Originally Posted By: Geo. Newbern
Stan, that looks like great sport! Nothing like green timber shooting in the delta.

16 you boys collected some 1st class eating with those sandhills. We have no season on them here in GA but I've shot lots of'em up in Sask. We call the breasts "flying tenderloin".

Do you ever get the big white ones out there. They'll often close whole areas to crane shooting in Sask. when the whoopers come through...Geo



I've never seen whoopers on the lease, but their reputation for mixing in with the cranes makes one sure they know what one looks like, and the TPWD hunting booklet has some solemn warnings. Another of the crane nicknames around here is "ribeye in the sky." Made the mistake of giving a breast to the neighbor- now he wants an invite to hunt cranes next season. Actually, it was given to his wife (who loved it)who gave her husband a bite. They can be mean when wounded (cranes and neighbors), and I have great memories of Milton (pictured by the smoker) in mortal hand to beak combat. He broke a wing, and the bird took up a defensive position in some brush (they often run, and just last week Milton chased one for about a quarter mile before he was able to get close enough to put some more lead in it). Milton was my guest on the hunt, and we were pretty new to cranes. Not wanting to waste a shell, he closed in on the bird with a stick. What followed was a dance of bob and weave, poke and parry, with me laughing so hard I could barely hold the camera. Milton would swing, the bird would hiss and stab, and I would forever kick myself for forgetting the camera's video function.

They are smart, with incredible eyesight, and stalking when they are on the ground is seldom successful. Lead is allowed, and 'round here where pass shooting is the norm, the larger the shot the better- #2 is my preference, though the first one I ever bagged was with my Arrieta 16 and # 4's. The last two were with #6 lead, as my poor shooting had depleted my supply of 2's and the last two were at a range of less than ten yards (yes, they were in the air). For some reason, a reporter was on the property with her husband, and wanted to take a picture of my friend in the ghillie suit. He has been hunting cranes many years, and thought the suit was helpful. Camo is a must, but lack of movement, not unlike turkey hunting, seems even more critical to success. All in all a worthy adversary, and fantastic table fare.

Mike

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