AveryPC
Well-Known Member
I have a crane hunt this upcoming Saturday and wanted some opinions on shells. I am between regular steel 3-inch BB and Hevi-Hammer 3 inch #2. Which one of these will work best I have no experience hunting cranes.
Shot size for cranes
- Thread starter AveryPC
- Start date
I've only ever shot 3" BB at them. For a bird that big, I wouldn't want to go smaller. If you can find it (and feel like spending the $40 for a box), I've had great success with the Blind Side ammo. I've been crane hunting 3 times, and have yet to shoot through my first box of Blind Side. Still have plenty of ammo for my 4th trip this season. I couldn't recommend it more highly
Creek bottoms
Well-Known Member
#4 lead
tnbucs1
Well-Known Member
#2 or bigger (1,s or BB) steel should be sufficient. I hunted this past weekend and used some 3 inch #4 Boss (Copper Plated) and it did the job.
yellalinehunter
Well-Known Member
Tss turkey loads
3" number 2 lead works great pass shooting snow geese coming off the refuge.
Not that I've ever done it, but in the late 90's everyone in North Dakota was still shooting them.muddyhunter
Well-Known Member
I use 3 inch BB with a full choke and it works great
AveryPC
Well-Known Member
Seems like BB's are the way to go. The only reason I thought 2s might be better is because it would give me a better chance at hitting them in the neck or the head, like turkey hunting.
Hymie3
Well-Known Member
I like #2 steel or 7 tss
Blind side BB.
3"
3"
Aim for the tip of the beak and you'll be fine. The issue with cranes isn't hitting them in the head or the neck, it's trying to realize that the bird coming in at you isn't a football-sized duck at 15 yards....it's a 747 coming in hot and fast at 40 yards.
There was a perceptible enough time for me to think "Dang, I missed" when I brought down my first bird. It folded up and crashed to the ground after the thought crossed my mind. I stepped off a 55 yard distance to go pick it up. When I skinned it, there were two pellet holes in its neck, and one in its head. When I pulled the trigger, I felt like the bird was right in my face.
Not only that, but Sandhills are big and tough. I want as few holes in the meat as I can get, so go big so you have a better chance of killing it instead of crippling it. You get that thing flopping around, and it's got a lot of pointy parts to gig you.
AveryPC
Well-Known Member
I really had not considered the size of them making it harder to judge the distance, but that makes sense. I will try to keep that in mind if we have any opportunities tomorrow.
Best of luck. Hope it isn't storming wherever your hunting
AveryPC
Well-Known Member
Thanks! Looks like it may hold off until the afternoon.
TheLBLman
Well-Known Member
Considering how few shots are going to be fired annually (kinda like turkey hunting), isn't there a case to be made for using say #9 TSS, going strictly for head/neck coverage?
I haven't been yet, but thinking about just using one of my turkey guns with TSS.
Is this a bad idea?
I haven't been yet, but thinking about just using one of my turkey guns with TSS.
Is this a bad idea?
yellalinehunter
Well-Known Member
I'd use some of that blended tss
I say bad idea, mainly because wing-shooting a flying bird is different than being able to set up essentially a rested rifle shot for a walking turkey.
I don't have enough info to compare the patterns of a 3" BB through modified vs. 3" Blended TSS through a tight turkey choke, but I wouldn't want the possibility of winging a crane with small-sized bird shot. Catastrophic wound cratering with a BB will kill a crane. Peppering one with a million little pellets will make it fly off.
TheLBLman
Well-Known Member
I understand that concern, but wasn't necessarily planning to use a super-tight turkey choke.
Mainly just thinking TSS is more potent than steel shot.
Considering how few shots will be taken, the cost of TSS isn't much issue.
AveryPC
Well-Known Member
Saturday went well, four limits in 25 minutes. Can't recommend Double HH outfitters enough. Seemed like 3 inch BB was perfect.
