"The Bird Hunting Report"
published the following article in their April 2005 newsletter from
one of their subscribers, Mike Telesmanic, who sent in a report to
them to share with others regarding a very enjoyable sandhill crane
hunt that he had decided to book upon reading about Curtis Frisbee's
experience with outfitter, Mark Meissenburg.
"Telesmanic
reports that his hunting party took limits of sandhill cranes each
day before noon. He says this is a unique hunt in every way, from
the stuffer decoys that Meissenburg created himself, to the blind,
retrieving dog and the way the hunt was conducted.
Telesmanic describes Meissenburg as a perfectionist who takes great
care in everything he does. He created stuffer decoys himself in a
variety of positions, including birds that appear to be feeding,
preening and acting as sentinels. Because of the positions of the
birds, Telesmanic says Meissenburg has a specific way he sets up the
decoys so they are as realistic as possible. He says it was so
realistic that the cranes readily landed and calmly walked among the
stuffers.
The hunting was in fields near the
roosts, where the hunters waited in blinds that accommodated up to
four people plus the dog and had a popping top to allow hunters
clear shooting. Telesmanic says that Meissenburg was detail oriented
even when setting up the blinds, digging out an even shallow for
each seat to ensure the hunters wouldn't rock inside the blind while
seated. He says Meissenburg would let about 15 cranes land in the
decoys then throw the top of the blind to flush them, instructing
hunters when to shoot. He says Meissenbug was also willing to move
the hunters when he realized the birds were not flying over their
set up. Telesmanic says that because Meissenburg is so systematic
about how he packs and sets up his layout, they were able to move
and set up in a new spot in about an hour. They had barely gotten in
their blinds, when Telesmanic says the birds were landing, and they
had a limit within another hour.
Telesmanic also
has good things to say about Meissesnburg's English curly retriever,
which he says did an excellent job of knocking down wounded cranes
and retrieving them. He says there was one bird that flew another
700 yards before coming down in heavy brush, and the dog followed
the crane and wrestled it out.
Meals
were in local eateries, which Telesmanic says are very good. He
gives the cost of the hunt as $225 per person per day,
plus meals and lodging.
He gives the hunt an excellent rating and says Meissenburg is
the best outfitter when it comes to sandhill crane hunting.
The Bird Hunting Report,
April 2005
