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.
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.#4 lead
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.
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.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 disItance 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.
Best of luck. Hope it isn't storming wherever your huntingI 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.
Thanks! Looks like it may hold off until the afternoon.Best of luck. Hope it isn't storming wherever your hunting
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 understand that concern, but wasn't necessarily planning to use a super-tight turkey choke.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.