2025 Idaho Sandhill Crane area 1

[Chromanz]

Got myself an Idaho 2025 Sandhill Crane tag for area 1. I’m new to the crane chase, I enjoy trying something new. Prime rib of the sky.
My plan to is use the layout blind, brush in and use a few, maybe 4 full body decoys. I got a call ordered and it arrives next week.
I’m open to tips and suggestions on this new game and new hunt for me, and or if anyone has hunted that area before. I seen em all over that side of the state on other hunts in October. I imagine they migrate and move north to south like other birds, IDK.
This hunt starts September.
3-1/2” bb?
3-1/2” T shot is ideal.
3”#2 to the head would be effective I think, it’s the distance that concerns me. Shot placement is key on this kinda of creature.
I got a long season of dove, sage grouse, turkey, crane, sawtooth B tag Elk and general deer then the fun starts with the ducks.

 

[hunter49]

Can tell ur new....
Its. Ribeye of the sky.


Jk. Hope u fill ur tag.
Edit to add. Have never felt 3.5 was needed in anything I've chased waterfowl wise.

 

[Chromanz]

Got myself an Idaho 2025 Sandhill Crane tag for area 1. I’m new to the crane chase, I enjoy trying something new. Prime rib of the sky.
My plan to is use the layout blind, brush in and use a few, maybe 4 full body decoys. I got a call ordered and it arrives next week.
I’m open to tips and suggestions on this new game and new hunt for me, and or if anyone has hunted that area before. I seen em all over that side of the state on other hunts in October. I imagine they migrate and move north to south like other birds, IDK.
This hunt starts September.
3-1/2” bb?
3-1/2” T shot is ideal.
3”#2 to the head would be effective I think, it’s the distance that concerns me. Shot placement is key on this kinda of creature.
I got a long season of dove, sage grouse, turkey, crane, sawtooth B tag Elk and general deer then the fun starts with the ducks.

Oh yeah, hotdog of the sky!
I’m learning a little each day about this hunt, I appreciate the feedback.

I got a few spots mapped out, big area

 

[Chromanz]

I grew up big game hunting and the past 3-4 year got into ducks and sporting clays. Found a good group and I’m hooked on the shotguns. Shooting a 20 and a 28 gauge each week at sporting clays and 5 stand.
12GA SB3 for the crane hunt.

 

[CPAjeff]

Congrats on the tag! I’ve killed them in ID, WY, UT, and TX - here’s my $0.02 …

Cranes are ridiculously habitual. If you can’t get on the feed, flight lines are an easy way to punch your tag. If you’re hunting the feed, spend plenty of time brushing in your blind. Once you think it’s brushed in well enough, spend more time brushing it in. Cranes have amazing eyesight. IF we call, it’s very little to get their attention and then let the decoys/setting up on the X do the rest of the work.

I’ve killed them with 2 3/4” Boss #4 out of a 12, but TSS out of a 20 is my favorite load.

Best of luck!

Edit: I was in unit 1 over the weekend - lots of cranes already around. You should have no issue finding and killing cranes.

 

[D4570]

Cranes aren't hard to kill; they're just very big. We do use lots of pellets; our go-to load for sand hill crane is a 3" 12 gauge and full choke. #5.5 plated lead 1.5 oz. Make sure you give them plenty of "LEAD" if pass shooting, they're flying faster than they look. Over decoys are fairly easy. Wait till they set their wings, it's a very big target. Take your time.

 

[Chromanz]

Thank you for the information.
I’m super excited.
We will be scouting this weekend and ready for the opener on Monday 9/1.
I got decoys and a call, I need to practice my calling some more, my wife will love it.

 

[TheDudeAbides]

I have hunted this area.

I had access to a field at the time and we just hid behind wooden fence posts in the flight path.

The kind of hiding that made us look more like Ranchers than hunters.

I imagine if you found them in a field, the owner would let you have access in the area.

OnX will be a good tool to know who owns the land.

I wouldn't worry about Decoys, just be in their flight path between the fields and the water.

If you are going to use decoys, then set up where they were either in the field or water.

They will go where they want to go on their own time schedule.

One of the issues with Decoys is they tend to fly right at or right before/after legal shooting time.

You could do all that work to set up and they arrive or depart 5 minutes in the wrong time direction.

Most days they will take the exact same flight path between water and the field.

Most of the time, they don't gain a lot of altitude between the two points.

Not a ton of pressure in the rocky mountains, so there is no reason for them to gain a lot of altitude.

Diver ducks will take more pellets than cranes will.

It does not take much and they will hit the ground like a ton of bricks.

2 3/4" or 3" No.2's or No.4's steel would be the recommended load, because you can mess them up very easily with their thin skin and most shots aren't that far.

They are faster than they look, but nothing to be too far out in front of.

They are also further than what they sound as well.

Just wait until they are almost too close before taking aim.

Great eating bird and a relatively easy hunt.