Sandhill Crane

[Timbow]

Just read an article on hunting them in Manitoba. Has anyone ever eaten one? Never pictured this bird roasting in the oven.

[Sofa King]

I found some out in one of my hunting areas this summer.
was a shocker to say the least.
a bird that size just strolling through the trees.

[landphil]

We used to get a nesting pair with young every year at out property east of 100 mile though the summer months, but of course, we didn't hunt or eat any as there are no open seasons in BC. I still remember the first time my mom saw one out in the field in the tall grass, having just moved from the Island, she mistook it for a deer until the binoculars came out.

Their distress call is pretty cool.

[Steve W]

Was on a goose hunt is Sask about five years ago. They were abundant and open to hunt. We only had one small flock come close enough to our set and one of our group took one. Knocked it down with a ten-gauge. He hunted them a bit, but wouldn't let his lab go get it in case it wasn't dead. I guess they can injure a dog pretty badly with the beak they have. He like to eat the occasional one, and said they were quite good. It look like a small plane coming out of the sky when he hit it!

[blindcast]

Used to live in SK and take one or two time to time while hunting geese in the fields. Big, noisy birds. Nasty too when you winged them, saw one chase a friend of mine all over the field when he went out to dispatch it. Funny for us audience, apparently not so funny for him.

Have tried eating them but didn't like the aroma that came off the meat when we were breasting them and much less the smell of them roasting in the oven. Mostly just ground them up for sausage. With enough flavourings, the sausages weren't half bad. Especially when we were hungry enough.

[IronNoggin]

... With enough flavourings, the sausages weren't half bad. Especially when we were hungry enough.

Truer words were never spoken! And the same can be said for most moccasins you wander across

Lived in Sasakachewan a fair while. First few times these 747's flew within range, we gunned them with abandon. Thought was they we a lot more "bang for the buck" than ducks, similar to larger geese. Until we tried to eat them UGH!! Horrid!
The younger of their kin (grey) were a tad better, but we all soon learned NOT to drop them when they flew by due to an upbringing that dictated you ate what you shot. Never Again!

Cheers,
Nog

[Steelpulse]

Never hunted them but in the kamloops area around the start of october they pass through, and can see them in the 100s even thousands over a couple days whnile they migrate by

[Caretaker]

We used to hunt them in northern Ontario, called them lawn darts, roasted the breasts up with black ducks, or spexkeled bellies, not to bad.

[BigfishCanada]

Last week, im unsure if it was whooping or sandhills we saw but we had seen maybe3 or 4 pairs? They are rare and each year i seem to be seeing more and more

[popcan]

We get them in droves in the spring, and they pair off, breed and nest all over the place, especially near the swamps. Very prehistoric sounding birds.
I've heard you're supposed to soak a sheet of plywood, throw that on a fire with the bird on it, then after a few hours eat the plywood. Its better than the bird.....

but what do I know.