one by it self.I sometimes see sea gulls to,but I'm 5 hours south of lake erie.

10 Bears · 08-01-2011, 08:37 AM

I could have successfully hunted them, years ago.
Floating down a small river, in a canoe, would come around a corner and surprise several.
Didn't NEED to shoot one, but a shotgun would have either knocked 'em off their skinny legs or dropped 'em from the sky, no problem.
Many times I was less than 20 yards from one or more.

baboon · 08-01-2011, 10:05 AM

Sand hill cranes are the rib-eye of the sky!

Smoked or roasted they rock. Smoked crane quesadillas

Shredded with hatch chiles & caramelized onions in flour tortillas.

Desert Rat · 08-01-2011, 10:35 AM

CZ, I can assure your eco-freaks there are other cranes in the world. Back when I was flying patrol I would see CLOUDS of the devils roosting and taking off from Lake Spence near Robert Lee, Texas. And N.M. can easily boast a few thousand as well.

My brother, oddly enough, has grown from a hunter into a crane freak. He and wife travel all over country to observe this bird's various rituals. Mating dances, nesting and I believe the birds mate for life. He is the expert on them.
Some nations revere them.

I'd still like to shoot one.

Boon, I never thought seriously about eating one but they DO eat very pure diet of farmers' grains. I always figured you would need a chainsaw to cut one but I may be very wrong.

I've spent a total of a couple hours "dog fighting" with them near Lake Spence. I had two goals.

1. Bust up a few "V" formations and scatter the birds.
2. Prevent my chosen "V" from going north to the grain fields with the other birds.

End result? I lost every time.

They WILL only fly in formation. And they WILL follow the flock. My efforts to affect this behavior was just pissing in the wind and a waste of AvGas.

Czubek · 08-01-2011, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 10 Bears

I could have successfully hunted them, years ago.
Floating down a small river, in a canoe, would come around a corner and surprise several.
Didn't NEED to shoot one, but a shotgun would have either knocked 'em off their skinny legs or dropped 'em from the sky, no problem.
Many times I was less than 20 yards from one or more.

We used to go oyster tonging in the Pascagoula river tributaries and associated bayous near it's mouth on the gulf and see them all over the place, quite content to ignore you. It wouldn't have taken much to harvest a few with a .22.

Brian

baboon · 08-01-2011, 11:26 AM

I love the sound sand hills make especial when it @ dawn during hunting season.

Another huge bird that no one figures are worth eating are swans. Truly a meal fit for a king. I read about it years ago while still a yankee. One night I procured one in my many travels. It's some thing where cooking technique makes or breaks the out come of the meal.

Desert Rat · 08-01-2011, 09:37 PM

I agree, Boon. The sound they make is sort of like comfort food to me. Takes me WAY back. When they really sound sweet is when they fly at night. One bright moonlit night I was treated to watching several squadrons go over my house.

They like to wait for a favorable wind to help them with the next leg of their migration...and this frequently happens at night. So the cranes in an area may suddenly "vanish" after sundown.

Gus · 08-01-2011, 09:49 PM

When I was a kid out by where I was born their was a snaky small spring fed river, along a cliff was a stand of cotton wood trees, very old very tall, in the tops of these cotton woods were Sand Hill Crane nests, lots of um. We could have shot them easy but my brother and I were sternly warned to leave them the hell alone.

Pogo · 08-02-2011, 06:43 AM

There are a half dozen sub-species of Sandhill Cranes. I also love to hear them honking while flying over. A couple of the Southern sub-species are somewhat rare and are protected birds. The Cuban, Floridan, and the Mississippi Sandhill Cranes are on the endangered species list. The Canadian Sandhill Cranes are all over the Northwoods in the US.

Another bird I love to hear in the early morning and evening is the Loon. They are an interesting bird to watch. It's neat to see the babies sitting on their parent's back when they are swimming. Also interesting to watch the birds take to flight. When they take off they position themselves to fly into the wind and run on the water real fast with their feet as they flap their wings.

Sounds and watching animals is what makes it so enjoyable to camp in wilderness areas where there aren't a bunch of noisy people.

Desert Rat · 08-02-2011, 10:35 AM

Amen, Pogo!

MOST critters are really neat.

Gus, I've seen nests like you speak of. Apparently the cranes use them over and over as the years go by and they get mighty messy.

08-01-2011, 07:52 AM	#1
Desert Rat Junior Woodchuck Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 4,592	Hunting Cranes Not sure how common this is but I know a few states sometimes have a short season for hunting sandhill cranes. Anyone ever tried this? It's probably easier to bag an antelope than a crane. 1. They fly too damn high for shotguns. 2. They feed in open grain fields with 1,000 sharp eyes looking for you. 3. And they aren't bashful about flying away if they even THINK they are in danger. We used to try to hunt them with 30/06. If you wanted a shot, you took it at close to 300 yds and then it was like shooting at a skinny stick...which is about all a crane is. I saw ONE bird taken this way. Seems to be the only effective way to hunt them would be to construct VERY good blind at their entrance or departure route to grain and then lie in wait for them to glide over low enough for shotguns. But this would be a lot of effort for little gain and low chance of success IMHO. They are the devil's own bird for hunting. (But always fun to try.)

