# Cranes on the move



## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

Saw about 25 Sandhills when out scouting on Sunday.


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## Decoyer (Mar 2, 2002)

Shouldn't be long now. I hear there are decent numbers of sandhills in central Saskatchewan right now.


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## bioman (Mar 1, 2002)

Thanks for the information Ken and D, keep the posts coming. Count down until my hunting vacation is 38 days :thumb: .


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## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

Saw about 4 doz in southern Wells this morning. Too windy even for cranes.


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## Dean Nelson (Mar 3, 2002)

Saw a flock of about 4 to 6 hundred this morning. Also saw a few groups of a dozen or so. Should make for a good opener.


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## fishhook (Aug 29, 2002)

I've never hunted cranes...how do you guys do it....do you decoy them, pass shoot, or jump them.


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## tb (Jul 26, 2002)

Hunt them just like black geese, except that you'll probably never jump shoot them, that wouldn't be any fun anyway. Cranes are incredibly wary; very, very rare to find cranes in a jump shoot situation. Decoying is a blast. Just spot the day before like geese. You don't need a lot of decoys, but you need great cover, these guys have incredible vision. Pass shooting is a definite possibility. Cranes leave the roost very early, so be set up at shooting time.


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## Dean Nelson (Mar 3, 2002)

Well the flock is now up to around 2,000 with more coming in by the hour. Thats one big *** jump in numbers in 5 days! This flock had only around 40 birds on Monday.  Austin and I will have to see if we can put a hurt on them in the morning.


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## Austin Bachmeier (Feb 27, 2002)

Can't wait to see If I can scratch me one of them big boys.. Will be an awesome time Dean.


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## GooseBuster3 (Mar 1, 2002)

So how did you boys do??


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## Dean Nelson (Mar 3, 2002)

We ended up getting 4 out of 6. We missed 6 shots into a flock at about 30 yards so it was no fault of the Cranes that we did not limit. On the other hand some dumb *** set up within 300 yards of the roost and kicked the birds up with there first shots! :******:


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## GooseBuster3 (Mar 1, 2002)

Yeah that happens alot in the area you guys hunted. I kow alot of people who will just pass shoot of that roost.


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## liener (Sep 25, 2003)

goosebuster you dont know what you are talking about :sniper: :sniper: :sniper:


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## Austin Bachmeier (Feb 27, 2002)

Here's my 2. You can't see it but the one on the left was walking on a stump the size of a golf ball or better, i assume his middle toe got infected or something.


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## bioman (Mar 1, 2002)

Anyone target cranes over the weekend? If so, please let me know how the numbers are looking.

Thanks!

P.S. Austin congrats on your first crane!!!!!!!!!


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## joel barber (Sep 17, 2002)

I had a shot at two last year and didn't see any good reason to shoot. What do you guys do with these things?


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## tsodak (Sep 7, 2002)

Had real good numbers this morning in northern Kidder County. Ended up getting six between the three of us, along with some little canadas.

Please look at my post about getting your cranes checked. This is important, and it would save a lot of expense if people would pitch in.


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## Dave Owens (Nov 11, 2002)

There were quite a few cranes coming off Long lake on Sunday. Today ( Tuesday ) I only saw 2 flocks and a pair. The small shallow water was froze over lightly. Cranes have probably moved on.


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## Austin Bachmeier (Feb 27, 2002)

Considering I was there last night, I'd say theres still about 5-7000 using Long Lake.


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## zettler (Sep 7, 2002)

I just can't believe that no one is either hunting Cranes or harvesting them in the last 16 days....

Ferris?

Beuller?

Ferris...


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## win4win (Sep 8, 2003)

Got ONE on Friday....my first. The roost is holding 2000-3000 or more birds but with nearly no wind....bluebird skies.....and hot temps we had a hard go of it. I was lucky to get a shot at 3 birds that circled a bit too wide on their way back to the roost. Dropped the first.....the second took 2 hits a continued onward. :huh: Had 3 other birds make a low pass at the dekes just before legal shooting time. Fri, Sat & Sun we couldnt get any other birds closer than 100 yards.

The real aggravating part is we pretty much knew which way the birds were going to leave each am....but ran into a land owner who had about 6000 acres under lock and key. Apparently a hunter with an attitude attempted to TELL this man how he should manage his property and who he should allow on his land and when.  Of course Mr. Landowner had enough and just shut down the whole area to prove a point.

Oh well....there is always tomorrow.


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## zettler (Sep 7, 2002)

Absolutely AMAZING! :roll:

No additions since 12-months ago on this thread and none started for 2004!!! :eyeroll:

Has anyone been Crane hunting?

Has anyone harvested and Cranes?


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## jamartinmg2 (Oct 7, 2004)

Hi Zettler..... I will be out in ND tomorrow thru Sunday. I will try and get you some numbers. I'll be hunting pheasants, but might take a morning or two to see if I might get a "stork" or two. I'll let you know how we do. You are right.... I would have thought someone might have posted a report or two by now.


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## win4win (Sep 8, 2003)

zettler said:


> Has anyone been Crane hunting?
> 
> Has anyone harvested and Cranes?


Scouted about 15,000 cranes....










Limited out within 20 minutes the next morning......


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## Blake Hermel (Sep 10, 2002)

I limited on Cranes everyday this weekend. Shot some real dandys.


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## jamartinmg2 (Oct 7, 2004)

Anybody seeing any cranes around the Long Lake area south east of Bismarck? Used to hunt that area when I lived in ND 10 - 15 years ago. Cranes were thick around there back then. They have not seemed quite as abundant there for the last couple of years, but then again it could just be the timing of when I am out there, too. Good luck to everyone.... Those are some nice birds, there, Win4Win.


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## zettler (Sep 7, 2002)

Glad to see my query invigorated some of you to post!

I am headed out to Minot/Granville/Kenmare on Friday for a week and hope to get into some while I am going at it all-day-long, as I haven't harvested one in years - and boy do they taste great!

If anyone wants a future Resident to join them on either Friday or Saturday in the eastern part of the state (Fargo-Grand Forks), PLEASE PM me ASAP!

I always love to hunt with new people and share time afield - just ask Chris... :beer:

Keep the posts coming!


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