Sandhill crane

Have y'all seen that there is a lottery for it in Alabama this year?

400 people will get 3 tags a piece! Only northern part of the state north of I-20 and 22. Theres a lot around Wheeler refuge and a good bit around Crow Creek refuge and Weiss Lake. I hunted a spot in Jackson county year before last one morning and I could have shot 100, flew right over my head all morning!!

Annoying birds, shoot em all

I hunt wheeler and I hate them!! Kill em.all!!

Anyone know how to sign up for the lottery? I could not find anything on the dcnr website.

Probably cost you $15.00 to get a license to look at the sign up web page.

David

The registration/info page is up, but not active on the alabama outdoors page... says it’ll be coming soon. I’m just going to check back every couple days till something changes.

I’m gonna put in. If I get drawn will some of y’all that know where they are help me? I’ll letcha choot one. Or two. I was standing in the observation center at wheeler a couple years ago when 100 or so came into the pond. Cool birds.

AKA ribeye of the sky, anyone eat one?

Plenty to be had around Stevenson too if you want some pass shooting, but I would like to get on a crew with decoys and calls if Im drawn too!!

Are they any count to eat?

Hell yeah, taste like a steak. Much better than geese or ducks.

Better then geese.? Dear lord geese is the worst tasting game in America. GEESE IS NOT EDIBLE!!!

Depends on the goose, Specks are good, Canada geese are ok and snows are a bit tough and need a LOT of seasoning.

Gonna try and slice some Canada goose breast up like a steak with Dales seasoning, I've been told that way is pretty tasty.

Hopefully will get to try some Cranes to see if they live up to their reputation.

Specks are good, the rest are ok for jerky and catfish bait that's about it.

The guys I hunted with in WI made jerky, bologna and several other snacks out of the Canada geese they killed. They usually killed 350 plus a year and no telling how many snows. Some of the guys in Canada made the steaks which I’m hoping to try out.

None of them beat an early teal.

I’ve eaten Emu and Ostrich and it was tasty. Curious if the cranes will taste similar.

It's all about how you prepare it. I made some Canada goose breast (smoked) that was some of the best meat I've ever eaten.

Geese is good if marinated in moores and grilled until rare. Had it in a roast once and it was nowhere near as good.

Has the registration opened up yet?

If you think geese are not edible, you must have absolutely no clue or too little experience in how to prepare or cook waterfowl! I will throw my grilled Canadian goose up against any steak (except elk meat) and I will challenge ANY meat in the world with my smoked Canadian goose breast!

I am really hoping to get drawn for the crane tags as i have never had the chance to eat any and i have heard numerous times how good they are!

Next Wednesday the 4th

Well I’m out. I just looked it up and of course they are just trying to make money off of it. $10 just to apply for the lottery. Smells a lot like the alligator lottery BS. I already just dropped almost $100 on licenses. Now they want an extra $10 just to tell me sorry you didn’t get “drawn”. What ever happened to a guy just being able to go hunting with his kids and enjoying the day. With all of the rules , regulations, and “privileges “ required it has taken a lot of the enjoyment out of it. Seems like you are spending more time worrying about if you are legal or not.

I guess I've come to expect a registration fee with any sought after lottery drawing, at least it keeps folks from just flooding the system and having their wife, brother, kids, mother in law etc all apply without them having a little skin in the game.

The think that I just read that really bothers me is the apparently all state or federal wildlife refuges are closed to hunting for them... I was absolutely going to apply and would have gladly paid their fees but if I'm not able to hunt Wheeler WRA then there's not really any point. that's where the largest population of them are around here.

Are there public places to hunt them? I would apply, but don’t don’t have any land up there to hunt.

I was wondering this same thing

I was drawn for sandhills. Anyone else? Would like to get with some others that have tags and get a plan together with anyone interested.

You got access to private land that holds any cranes?

I saw a bunch one day on public land last season. I don't know the first thing about crane hunting.

I see em every year. They’re annoying

What part of the state? I know a few spots I could get some pass shooting but figured it’d be way more fun to actually try and work them into a decoy spread!

I drew.

I've first hunted them by pass shooting. With those, I made some stuffers. Decoying cranes is something special.

I could kill limits in my front yard. But it’s in the city limits

Ain’t no thang for an outlaw like you bruh 😎

I got drawn, where are we hunting at. Push come to shove I’ll crawl on em!

I drew tags as well! Just wondering where they're most abundant?

Western Series Sandhill Crane Decoys 6 pack - $480
https://deceptiondecoys.com/product-category/decoys/cranes/


...pass shooting it is....

Damnitboy. Makes Canada full bodies seem cheap.

I’d Probly startout hunting the observation tower at wheeler refuge.

I would predict a quick limit followed by assisted transportation wearing silver bracelets!! Will be an incredible hunt.

I was going to say rigggghhhhttt off the boundaries of Wheeler.

I remember my first season ever hunting and seeing those dang things constantly.

I mean...Who in the hell wants to kill one of them ugly mfers.....

Lots of folks obviously

I know right....maybe they good smoked idk....never heard of anyone eating them

Grilled med rare is better. Not like they’re skycarp

Skycow. I bet people have shot them with a 22 for years. So Sad.

