Sandhill Crane Hunt Suggestion

Eric Patterson

Eric Patterson

Administrator
Staff member
I have a friend looking for a Sandhill Crane hunt. Does anyone have any recommendations for an outfitter that offers Sandhill hunts?
 
I think we need a little more info to properly help your friend:

What week is he planning on going, and what is his home address? Heck, while you're at it, post up his credit card number so it can be authenticated before anyone recomends him to an outfitter.

Sorry, I needed to make myself laugh this afternoon.

Best
Chuck
 
I have hunted with a couple of guides in the Amarillo area that did fine work for us. I am unable to find their names right now. I also hunt in Matagorda Co. doing very well but the season doesn't open until late December. Try a Google search or a TX fish and wildlife hunting web site. Hard to go wrong around Amarillo and season is open now. Each day out there we saw at least 5000 cranes within decoying range. We hunted there late for up there, Dec 1st time frame.

Also try the TX waterfowler site and ask Gary Chamberlin or Brian Muck to PM you info.
 
I am on a lease outside of Eagle Lake, Tx. I can not offer him a guest pass because the lease does not allow me to have a guest. When I start hunting this year I will keep my ears out for Guides to hunt in the area..

Regards,
Kristan
 
I wish I could help. But all of my hunting area is zoned for no sandhill hunting. We winter the majority of the country's whooping cranes and they are afraid some may get shot by accident. Lets see, grey sandhill. Compaired to a bright white 6 foot tall crane. I can see where the confusion may be.................. I watch plenty sandhills fly by within shooting range every season. I did have two whooping cranes land about 40 yards from the boat blind one hunt though. It was pretty cool. Good luck, I will ask around for you
 
Chuck, you really crack me up. Your sense of humor never ceases to amaze me - I really like that! You and I and Eric should get together on a hunt sometime - ducks would not be required!! This is a really great website!! Spending a few minutes each day here means alot to me! Thanks for all of your hard work!!
 
I also see quite a few in ND, middle of the state. Just not the numbers I have seen around Amarillo. Hunted there two years ago in a snow storm with a gal who had never seen snow before. Had to stop the hunt so she could throw snowballs.
 
Good to hear you John. Gentleman Mr cottenham is a wealth of knowledge on Sandhills I for one can vouch form personal experience staying with him. I shoot craines with him in Texas every time we went out for them. Was easily one of the best bird hunting experiences I have had. Even though
We had bagged craines" or t-bone of the sky" as he called them. He would talk about Amarillo like it was a holy place. the only down side to being there is you won't have his lovely wife CC to cook them for you.

Best of luck.
 
Paul you humble me. Hope all is well. CC n I with 3 labs are heading to TX next Sunday with a stop in Arkansas to look around a bit at the new BHC lease. Hug the girls for us.

Paul fails to mention he also got a banded cackler one morning and was not impressed at all. Only geese of the day and both were banded. Of course the numbers were indicators of a family get together being only a couple apart.

Paul is also modest, when a crane hits the ground it is impressive. His was the only shot fired and he still had to ask "Did I get that one?"
 
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John. we used to have pretty good success with them in Saskatchewan. Problem with getting to them is the number of LARGE EYES watching everywhere... We used to hide behind the big bales when we noticed them flying a pattern, also still have decoys up there, which worked pretty wgood when field hunting--The bigh key seemed to be just being REAL STILL.
Man, they are excellent table fare.
 
I have gone with Panhandle's Finest in Texas. They do very extensive scouting and you stay in a hotel near the hunt which could be between Lubbock and Amarillo. You will not know which town until the afternoon before the hunt at least when I went.

The hunting is world class for decoying cranes. He has taxidermied crane decoys and we had shots from 10 to 30 yards. They also do lesser Canada geese and mallards but cranes are their specialty.
 
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