I wrote this column about a month or so ago but I was never able to squeeze it into the editorial calendar, that is until now. Here is a first for Outdoor Tales and Trails: sandhill cranes.

Every spring the outdoor Wisconsin Conservation Congress (WCC) and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) hold their annual hearings to discuss a possible sandhill crane hunting season. Every year the topic makes it on the agenda, but no action is ever taken.  Spoiler alert, I’m firmly in the camp of: Why not?

Sandhill cranes are unique looking birds. With gangly legs, gray plumage and a red crown, sandhill cranes look like the ugly cousin to the pink flamingo. The sight of one of these awkward birds won’t make your mouth water at the thought of it prepared for your supper table, but it should. More on that in a minute.

Here are some fun facts about cranes. They can live to the ripe old age of 30. Males can tip the scales at 10 pounds with females coming in a pound or two less. Retriever dogs are trained to wear goggles because those birds can be vicious, pecking out a dog’s eyes. Currently 17 states allow the hunting of sandhill cranes: Alaska, Arizona, Alabama, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Wyoming and three Canadian provinces.

My friend Sara Campe, pictured above, is a traveling hunter and angler alongside her husband Chris. Somewhere along the way they took part in a sandhill crane hunt and were gracious enough to share a bird with me. If I am remembering this correctly, I think the bird that she gave me was harvested in Canada.

I cooked the two slabs of crane meat just like beef steaks. I fired up the pellet grill, heating it up before laying the seasoned fillets on the grates and being careful not to overcook them. One would think, or at least I did, that it would taste more like duck than bovine but I was wrong by a mile. It’s consistency was that of a rib-eye steak but different in that it had a slight gamey taste which was enough to enhance the overall appeal.

I already knew of the sandhill crane’s reputation of being a tasty bird and in the end it tasted just as advertised: a “rib-eye in the sky.” 

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