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Crane Hunting Craze? #8439801 11/05/21 02:29 PM
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ndhunter Offline OP
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Who is going to be the Crane Commander?


More Texans interested in sandhill crane hunting
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“It was relatively unknown,” Fitzsimmons told the Texas Farm Bureau Radio Network. “A lot more people are starting to realize through social media and other sources that it’s a really cool and fun sport they can get into.”

https://texasfarmbureau.org/more-texans-interested-in-sandhill-crane-hunting/

Re: Crane Hunting Craze? [Re: ndhunter] #8439803 11/05/21 02:31 PM
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Been doing it a while, but seems overrated to me.

Re: Crane Hunting Craze? [Re: ndhunter] #8439807 11/05/21 02:33 PM
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"If you can dodge a wrench...you can dodge a ball"...

Re: Crane Hunting Craze? [Re: ndhunter] #8439808 11/05/21 02:37 PM
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Crane is some damn good eating.

Re: Crane Hunting Craze? [Re: cleboje] #8439809 11/05/21 02:38 PM
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Never have hunted them, but I would be worried about sending my dog to fetch one, from what I have read a wounded one can really injure a dog. I would probably leave my dog at home.

Re: Crane Hunting Craze? [Re: Guy] #8439819 11/05/21 02:48 PM
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Originally Posted by Guy
Never have hunted them, but I would be worried about sending my dog to fetch one, from what I have read a wounded one can can really injure a dog. I would probably leave my dog at home.

I concur.



Re: Crane Hunting Craze? [Re: ndhunter] #8439836 11/05/21 02:58 PM
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I hope to go hunt them this year for the first time.


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Re: Crane Hunting Craze? [Re: ndhunter] #8439844 11/05/21 03:05 PM
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They will go for a dogs eyes, i would never used a dog crane hunting ! They are great eating, and fun to hunt.


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Re: Crane Hunting Craze? [Re: ndhunter] #8439853 11/05/21 03:26 PM
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They seem to migrate more consistently than our traditional water fowl that may have something to do with the “craze”

Re: Crane Hunting Craze? [Re: ndhunter] #8439856 11/05/21 03:29 PM
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hunted this past Monday and Tuesday with a guide. He uses a dog. He is careful with the wounded birds and his dog, but we didn't have any issues. He will sometimes put those googles on his dog, but he didn't with us.
They are so easy to kill, we only had 2 wounded bird in the 2 days and they didn't fight.

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Last edited by dbgsig; 11/05/21 03:34 PM.
Re: Crane Hunting Craze? [Re: dbgsig] #8439901 11/05/21 04:12 PM
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Sounds like you had a good hunt. I have never seen dogs fetch up cranes but I haven't hunted them that much. Can you post up more detail? Outfitter, type of loads, decoys etc?

and I agree they are very good eating

As I recall, J.P. Greeson did a lot of crane hunting, maybe he can weigh in.

Re: Crane Hunting Craze? [Re: ndhunter] #8439914 11/05/21 04:33 PM
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Divebomb is a big reason for the uptick in crane hunters. Now everyone buys 2 dozen of their silhouettes and skyblasts cranes as they flare at 150 yards from the mirror like shine on them.

Last edited by john paul; 11/05/21 04:34 PM.

Originally Posted by garrett
I'm with GK because I like salty old dudes.
Re: Crane Hunting Craze? [Re: ndhunter] #8439915 11/05/21 04:36 PM
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Anyone that tells you they consistently kill cranes over DB silhouettes either used them once and got really lucky or is on their “pro staff”.


Originally Posted by garrett
I'm with GK because I like salty old dudes.
Re: Crane Hunting Craze? [Re: ndhunter] #8439948 11/05/21 05:16 PM
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Originally Posted by ndhunter
Sounds like you had a good hunt. I have never seen dogs fetch up cranes but I haven't hunted them that much. Can you post up more detail? Outfitter, type of loads, decoys etc?

and I agree they are very good eating

As I recall, J.P. Greeson did a lot of crane hunting, maybe he can weigh in.



We used Final descent guide service. Top notch group. We hunted 2 different fields. The guide scouted each evening to determine where we would go the next morning. We had 6 guys in our group Monday and 5 on Tuesday. Limited out Monday by 10am, limited out Tuesday morning by 845am. They had us hunting out of Layout blinds both days over decoys. Not the silhouettes. Cranes were very skittish and you had to stay hidden.

I used a 12ga. with #2 steel shoot. Some used BB's, both worked well. they brought them in pretty close, which made them easy to kill. It was my first time and will be going back next year.

Re: Crane Hunting Craze? [Re: ndhunter] #8439979 11/05/21 06:10 PM
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Gulf Coast outfitters that once relied on geese to hunt, seem to have made the switch. I like watching the big birds commit to a spread, and I try to use #4 turkey loads on them. I think the meat is just like all the rest, maybe a shade better.

