Sandhill Cranes..

[Fuzzy]

Heard they were the filet of waterfowl and was wondering if anyone on here got a permit and if they cooked one up yet. I also have two friends who are bird lovers and were sick about the permits so I want them to know how they would taste!

(I can be cruel...)

 

[SpurHunter]

Had a big drawn out, um, conversation, on Richard Simms facebook post yesterday with a "bird lover" upset about the permits.

 

[xroadsbasser]

Saw and heard hundreds of them flying over Nickajack Thanksgiving day... I assume headed for their Hiwassee vacation paradise.

 

[churly]

SpurHunter - 12/4/2013 5:05 PM

Had a big drawn out, um, conversation, on Richard Simms facebook post yesterday with a "bird lover" upset about the permits.

I really enjoyed that conversation.

 

[SpurHunter]

LOLOLOL.....I figured a bunch did from the "likes" my replies garnered.

 

[GAfisherman]

I enjoyed the conversation the other day. some people amaze me.

 

[Fuzzy]

I missed that one. What is funny is my parents own a small farm in Florida that has a high protein crop (Perennial peanut). The sand hills flock there in the fall-winter. As my bird lover friends (great folks actually) told me how "rare" the eastern population is and how the entire population came back from 33 breeding pairs, I snapped a photo of them in the field about 100 yards away. Kind of ended the "rarity" issue! I never did check to see how you hunt them in Florida!

 

[SpurHunter]

Here you go. Feel free to jump in as well! https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...1062882826150.11569.1648373831&type=1&theater

 

[Fishheadspin]

I was going to put in for the draw but was not sure if I could find any where to hunt them.I would love fry one up

 

[roty967]

I hold three permits and plan to remove three from the sky in the next week. Looking forward to the hunt.

 

[rsimms]

That might be the most "Comments" I've ever garnered on a FB thread ... even if Spurhunter and Bret (otherwise known as "Tit for Tat") were responsible for 2/3'rds of them. emoBigsmile

But I'm glad I can always count on Spur (and a couple of others) to keep the anti's among my Facebook friends honest. emoThumbsup

 

[Lucky Bass]

I've got 3 permits but no access to any birds. This wet season has kept the mudflats on the river flooded and the birds are on private ag. fields and pastures. If anyone has access to cranes I'd be glad to rid you of 3 of them!

Norm

 

[churly]

Go up hwy 60 knock on doors

 

[BRamsey]

Like churly said find you some private land up around Hiwassee Refuge. They're up there by the hundreds!

 

[mlc0341]

I have dropped 2 so far shot 1 yesterday and my buddy got 2. The first I sliced the brest in 3/4" strips and soaked in teraki brine over knight and pan fried with rice and gravy. It taste like a strong beef it was great. The birds are very hard to bring down I use 12ga 3.5 heavy metal BBB and it is still tough my friend uses 10ga 3.5 BBB and it brings them down easier. Good luck
PS The brest is the only thing worth eating I roasted the leggs and thighs and wings they had to many tendons ond other stuff to try and eat but I had to try.

 

[Dixie Boy]

No need for 10 gauge or Roman candles, and they are up here around Hwy 60 but mainly to roost.

 

[roty967]

I shoot 12 ga and if I had a 10 I would use on these birds. Hard to kill even with 3.5" Bbb shot. We have limited out but could have done it much earlier with 10 gauge.

 

[Lucky Bass]

I put in the miles and got permission to set up on 100 or so using a pasture. Got my three 4 hours before season ended. Really neat birds and I hope they let us after them again next year.

I used 3" heavy shot 2s. It's not that they are tough to bring down it is just tough to be patient and take ethical shots within 40 yards. They are big birds and can appear closer than they actually are but their bones are hollow and very frail and their feathers are not dense at all. The ones I took folded like umbrellas out of the sky.

Norm