If I can’t eat it why hunt it?
Hunters eat their kills. If they just kill for fun, they aren’t hunters.
You can eat cranes, I’m told they’re very good. Lots of receipes on the web.
Why do you think they would not be eaten?
Everything that I have read about the cranes indicates that they are excellent if prepared properly.
If ever you find you're self in a position to hunt Sandhill cranes you will have found your self hunting one of the best tasting bird there is. This long legged wading bird looks as if was a Blue Heron but don't be fooled this is no fish eater. This astounding bird that stands over three feet in height and has a wing span of over six feet eats grain from the same fields as do Mallards, Snow geese and White Fronted geese and has been nick named the flying Rib eye of the sky. Try this recipe out, it was given to me in the northern plains of Saskatchewan by a farmer friend some years back.
* Start with: 1-2 Lb = two Sandhill cranes breasts, thinly sliced Sandhill crane breast
* 10 TBS Kikkoman Soy Sauce
* 4 T
* 4 Tsp Minced Garlic
* 1 1/4 TSP Cayenne Pepper
Combine soy sauce, brown sugar, minced garlic & cayenne pepper. Marinate crane breast meat in marinade for anywhere from six hours to over night in the refrigerator depending on how spicy you like it. Remove from marinade and place on plate you need to let the meat warm just a bit before placing on hot coals, once warmed to room tempter it's time to cook. Grill on BBQ using a flat screen style tray, other wise the thinly sliced crane will fall on to coals. Cook crane until nicely browned just as with all waterfowl do not over cook as meat is thin it will cook very quickly depending on how hot your coals are. This pre meal entree goes very well with a fine bottle of your favorite beer. This makes a wonderful appetizer and I use this only on the Sandhills I get but I am sure it would work just as good on geese.
I have ate cranes, they are very good. Slightly better than Canada goose.
The ‘drumsticks’ ain’t much of a meal...lol, but the breasts are meaty and flavorful.