Sandhill Crane

[AZRedhawk44]

Anyone here have experience hunting these, particularly in Arizona?

I want to try it, but from what I hear it's largely done on private property (farm fields) in southern AZ, southeast of Tucson.  No hunting allowed in wildlife sanctuaries for them down that way, and they only come down low enough for shotgun when they fly over the wheat fields looking for forage.  I don't have any connections down that way, and I suspect that just cold-knocking on various farm/ranch houses to ask permission to hunt their fields would be rude.

I'm considering doing a guided hunt to try it... about $400 a day for a sandhill crane guided hunt.

[Ben]

Huh. I was gonna say come out to my place, because I have a ton pass through and hang out along the creek during the migration, but apparently you can only hunt them in Eastern Idaho. I always thought that they are not good eating, but looking it up just now, apparently they have a reputation as "ribeye of the sky", which I thought was reserved for specklebellies, which are the only geese I hunt.

Same deal with swans here, only huntable in Eastern Idaho. I wouldn't hunt them anyway. Tundra swans are just the coolest birds ever. I love watching them. They are stealth bombers.

[BobR]

I hunted them in Montana many years ago. We would hunt them during their winter migration south. I believe our season started in Oct and ran for 30 days or so. I was able to get one using an 870, 3" shells and BB shot. We hunted them much like you do geese in the wheat fields, a lay down blind and patience. The guy I hunted with had a few decoys and would do the vocalizations. If as in your case it was going to be a one time thing then doing a canned hunt may be the best option. They will have the gear and know the likely areas to hunt. There is also the spot and stalk method for hunting them but is much more unpredictable, as you can figure.

bob

[charby]

Check with the Chamber of Commerce in the townships/counties you are interested in hunting in. In Wyoming where I hunt quite a bit, they keep lists of property owners who allow hunting, usually with a trespass fee.

[Kingcreek]

I had a chance to add a sand hill crane to a tag when I was shooting ducks and geese in ND. I was warned that use of a retriever was not at all advised as a wounded crane can blind and even kill a good dog.
I didn’t care enough about it to try it.

[Ron]

Huh, didn't know they were hunted.

There are tons of them here in NW Indiana seasonally. I see them in the fields, marshes and bogs around here. They're a pretty big bird.

The free outdoor range I shoot at is connected to a state park that has a sandhill crane observation deck.

[bedlamite]

Tons of them here in WI, nesting pair in literally every field, but they are protected thanks to the Whooping Crane.

[Northwoods]

If you have the extra cheddar for a guided hunt and $/lb isn’t part of your calculations, then that’s probably the way to go.  If you have fun, like the way they taste, and are up for the challenge then figuring out a diy way to hunt them is worthwhile.

Personally I couldn’t justify the cost, but then I have a family.  If was single and childless (or if the kids were off my payroll and my wife was enthusiastic about me bird hunting) making what I do I might feel differently.