We have thousands of Sandhills that come off the Red River every day. They make quite a few low passes over the property and over my deer stand. What she’ll would be best for these out of my 12 gauge and what choke? Guessing anywhere from 30-80 yards

Within 50 yards:

HEAVY MAGNUM® COYOTE

Hornady® Heavy Magnum® Coyote loads deliver lethal results and minimal pelt damage out to 50 yards. Loaded with 1½ ounces of nickel plated lead shot in your choice of BB or 00 buckshot, these 3 inch, 12 gauge shotshells are the perfect answer for close range predators. Both loads feature the Hornady® Versatite® wad that strips cleanly from the shot string for excellent pattern density and a short shot column for maximum effect on target. Not only are these loads extremely effective, they're also an economical choice when compared to expensive tungsten options.

Beyond 50 yards:

https://www.hevishot.com/catalog/dead-coyote/

Choke: patternmaster code black goose
https://www.patternmaster.com/about/

3 - 3 1/2" steel shot BBs (you must use non-toxic shot)
Modified choke

You should be good to 50 - 60 yards but from experience your problem could be misjudging the lead and missing behind them. They are big birds flying much faster than you think so the perception is they are going slow. Your lead could be 6' or more.

You do not have to use non-toxic shot for Sandhills. Lead can be used on them. However if you are potentially going to be shooting at ducks or geese as well , you must use non-tox.

Lead is fine on cranes, you do not need non toxic.

I wouldn’t try to hit them that high (80 yards) all you gonna do is wound a bunch of them.
If you must kill, that 3 1/2 inch dead coyote T shot from heavy shot is pretty deadly upto 50-65 yards I would guess, with a full choke. Higher than 65 yards, you prolly gonna throe a world of pain to them.

NO, YOU DON'T HAVE TO USE NON-TOXIC SHOT FOR SANDHILL CRANES !!! Go ahead, GOOGLE it, I'll wait...
Unless you are hunting on a State Wildlife Management Area, or Federal Wildlife Refuge, (and you said "low passes over the property and over my deer stand"), so I'm guessing neither of those apply. So you can use lead buckshot...and "beaversnipe" has given you about the best ammo choices for long range crane shooting...

And if you are waterfowl hunting you cannot have lead in your possession....even if you are also waiting on cranes,,,

Bad info is everywhere

Here is a video of some irresponsible idiots pass shooting them way too high with prolly a crappy steel load, they crippled tons. In their comments on you tube, them idiots defended themselves saying 99% of them cripples dont get hurt and survive. #morons

You could also try 3 1/2 inch BB tungsten Hevi X shot

I am going crane hunting shortly, decoying cranes, and will shoot 3 inch nr 2 hevi X tungsten. Thats like shooting BB in steel with way more pellets.

I swear by that load. I tried a box of 2 3/4 inch nr 4 on ducks. Wow, just wow.
Tungsten nr 4 is like shooting steel nr 2, so you get more pellets at even better penetration.

https://www.hevishot.com/catalog/hevi-x/

Appreciate it beaver. I’ll try and get my range finder on them before pulling the trigger.

6.5 creedmoor - lead about 3 mils and let it rip.










bad info is everywhere

That sounds about as safe as New Year’s Eve in Dallas.




3mils, really!?!?

Always had a very safe time in Dallas on NY.

If you are shooting cranes over decoys, tungsten is a huge waste of money. You can kill them with dove loads over decoys.

Just make sure you aim for the head and you should be fine.

I have shot several with the same #6 heavy shot turkey loads I use turkey hunting. Treat the head like it is a dove and break that neck with a good patterning load. fold them. with lead #5 works well out to 50 yards or so

That was in reference to bullets falling from the sky

Used to shoot a bunch of em with BB and BBB shells up near Hereford. Delicious birds that hit the ground HARD!

As usual, I show up with ammo & gun, and the birds have pretty much disappeared.

sounds about like my luck as well.

Keep carrying the shotgun. You know what will happen the first trip you donot carry it

Didn’t bring it with me on the evening hunt because I never see them close in the every. Just had about 1000 fly overhead, some 50 feet above my stand

3" copper plated, buffered, lead # 2 out of a full choke is the old time goose load we used to shoot. Bad crane medicine out to 60 yards if the shooter is up to it. A good bit less expensive than hevi shot too.