Sandhill Cranes

[virgil]

Why would you hunt them for food? Because they tast GOOD. Dark meat much like dove. Only the brest is good to eat, the legs are full of leaders or tendons. they stink pretty bad especially when you have to tote em 2 or 3 miles back to the pickup.
make fahitas out of em...good good good.

Fun to hunt, they have real good eye sight, and make a big CRASH when the hit the ground. In Texas they are not considered waterfowl, therefore you can use lead shot.

 

[virgil]

I busted one several years ago that had a coller on its neck and leg.
I called in the numbers on the collers, the state sent me a certifacate that stated the bird was tagged in Fairbanks Alaska and the date it was tagged.
I do not remember the number of years between the tagging and the harvest, but it was like 3 or 4 years.... I did not know they lived that long.
They come down every year, and if they have to, they will go down into Mexico to find what they need. (food, water)
WOW... a 6 pound bird traveling from Alaska to Mexico every year, flying in circles all the way, thats a lot of miles. No wonder he was tough after he came out of the frying pan.

 

[RobS]

You guys got me going back into my photo archives. Here are a couple more, this time from a morning shoot at Jasper-Pulaski. The clouds were heavy that morning so the light wasn't anything great but the birds were there.

Enjoy...

 

[Cottonhawk]

RobS,
Nice pics.