“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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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...
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.
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
lf the saying "Liar, Liar your pants on fire" were true Mainstream news might be fun to watch
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