08-01-2011, 08:08 AM	#3
Czubek slug Join Date: May 2007 Location: Stover, Missouri Posts: 33,622	Years ago, when I10 was going through south ippississiM, the eco nazis, even back then, attempted to stop a bridge being built in Pascagoula, saying the only sand hill cranes left in the universe were right where that bridge was to be built. Needless to say, there were a ton of sand hill crane recipes and a couple of cook books floating around. You can maybe do a little research on that, I bet you find something. Brian __________________ 3 Here at the Dirty Dozen's Bunker, we have no problems, only solutions.

08-01-2011, 08:16 AM	#4
Railbuggy Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Taylor Creek,Ohio Posts: 7,279	I've seen some in my AO around(SW Ohio) the Ohio river but mostly one by it self.I sometimes see sea gulls to,but I'm 5 hours south of lake erie. __________________ Im not a wannabe,Im a has-been. We already lost the war. You are the resistance.

08-02-2011, 06:43 AM	#12
Pogo Mystic Knight of the Sea Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: The Great Swamp Posts: 81,969	There are a half dozen sub-species of Sandhill Cranes. I also love to hear them honking while flying over. A couple of the Southern sub-species are somewhat rare and are protected birds. The Cuban, Floridan, and the Mississippi Sandhill Cranes are on the endangered species list. The Canadian Sandhill Cranes are all over the Northwoods in the US. Another bird I love to hear in the early morning and evening is the Loon. They are an interesting bird to watch. It's neat to see the babies sitting on their parent's back when they are swimming. Also interesting to watch the birds take to flight. When they take off they position themselves to fly into the wind and run on the water real fast with their feet as they flap their wings. Sounds and watching animals is what makes it so enjoyable to camp in wilderness areas where there aren't a bunch of noisy people. __________________ .................................................. ....................................… *We have met the enemy, and he is us!*

08-01-2011, 08:03 AM	#2
DorGunR Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Maryland Posts: 30,905	Do you have any recipes for cranes?

08-01-2011, 08:37 AM	#5
10 Bears Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: E-Da-How Posts: 137,846	I could have successfully hunted them, years ago. Floating down a small river, in a canoe, would come around a corner and surprise several. Didn't NEED to shoot one, but a shotgun would have either knocked 'em off their skinny legs or dropped 'em from the sky, no problem. Many times I was less than 20 yards from one or more.

08-01-2011, 10:05 AM	#6
baboon slug Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Out by the lake in central Texas Posts: 18,307	Sand hill cranes are the rib-eye of the sky! Smoked or roasted they rock. Smoked crane quesadillas Shredded with hatch chiles & caramelized onions in flour tortillas.

08-01-2011, 10:35 AM	#7
Desert Rat Junior Woodchuck Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 4,592	CZ, I can assure your eco-freaks there are other cranes in the world. Back when I was flying patrol I would see CLOUDS of the devils roosting and taking off from Lake Spence near Robert Lee, Texas. And N.M. can easily boast a few thousand as well. My brother, oddly enough, has grown from a hunter into a crane freak. He and wife travel all over country to observe this bird's various rituals. Mating dances, nesting and I believe the birds mate for life. He is the expert on them. Some nations revere them. I'd still like to shoot one. Boon, I never thought seriously about eating one but they DO eat very pure diet of farmers' grains. I always figured you would need a chainsaw to cut one but I may be very wrong. I've spent a total of a couple hours "dog fighting" with them near Lake Spence. I had two goals. 1. Bust up a few "V" formations and scatter the birds. 2. Prevent my chosen "V" from going north to the grain fields with the other birds. End result? I lost every time. They WILL only fly in formation. And they WILL follow the flock. My efforts to affect this behavior was just pissing in the wind and a waste of AvGas.

08-01-2011, 11:26 AM	#9
baboon slug Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Out by the lake in central Texas Posts: 18,307	I love the sound sand hills make especial when it @ dawn during hunting season. Another huge bird that no one figures are worth eating are swans. Truly a meal fit for a king. I read about it years ago while still a yankee. One night I procured one in my many travels. It's some thing where cooking technique makes or breaks the out come of the meal.

08-01-2011, 09:37 PM	#10
Desert Rat Junior Woodchuck Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 4,592	I agree, Boon. The sound they make is sort of like comfort food to me. Takes me WAY back. When they really sound sweet is when they fly at night. One bright moonlit night I was treated to watching several squadrons go over my house. They like to wait for a favorable wind to help them with the next leg of their migration...and this frequently happens at night. So the cranes in an area may suddenly "vanish" after sundown.

08-01-2011, 09:49 PM	#11
Gus Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Arizona Posts: 66,849	When I was a kid out by where I was born their was a snaky small spring fed river, along a cliff was a stand of cotton wood trees, very old very tall, in the tops of these cotton woods were Sand Hill Crane nests, lots of um. We could have shot them easy but my brother and I were sternly warned to leave them the hell alone.

08-02-2011, 10:35 AM	#13
Desert Rat Junior Woodchuck Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 4,592	Amen, Pogo! MOST critters are really neat. Gus, I've seen nests like you speak of. Apparently the cranes use them over and over as the years go by and they get mighty messy.