Date: 6/9/26 2:57 pm From: Ann Kramer via Tweeters <tweeters...> Subject: Re: [Tweeters] What’s at Steak: “Sandhill Crane Is the 'Ribeye of the Sky' - Texas Parks & Wildlife Magazine”
On a recent trip to Ridgefield a few days ago, I heard, and then the next
day saw, 2 adult Sandhill Cranes with their colt. I was able to get some
images.
I knew I heard them because the sound of Sandhill Cranes is etched deeper
into my brain than my husband's middle name. I had first seen them at the
Lodi Sandhill Crane Festival in California 15 years ago, then at the Platte
River in Nebraska, Whitewater Draw in Arizona, and 4 different trips to
Bosque del Apache and San Bernardo in New Mexico. They soon became my
favorite bird. Yes, they are beautiful birds but I was just enchanted as I
observed their behaviors and communications. The mating dance of bowing
and jumping, the sparring fights often lifting them in the air, the way
they signal to one another by leaning forward before they take their
morning flight. Although I believe all birds are sentient beings, it
seemed much more evident in Sandhill Cranes. Their joy, mating rituals,
parental attentiveness made their bonds and emotions evident.
And I often took note of how difficult they were to get close to due to
their extreme wariness, having been hunted in every state along the flyway
except Nebraska. I accept hunting, and the cycle of conservation
limitations allowing a flock to grow and then be opened again to hunting
until conservation again becomes necessary for many species.
I remember the first workshop I attended in Lodi. The presenter, Paul
Tebbel mentioned how little meat there actually was on a Sandhill Crane,
after an audience member asked about whether they were hunted.
The argument against treating Sandhill Cranes as we do other bird species
who are hunted is how small their clutches are, with 2 being the norm and a
survival rate of 1 chick commonly. Duck broods are in the 10's and 20's.
Although they get several seasons to breed, it becomes more difficult when
one of the mates is lost to hunting.
Ann
On Tue, Jun 9, 2026 at 7:23 AM Louise via Tweeters <
<tweeters...> wrote:
> Thanks for the story, Dan. I'm not a hunter either, but I'm aware of the
> work that Ducks Unlimited do to preserve habitat, with the aim of ensuring
> hunting is available and sustainable. There could certainly be an argument
> for treating sandhill cranes the same as other edible bird species. As
> always it depends on whether hunters will abide by the rules and stick to
> the limits (and whether the government is setting and evaluating those
> limits in a scientific manner), which isn't the case in every instance.
>
> Louise Rutter
> Kirkland
>
> On Mon, Jun 8, 2026 at 11:44 PM Dan Reiff via Tweeters <
> <tweeters...> wrote:
>
>> Hello tweeters,
>> I’m not a hunter.
>> Today, I read an article in Canadian geographic that included “fat polar
>> bears and ribeyes in the sky”.
>> It discussed recent conversations regarding opening a limited hunting
>> season for this bird species.
>> Totally unexpected read.
>>
>> I have Apple news Plus, which is by paid subscription. So, I did not send
>> the link because you would not be able to open it.
>> I found this older article that covers some of the same ground, but from
>> a hunter’s perspective.
>> The last lines were interesting.
>> Dan Reiff
>>
>>
>>
>> https://tpwmagazine.com/hunting/ribeye-of-the-sky/ >>
>> Sent from my iPhone
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