Sandhills near Lubbock
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This is the first time I’ve hunted Sandhills. Do you have any suggestions or favorite recipes?
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Matt are you sure they are Cranes you have or Great Blue Herons? Herons are huge also and long skinny legs and bill. They will clean a pond out. Dont ask me how I know.
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I thought I have tried most stuff but not them. Have tried swan before. I am curious what type of meat and taste.
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I was talking to a friend earlier down at Bracketville, Texas who has hunted them and he pointed me to the way this guy does it. Looks quick and easy and he said that he also uses some spice mixes like you would use for making blackened salmon or a rub for chicken or pork ribs. He said he avoids really rare or well done; anything between those extremes he likes. I would sure like to try those birds before leaving this earth.
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Their breasts are red meat like a steak. I’ve been told they taste like steak. Hence “Ribeye of the Sky”
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Interesting:
wsobirds.org
INFORMATION TO CONSIDER
Scientific
Sandhill Cranes have the longest life span, highest adult survival, but lowest percentage of juveniles within the total population of any game bird in North America (Drewien et al. 1995). This is important because the number of juveniles present in a population provides insight into the population’s ability to support harvest (Drewien et al. 1995). There are several factors that contribute to the low ratio of juveniles to adults. Unlike most game birds, which begin breeding at one year of age, Sandhill Cranes are slow to mature (Tacha et al. 1992, Van Horn et al. 2011). The average age for the first successful breeding of Greater Sandhill Cranes is four years (Tacha et al. 1992, Hayes and Barzen 2006). Some pairs take as long as eight years to produce young that survive to independence. Additionally, Sandhill Crane pairs produce fewer young annually compared to other game birds. Sandhill Cranes rarely raise more than one chick (called colts in cranes) each year (Tacha et al. 1992, Van Horn et al. 2011), and many of these chicks do not survive their first year of life. A 22-year study of Sandhill Cranes in central Wisconsin revealed that, on average, only 0.44 chicks survive to fall migration per territory per year. Chick survival has been consistently declining throughout this period so that, in 2012, that number was reduced to one chick per ten nests (Barzen, pers. com.). This low chick survival has occurred with no apparent connection to known variables such as climate.
Given that Sandhill Cranes produce smaller clutches and have delayed maturity, they need long periods of time to recover from population declines. It is therefore imperative to have a reliable means to measure population abundance. Without this information, the potential for overharvest is high. Although population estimates for Eastern Population Sandhill Cranes are currently derived from several standardized surveys, it is not clear whether these surveys provide the precision needed to prevent overharvest. Evaluation of fall surveys is complicated by changes in observer effort over the years, making trend analysis difficult (Barzen, pers. com.).
Sandhill Crane Hunt - Wisconsin Society for Ornithology
The Wisconsin Society for Ornithology is a volunteer, nonprofit organization established in 1939. Our mission is to promote enjoyment, study and conservation of Wisconsin’s birds.
INFORMATION TO CONSIDER
Scientific
Sandhill Cranes have the longest life span, highest adult survival, but lowest percentage of juveniles within the total population of any game bird in North America (Drewien et al. 1995). This is important because the number of juveniles present in a population provides insight into the population’s ability to support harvest (Drewien et al. 1995). There are several factors that contribute to the low ratio of juveniles to adults. Unlike most game birds, which begin breeding at one year of age, Sandhill Cranes are slow to mature (Tacha et al. 1992, Van Horn et al. 2011). The average age for the first successful breeding of Greater Sandhill Cranes is four years (Tacha et al. 1992, Hayes and Barzen 2006). Some pairs take as long as eight years to produce young that survive to independence. Additionally, Sandhill Crane pairs produce fewer young annually compared to other game birds. Sandhill Cranes rarely raise more than one chick (called colts in cranes) each year (Tacha et al. 1992, Van Horn et al. 2011), and many of these chicks do not survive their first year of life. A 22-year study of Sandhill Cranes in central Wisconsin revealed that, on average, only 0.44 chicks survive to fall migration per territory per year. Chick survival has been consistently declining throughout this period so that, in 2012, that number was reduced to one chick per ten nests (Barzen, pers. com.). This low chick survival has occurred with no apparent connection to known variables such as climate.
Given that Sandhill Cranes produce smaller clutches and have delayed maturity, they need long periods of time to recover from population declines. It is therefore imperative to have a reliable means to measure population abundance. Without this information, the potential for overharvest is high. Although population estimates for Eastern Population Sandhill Cranes are currently derived from several standardized surveys, it is not clear whether these surveys provide the precision needed to prevent overharvest. Evaluation of fall surveys is complicated by changes in observer effort over the years, making trend analysis difficult (Barzen, pers. com.).
I have never shot or eaten one. but I have always been curious.
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