anybody seriously hunt sandhill cranes? just wondering what kind of decoys, calls used.
I have hunted them nonseriously before, but certainly not seriously. About the only thing I know about them is they are good eating, and don't send the dog after one that is only wounded.
your limited on decoy choices. the hard shells are like $30 a piece! the rags are cheaper but less effective. and your also limited on the days you can hunt just based on the amount of time they stick around.
i've managed to take a few over the years just while hunting geese. they are BY FAR the best tasting waterfowl (technically not waterfowl) there is. almoast no liver flavor at all. the breast can be done in a crockpot like a roast with veggies. mmmm mmmm, i'm getting hungry.
what part of nw oklahoma are you at. there was a nice group hanging around the cleo springs/aline area for a couple of weeks. we were to busy chasing deer to take a stab at em though.
the only call i know of, without spending some serious money is a haydels brand call. they sound a lot like a crow call to me. or maybe i just suck at blowing them.
i've managed to take a few over the years just while hunting geese. they are BY FAR the best tasting waterfowl (technically not waterfowl) there is. almoast no liver flavor at all. the breast can be done in a crockpot like a roast with veggies. mmmm mmmm, i'm getting hungry.
what part of nw oklahoma are you at. there was a nice group hanging around the cleo springs/aline area for a couple of weeks. we were to busy chasing deer to take a stab at em though.
the only call i know of, without spending some serious money is a haydels brand call. they sound a lot like a crow call to me. or maybe i just suck at blowing them.
We will have them fly into or over a wheat field on my deer lease some years during season. Some years not so much. Originally we just stalked them from a creek or belly crawled low spots in the field. Or waited in the woods on the edge at the direction we thought they would leave.
I did start collecting used sillouette decoys from classfieds and online auctions. I am up to about three dozen and one full body.
I use a very low profile blanket blind and dig in first if I can. Because I don't have a place to hunt them with any consistency and only have them show by chance I just keep the decoys handy during season and use them the next morning if the cranes show while I happen to be at the lease.
I have never had a group completely commit, but it will bring them in closer for a look and close enough for a volley sometimes. I do need to add a few sillosox and or full bodies to give it some view from straight above. I have mixed in some motion canada decoys on the side for that purpose, but we never have Canadas at that location so it probably looks unnatural.
I did start collecting used sillouette decoys from classfieds and online auctions. I am up to about three dozen and one full body.
I use a very low profile blanket blind and dig in first if I can. Because I don't have a place to hunt them with any consistency and only have them show by chance I just keep the decoys handy during season and use them the next morning if the cranes show while I happen to be at the lease.
I have never had a group completely commit, but it will bring them in closer for a look and close enough for a volley sometimes. I do need to add a few sillosox and or full bodies to give it some view from straight above. I have mixed in some motion canada decoys on the side for that purpose, but we never have Canadas at that location so it probably looks unnatural.
My decoys were made by Bigfoot and no longer made. The current similar decoy is extremely expensive.
These are some of the options out there.
http://www.knutsondecoys.com/decoy_crane.html
The better guides will use stuffed cranes "stuffers". They do get cranes to commit.
These are some of the options out there.
http://www.knutsondecoys.com/decoy_crane.html
The better guides will use stuffed cranes "stuffers". They do get cranes to commit.
You will have no idea how awesome it is to see and shoot these birds unless you do it.
i hunt down on the cimarron by fairview. usually a bunch of em roosting on the river. I usually to get by their roost in the evening and shoot them as they circle to land.
SJ - very nice! 2 shot, 1 shot, T, B, BB, what? Is lead allowed?
yes, lead is allowed on cranes. unless your hunting cranes only,its best to have some non-toxic on you just in case that flock of all banded geese come by!
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