North Texas Sandhill Crane opening weekend

[Altitude sickness]

Goggles. That’s nothing, my dog is wearing the whole suit. Halloween that is. We have a couple million honey bees on the place now so that’s a current theme. Well actually the bees are on their way to California almond Grove’s not still here.

Sorry for thread left turn at Albuquerque

 

[Green Chile]

Have to protect your dogs. Here's one in a loud airboat...

 

[Philip Glass]

I have been curious about the "ribeye in the sky" for quite sometime. I was watching YouTube videos at our place in Colombia and a Sandhill crane hunt in Texas was on when Mama walked by and told me to stop watching and go do it. I booked with #dustdeviloutfitters out of Lubbock. Had a great time and the cranes were flying steady. Day 1 everyone in our group was limited in just under an hour. On day 2 in took about 2 hours for everyone to get their limit. The limit is 3 per day. I was shooting a Beretta 12ga Perennia SV-10 OU and using 2 3/4" Tungsten Hevi Shot #4. They absolutely crush the cranes.

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Nice sunset out my hotel window

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trailer blind covered in tumbleweed

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All the birds from our group on day 1

Safe hunting

Awesome hunt! Good to go early season before the wise up

 

[mcaustin]

Nice! This is a hunt I've been interested in for a while as well. I've done some basic internet searching for outfitters in OK or TX but haven't come across any first-person reviews. Thanks for the info!

 

[Surgeon1]

I lived in Nebraska for a few years and they protected them more than any other bird or animal! Totally ruined the Platte River water flow system just so there would be water in this refuge by Kearney NE. They would be there maybe 2 weeks each way in their migration, but when hey reached the rice fields in south Texas there was no limit on the number you could shoot! I was on a hog hunt and a farmer caught up with us and asked us to “chase them” off a couple of his fields, even let me borrow a shotgun (shells and all). Shot several and fixed them on the grill and “chickedfried” a couple. When I returned the farmer’s shotgun and offered to pay him for the shells he wouldn’t even take some of the breasts I had cleaned (“how can you even think of eating one of those nasty things”.
They live up to their name of “Ribeye in the Sky”

You can always count me in on another chance to shoot them!

 

[Hunt anything]

I lived in Nebraska for a few years and they protected them more than any other bird or animal! Totally ruined the Platte River water flow system just so there would be water in this refuge by Kearney NE. They would be there maybe 2 weeks each way in their migration, but when hey reached the rice fields in south Texas there was no limit on the number you could shoot! I was on a hog hunt and a farmer caught up with us and asked us to “chase them” off a couple of his fields, even let me borrow a shotgun (shells and all). Shot several and fixed them on the grill and “chickedfried” a couple. When I returned the farmer’s shotgun and offered to pay him for the shells he wouldn’t even take some of the breasts I had cleaned (“how can you even think of eating one of those nasty things”.
They live up to their name of “Ribeye in the Sky”

You can always count me in on another chance to shoot them!

I’ve hunted crane in north and south Texas, New Mexico and the limit has never been more than 3 and Saskatchewan with a limit of 5, when did you hunt where you could shoot all you wanted.
Just curious.

 

[LimbNoMo]

I would be interested.

 

[JINKLE]

Glad to see you went with Dust Devil! I have made the trip to see them at least once a year and will be there next weekend. Truly is the ribeye of the sky

 

[Hunt anything]

@JINKLE , glad to see you utilized the leg quarters. Many people just take the breasts . I slow cook the thighs and legs for a long time and make pulled crane out of them. Normally stuff the breasts with cream cheese and jalapeño and grill rare to med rare.
I posted in a different thread that I found some old breasts in the freezer and made some pastrami out of it and an old deer roast. Turned out great.

I also like the “shoulder” mount. Well done sir.

 

[SFRanger7GP]

We grilled some of the crane and enjoyed it. Mild flavor, very moist and tender. I wouldn't really consider it "ribeye in the sky" even though the name sounds catchy. We think it is more like beef loin or even entraña (hanger/outside skirt steak?).

I breasted them and kept the leg/thigh quarters as well. Leg quarters will probably get braised or stewed Colombian style.

Safe hunting

 

[JINKLE]

Glad to see you went with Dust Devil! I have made the trip to see them at least once a year and will be there next weekend. Truly is the ribeye of the sky

May be a long shot but if anyone is near Lubbock or has a way to get there. I do have 2 open spots in my group this weekend to hunt with Dust Devil.

 

[Hunt anything]

May be a long shot but if anyone is near Lubbock or has a way to get there. I do have 2 open spots in my group this weekend to hunt with Dust Devil.

If we hadn’t just put my 92 year old father in Hospice I would be there in a minute!

 

[Hunt anything]

May be a long shot but if anyone is near Lubbock or has a way to get there. I do have 2 open spots in my group this weekend to hunt with Dust Devil.

Waiting to hear how your hunt goes this weekend, good luck and shoot straight.

 

[JINKLE]

Waiting to hear how your hunt goes this weekend, good luck and shoot straight.

We are pumped and seeing some really good bird reports! I'll add some photos after the weekend.

 

[Hunt anything]

Goggles. That’s nothing, my dog is wearing the whole suit. Halloween that is. We have a couple million honey bees on the place now so that’s a current theme. Well actually the bees are on their way to California almond Grove’s not still here.

Sorry for thread left turn at Albuquerque
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Looking at the dogs dressed up brought back a memory from the mid ‘80’s. I made a few goose hunts in Arkansas and one of the guides had some little non-descript mutt that on windless mornings he would dress him up in a snow goose costume and play fetch in the spread. It created some movement in the spread and I believe actually brought in a few birds!

 

[Hornedfrogbbq]

1000 plus cranes just came over our house in Fort Worth. It's on boys...

 

[Hunt anything]

Supposed to be a big front coming across the country, the weather guessers say it’s going to freeze on the Alabama Gulf coast Tuesday, very early for here. If birds are going to come this should do it.

 

[JINKLE]

Good morning.

I went by myself and was put into a group. There was 10 in the group. I saw no safety issues or any "bird hogs/sky busters". I would love to put together a group and return with people I know.

Safe hunting

That's how my first trip with them about 5 years went. I have built groups of 8 to go with every year since then.

 

[Flbt]

Goggles. That’s nothing, my dog is wearing the whole suit. Halloween that is. We have a couple million honey bees on the place now so that’s a current theme. Well actually the bees are on their way to California almond Grove’s not still here.

Sorry for thread left turn at Albuquerque
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If my wife sees that suit . She will want one for the winner dog….

 

[JINKLE]

Dust Devil does not disappoint!

12-man limit by 9:15 am

4-man limit by 9:45 am

I have gone with them the past 4 years and will continue to keep going back