Take a bat for wounded birds...suckers are MEAN.

Most of the time, with a guided group, you will have 6-10 guys shooting all at the same time with all different loads, who knows who really killed it.

Hint: when you have a large group of 12-30 cranes decoying, wait to at least everyone except you shot at least twice.

Its now your turn and can handpick your 3 cranes with dead coyote and shoot a tripple and call it a day..

2 yrs ago with Mike at MWO, i shot cranes using a 28 gauge with nr 4 steel
They were decoying 15 yrds away and at that range u can kill em with dove load as long as u shoot em in the head.

Headed out w/ MWO this Saturday, I will report back w/ what shells worked Best. There are 9 of us going and anything from 2 3/4 to 3.5 in. will be used. ALL different makes and Models. Forecast for sat. a.m. is 23 deg. w/ 15-25 mph N Wind....
Going to Be interesting!

End of thread. They know what works. If you can't kill 'em with 3" BB's.....you're skybusting.

I can second! 3" or 3 1/2" Turkey loads in 4 or 5's will wreck their day!!

First time using Winchesters Varmint-X 3" lead BB today and I was impressed. Blew a leg off one today while also hitting it in the chest from about 55 yards. Dead Coyote like results at a fraction of the cost.

You said it not me. I suggested lead because geese and sand hill cranes don’t usually hang out with each other. Every now and then you’d see them together when I lived and hunted around Lubbock. You can find 3.5 lead shot all day long, to the tune of $25 a box for 10 shells. I gave my opinion based on shooting maybe 5 geese out of the a couple hundred cranes we’ve killed. Therefore the chances of shooting geese are pretty slim. But it could happen. If you feel like you need 3.5 steel, then by all means. Wind, no wind, snow, rain, blue bird day, doesn’t matter. Cranes are prolly the easiest decoying birds. If you’re taking 50 yard shots at any waterfowl then you or your guide is lazy AF.

I've crane hunted 6 times this year and either shot geese or passed opportunities to shoot them to wait on cranes on 5 of those hunts...

Just saw this Bobby,

All you need is 3" copper coated BB's.

Trust me, you can kill them at 50+ yards.

Geeese don't taste good anyways and steel is a waist of time. Lead kills.

Thanks Kirk!

Shot cranes yesterday.
Was windy, wouldn't decoy well.
Used Hornady #4 Buckshot varmint express 2 3/4.
It has 24 pellets. No kick at all. Was deadly on the higher ones (55 y plus)
Cabelas sell them cheap

Thanks

Hunted w/ MWO this past Saturday!! Had a Good Time! We shot 10 and lost One Cripple! No Wind & Blue Bird Day. They were pretty smart. I used 3.5" Copper Plated 6's and 3" BBB'S. All I can say is they are GIANT BIRDS compared to the Lesser's in the Panhandle and you will NEED ALL THE FIRE POWER YOU CAN GET. GOOD LUCK!! Mike Is a Good Guy and Treated us WELL!!!!!

I guess you are lazy AF just like me?

Awesome! I'm loaded for bear. Did y'all see any geese or ducks?

Saw some Geese, they came into and left out of the field about .5 mile away! A few ducks (Teal) buzzed us at daylight.

Awesome, I'm hunting with MWO in the morning.

Let us know how you did!

Bobby I would buy those shells and not wait too long you might not find them lol. I get low on shells I freak out.

Depends. Heavy shot u can shoot 6’s IC all day MOD for sky busting

Tungsten 4s IC normal shots decoying MOD if need tight- you can stone ducks a long way w IC if lead them right

Heavy steel 3s 3 inch typically good mid priced load

3.5 inch if they are cutting spread short or lack of wind

Good luck

A MOD choke is pretty darn tight w all loads mentioned- throwing baseballs at 15-20 yard decoying birds

They got heaters running tonight. Was tough today for most. We are passing in am. My lake had 3 inch ice today. Hunting south of I20 Saturday and far north Texas Tuesday

We ended up only getting two flocks to come in Friday morning and killed 7 birds. The birds that came in worked to the decoys good, just didn't have many birds in the area.

Thank you sir. Still we will be there Saturday morning. Will report back.

Season ended here on Sunday. Got about 20 hunts in. Now I feel like my life has no purpose. Dark times indeed.