Crane Games in Saskatchewan

by
posted on September 17, 2015
sas_day1_f.jpg

Just like its neighboring provinces, Saskatchewan serves as a Mecca of sorts for waterfowl hunters. Bag limits are generous, because the bird populations are sky high (pardon the pun). The sheer volume of fowl—and the diversity, at that—is more difficult to describe to the uninitiated than you might expect. I got my first taste of chasing birds in the Great White North a couple years ago, and was ecstatic to return this week to hunt with the fine folks at Habitat Flats. What awaited me was something that I hadn't expected, and certainly hadn't hunted before.

Sandhill cranes.

The huge, prehistoric looking birds are legal to hunt in a small handful of states in the Lower 48, but are tightly managed. Here in Saskatchewan, the limit's an impressive five per licensed hunter. On the first morning of our hunt, we put the Franchi shotguns we were armed with to work, and finished just shy of that limit. One of the other guys in the blind described the action as "shooting pterodactyls," and I can't disagree. The large, lanky bodies come at you like no other fowl, and their call can be haunting. I've no doubts I'll be hearing it in my sleep in a few hours.

The whole thing made for a surreal first day, and we hadn't even had breakfast yet. The afternoon hours were reserved for a just as successful duck shoot, which starred mallards, teal and pintails. Throw in a couple lesser Canada geese that we tagged in the morning alongside the cranes, and you've got a hint of the variety I mentioned earlier. Suffice to say, the entirety of camp is looking forward to day two.

More coverage to come—including maybe a crane recipe or three. They don't call 'em the ribeye of the sky for nothing. Here's to tomorrow.

Latest

Herman Shooting Dangerous Game Rifle
Herman Shooting Dangerous Game Rifle

#SundayGunday: Hill Country Rifles Dangerous Game

On this episode of #SundayGunday, we’re taking a look at a beautiful custom rifle built to take on the biggest, meanest and nastiest critters from the plains of Africa to the big forests of the North, the Dangerous Game Rifle from Hill Country Rifles.

Ruger Announces the Latest Edition of the Ruger Precision Rifle

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. has introduced the latest edition of the Ruger Precision Rifle (RPR). The RPR's new and improved design is the result of years of feedback from competitive shooters.

More Than 168,000 Acres Restored Through Unusual Utah Program

Utah’s innovative Watershed Restoration Initiative improved and restored 168,882 acres of high-priority watersheds and habitats during the state’s past fiscal year.

Recipe: Venison Italian Pot Roast

An Italian pot roast starts with a soffritto base of finely chopped onions, carrots, and celery. The extra surface area brings out the flavors and provides a bed for the roast.

Translocated Grizzlies in Yellowstone Ecosystem Another Step in Delisting?

Grizzly bears in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem and Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem have populations of bears that have surpassed recovery goals. Is this a step toward delisting?

Ohio Deer Season Starts Better Than Others in the Last Decade

Hunters across Ohio checked 26,667 white-tailed deer on Monday, Dec. 2 during the opening day of the weeklong gun hunting season, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.