Anyone ever been? Did you decoy or...? I am interested in going out for my first time but I don't know anyone who's ever taken one. I have the use of a nice wheat field near Strathclair, Manitoba and another near Virden. I have snow goose, canada and duck decoys but I don't know if they'll help. Any advise?
Sandhill Crane hunting
- Thread starter thebigslide
- Start date
You have to be able to mimic the cry of the Female Sandhill crane, it's a very long and drawn out kinda....CCCCRRRREEEEEWWWWWWW(crew), while rolling your tongue. They don't sell calls for them so you have to go out and record their call, then practice in front of friends and family, even in front of strangers, as they can be less patronizing.
M12shooter
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- East St. Paul, mb
Cranes are starting to gather now in Manitoba's Interlake region. They love cut grain...and farmers hate cranes as they are large and trample grain. You have to hunt where the cranes are, scouting is a must. The few that I have shot were taken over cut grain. No decoys or calling was needed. Good cover is a must as cranes have sharp eyesight. I used a layout type blind and got into fields before first light. They are not as large as they appear once in hand. I shot mine with a 12 gauge 2 3/4 #4 shot lead shot back in the day. Not great table fare IMO but the young gray birds were much better than the mature ones. Hope this helps you out a bit.
- Location
- Back in the Peace Country
we shot a buch of them cause they wouldn't screw off while we were goose hunting...
Everyday we'd see at least a couple hundred...
Feather, and beaks and wings and legs....I hate them !!!!
taste like crap too!
Everyday we'd see at least a couple hundred...
Feather, and beaks and wings and legs....I hate them !!!!
taste like crap too!
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- Location
- Back in the Peace Country
The best way to cook them is isto boil them in a large pot filled with apple juice, a couple of large peeled onions, a large piece of clean limestone and several bay leaves. We usually skin the birds and remove the legs; after boiling over a low heat (225 C) for several hours strain off the liquid, remove the onions and bay leaves and add salt and pepper to taste. Then proceed to throw the boiled meat out and eat the rock.
Brutus
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I had an old airforce buddy from a big farm up near Kyle, Saskatchewan, not far from Sask Landing Provincial Park.
The men & older boys in the family held annual sandhill crane hunts. They made jerky out of these birds.
Edit: I Saskatchewan, it's a very early migratory bird season on SH cranes. September/October IIRC......
The men & older boys in the family held annual sandhill crane hunts. They made jerky out of these birds.
Edit: I Saskatchewan, it's a very early migratory bird season on SH cranes. September/October IIRC......
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- Location
- Maple Ridge, BC
Sounds interesting...
I also have never heard of hunting cranes.
I also have never heard of hunting cranes.
bearkilr
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Nowhere, ......just past the middle
It's been legal in Manitoba as long as I can remember, the season always opens September 1.
I've shot quite a few, many years ago though, over grain fields as mentioned before. I didn't use decoys as none were available, and probably still aren't, so it was just pass shooting. It was and is the first bird season to open, so I was young and wanted to shoot whatever I could.
They are by no means disgusting to eat, but are also not nearly as good as geese or ducks,IMO. Some put the meat in soup. Shoot for the young ones, brown in colour, they will be less tough.
Wringing the neck on a wounded one is interesting. The long beak is a bit more intimidating than a goose or duck bill especially when they stand about 4 feet tall looking at you menacingly. I recall using #7.5 for the coup de grace.
I just go about 10 minutes down the road from me, all the sandhill cranes you can want.I'm in the interlake , sandhills everywhere. They even come in to our duck and goose decoys. Grain fields are full of them too ! And yes , they are good eating, just have to prepare them right.
Brutus
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
The close relative the Whooping Crane is near extinction. (the white cranes)
The greyish Sandhill Cranes are nowhere near extinction.
Perhaps you were thinking of the Whooping Crane?
