PRESSURE BEARS WATCHING--Sandhill cranes are a familiar feature of fall and winter days in the Panhandle and South Plains, their trilling bugling equated by the great naturalist Alldo Leopold to 'the trumpet call of evolution.' A challenging but rewarding bird to hunt over decoys, their harvest is being watched closely by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
Hunting pressure on sandhill cranes bears watchfulness
Jim Steiert
Years ago, very few people hunted sandhill cranes in the Panhandle and South Plains. That has changed dramatically in the last 10-15 years as the sportiness of hunting them over decoys and their culinary quality has been recognized.
Saturday, November 22, 2025