Then you havent listened very well. Those things are supposedly delicious.

If I could post a pic, I could show y’all some. I drew 3 tags for TN several years ago. Easiest shooting I’ve ever done.

Got the email this morning. Bumped up from Alternate to Hunter status.
Would love to get A group together on an ALdeer Crane hunt.

there are at least 6 or 7 of us that got drawn, that have spoken up, so far. Send me a PM if you have not yet and would like to be included in a crane-killing collaboration.

PM to ya stumpfinder

Well heck yeah, count me in!

First one of you dorks that shoots a swan up here I’m gonna lmao.

To be honest Jughead I never even heard of anyone even hunting them before let alone eating one....I'm like a sponge with all the knowledge round here...

What is this collaboration you speak of? Does anyone in the group have private land to hunt them? Are yall setting up a blind and decoys trying to work them in ? or yall just pass shooting them??

I was drawn and know of one spot that I can probably fill mine and 2 other friends tags but it will be all pass shooting!

decoys are seemingly cost prohibitive. I've seen them around a few places, just trying to pattern them as much as i can. hopefully going to figure out where they want to be and when.

Whole flock flew over me Tuesday. Man they were up there.

Flock of 5 came over the house in Baldwin this morning. Just the thought of being shot in North Bama has them moving out.

Here are a couple I killed in TN in the back of a creek on Chickamauga. Now that I figured pics out again. The state had a lottery and a test to take. I got a permit for 3 birds. I was pretty selective, as they’re pretty easy to kill. No decoys needed.

Has anyone got there tags in the mail yet?

NO! got an email couple weeks back that said theyd be in the mail soon but no sign of them yet!

Just got another email this morning saying they are supposed to get them in today and ship out via UPS tomorrow.

Yeah I got it too

Just got my tags/bands out of the mail. 3 leg bands and instructions and a permit. Now, all I need is a place to go and someone with the know how to do it.

What he said!

Y’all heard of anyone guiding here yet? I don’t mind paying for a good hunt.

Those peckerheads keep landing on my farm you can have at em. They were there a few weeks ago

They decoy really well, from what I hear..

I was hoping to find someone with Sandhills on their property and would let us pay per day like a dove shoot.

Is steel shot required for Sandhills?
On a reloading forum I know of some guys mentioning lead shot reloads for Sandhills. I'm not sure of where they are hunting.

They’re not considered federal migratory bird from what I been told. So lead may be an option

Can I sit in w barn if it’s raining and shoot them? I don’t like to get rain in my beer.

Yes

This crane hunting might work out after all.

If someone comes to hunt, I'd like to come watch and take photos if possible.

No tag, no gun. Just a camera and camo.

That would be awesome

Wish y’all had TN tags. I could definitely hook y’all up and we’d have a ton of fun

If possible, catch a foggy day. It’s a hoot to shoot them at 15’

They are about ready to hit you boys full force. I am up here in S Indiana and live close to a Refuge. It is where they stop every year. There are 1000s flying over day and night.

Was at a get together Saturday and they were serving some along with bacon wrapped duck. Mighty tasty.

Saw several groups last Wednesday.

I still haven’t found a place or even heard or seen any for that matter. I’m getting anxious to fill these tags and see what these things taste like on the grill. Anyone had any luck yet?

I haven't seen any yet either. Just at wheeler refuge. Too bad we can lottery to hunt that lol

They fly over my house non stop. That aggravating noise they make. My lab sits in the yard and stares at em drooling.

Can we come take the problem off your hands?

If you do, don't let the lab retrieve them. They can blind/seriously injure a dog pretty easily.

Ain’t no doubt. I ain’t shooting them stupid birds anyway.

Anyone had any luck finding birds or a place to hunt them? I’m at a loss and ready to do some hunting soon. I’ve talked to all the guides I have found and most if not all are full up.

Has anyone got any yet?

Anyone had any luck, I haven’t found any birds or anyone to hunt with yet. These tags are burning a hole in my pocket.

Had about 10 fly over around 11:00 headed South below Hartselle.

Saw several today

I need a field they are using daily and permission. TSS and I will do the rest.

Duck and geese taste aweful. Crane is good.

if all i could kill was shovelers and snow geese i wouldnt eat them either!

Anybody killed one of those son of a guns yet?

Friend of mines party shot 6 in Cherokee Co

X2 we need some pics

Some of us are going after them tomorrow morning so hopefully we have pictures tomorrow:

Congrats again bud.

That's awesome. Congrats!

Way to go Brandon

Do people mount those things or what do you do with them besides eating them? As big as they are getting one mounted seems like it would be a problem

Cool! Thanks for posting.

Let us know if they taste as good as the stories say!

Awesome man! Glad to see some tags filled!!!

Did you eat any of those cranes yet? How did they taste?

Yes, I cut a few slices off just to try it and it was excellent. Tasted just like a steak, with a hint of wild game to it, but I literally cut it off the bird and put it in a hot skillet with no soaking or seasoning whatsoever. Very good meat. I need to thaw one out and do it up right one weekend soon.

They are very good and so is emu. Had some goose and it sucked. Ended up grinding it up into sticks with pork fat and venison and it was edible. Couldn't stand to throw it out but was terrible by inself.