Hello, new to this forum and looking for some good and helpful feed back! I was drawn for the Southwest Sandhill Crane hunt for October and this will be my first draw/hunt in New Mexico since moving here a few years ago (also my first Sandhill Crane hunt). I would appreciate any advice, tips, and or knowledge, about where the best, or good spots in this region would be to hunt and camp. Would also appreciate any information regarding calls, decoys, or other methods used for attracting these birds to the ground.Thank you and good hunting!
Sandhill Crane
- Thread starter Scout78
- Start date
dwatling
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 18, 2016
- Messages
- 161
Welcome! Ive never bothered with calls or decoys for crane. The best way ive found to hunt them is locate their roost and SNEAK in before sunrise. Once the sun comes up they'll all leave the roost and if you're in the right spot they'll fly right over you. Always fill my limit about 2 minutes into shooting light. Good luck!
Bluffgruff
Well-known member
This
Panda Bear
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- Joined
- Apr 23, 2019
- Messages
- 845
I have never hunted New Mexico, but the aforementioned by dwating works, we also do use decoys and blinds. You will enjoy the meal for sure and just in case you do take a dog. If you have a wounded crane in the field, do not, let your dog anywhere close to it. A wounded crane can and will injure a dog . Best of luck to you
Pucky Freak
Well-known member
Welcome to HT!
S
sharpshooter97
Guest
Send me a pm, I was stationed at fort bliss for a few years and did some waterfowl hunting around the southwest part of NM.
MT_Chad
Well-known member
We call them into our goose decoys in canada. I've also had them do the same thing here in montana, never could shoot here though. If you can find fields they are using heavy, goose decoys will get them in range.
Lance B.
New member
Anyone here have any experience with Sandhills in eastern Idaho? I’m over near Boise and haven’t explored that far east yet, but I’ve been eyeing a couple tags in the bear lake area.
Pucky Freak
Well-known member
Welcome to HT
NMGuy
Well-known member
I second what Panda said about dogs. We wounded a crane and the dog got to it before we could (it landed across a creek). The dog got it's tail whooped pretty good before we could finish the crane off. They're surprisingly tough birds.
If you're going to sit and wait for them to fly over, adverse weather (strong wind, fog and/or low clouds) sure help them come down closer.
Lance B.
New member
Thank you, I look forward to wading through the wealth of information here.