Re: Crane Hunting Craze? [Re: goosebuster] #8439988 11/05/21 06:30 PM
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Originally Posted by goosebuster
I think the meat is just like all the rest, maybe a shade better.

My thinking as well. Had a freind give me some that was frozen, I tried to cook it like a steak like I do duck, and it was not very good, like frozen duck. One thing I have learned about eating duck like a steak, you need to cook it fresh, do not freeze it. If you freeze it, cook it some other way, like bacon wrap poppers or something else...

Re: Crane Hunting Craze? [Re: ndhunter] #8440107 11/05/21 09:18 PM
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I think part of it we have a large population of the waterfowl community that only does a few guided hunts a year. They don't love waterfowl hunting enough to justify a lease, boat or put the time in to be successful on public land. And their jobs and home life don't allow alot of free time either so its easier for them to do a few hunts a year and cranes are something different so they are getting alot of attention right now.


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Re: Crane Hunting Craze? [Re: john paul] #8440147 11/05/21 10:21 PM
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Originally Posted by john paul
Anyone that tells you they consistently kill cranes over DB silhouettes either used them once and got really lucky or is on their “pro staff”.


You mad bro?

Did it all last year with decoying birds.
What makes b you think they don't work?

Maybe you don't know how to set the decoys.
Or maybe your hide sucked as they are the most weary bird to hunt, maybe besides adult snow geese.


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Re: Crane Hunting Craze? [Re: ndhunter] #8440197 11/05/21 11:09 PM
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I've never hunted cranes, but always wanted to.

Re: Crane Hunting Craze? [Re: ndhunter] #8440242 11/05/21 11:51 PM
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Never targeted Cranes specifically but have killed several good hunting around Knox City. Last ones I shot were from a deer stand, a group would fly over that one low every morning so got my endorsement and got some the next trip out, passing shots at about 30 yards with turkey loads from the 12ga. Severely broken necks from those #5 lead, no shot in the body


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Re: Crane Hunting Craze? [Re: ndhunter] #8440322 11/06/21 01:10 AM
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Love crane hunting, not many things more fun than having those pterodactyls drop in on top of you.

I also have no problem sending a dog to retrieve one. Just don't send them for a cripple or have them wear goggles.

Problem is 90% of people have poorly trained dogs that aren't steady.


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Re: Crane Hunting Craze? [Re: BradyBuck] #8440355 11/06/21 01:31 AM
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Originally Posted by BradyBuck
Love crane hunting, not many things more fun than having those pterodactyls drop in on top of you.

I also have no problem sending a dog to retrieve one. Just don't send them for a cripple or have them wear goggles.

Problem is 90% of people have poorly trained dogs that aren't steady.

Problem is you don't always know they are dead, like any animal.

Re: Crane Hunting Craze? [Re: KWood_TSU] #8440662 11/06/21 02:52 PM
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Originally Posted by KWood_TSU
Originally Posted by john paul
Anyone that tells you they consistently kill cranes over DB silhouettes either used them once and got really lucky or is on their “pro staff”.


You mad bro?

Did it all last year with decoying birds.
What makes b you think they don't work?

Maybe you don't know how to set the decoys.
Or maybe your hide sucked as they are the most weary bird to hunt, maybe besides adult snow geese.


No I just have a lot more knowledge and experience than you ever will and am telling people the truth.


Originally Posted by garrett
I'm with GK because I like salty old dudes.
Re: Crane Hunting Craze? [Re: john paul] #8440724 11/06/21 04:18 PM
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Originally Posted by john paul
Originally Posted by KWood_TSU
Originally Posted by john paul
Anyone that tells you they consistently kill cranes over DB silhouettes either used them once and got really lucky or is on their “pro staff”.


You mad bro?

Did it all last year with decoying birds.
What makes b you think they don't work?

Maybe you don't know how to set the decoys.
Or maybe your hide sucked as they are the most weary bird to hunt, maybe besides adult snow geese.


No I just have a lot more knowledge and experience than you ever will and am telling people the truth.


Cadillac creek runs nothing but dive bombs too and are extremely proficient.

I think you don't know what you're talking about.


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Re: Crane Hunting Craze? [Re: ndhunter] #8440760 11/06/21 05:40 PM
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I believe stanfield runs dive bomb and that’s a legit endorsement. When it comes to west Texas hunting for migratory birds stanfield stands the test of time.

All that said I’ve never used divebomb just a suggestion on affordable silhouettes. Like I said originally the one time I hunted them we ran 100% silhouettes and punched a 5 man.

I remember that guide talking about how the cranes swing left right left right that silhouettes work well on them as they don’t get overhead generally till it was hammer time. May be saying something wrong but he had a reason we used silhouettes on cranes and full bodies on geese

Last edited by ducknbass; 11/06/21 05:40 PM.
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