Kentucky › Species › Sandhill Crane
Migratory birds
Sandhill Crane Seasons in Kentucky, 2026-27
Kentucky sandhill cranes: opens Dec 7, 2026, with every KDFWR season row, limit and permit for 2026-27.
Photo: Judy Gallagher (CC BY 2.0)
Sandhill Crane season snapshot for 2026-27
Kentucky lists 1 season line for sandhill cranes in 2026-27, running between December 7, 2026 and January 31, 2027. Worth knowing before a crane trip: drawn permit only. Methods KDFWR allows for sandhill cranes: shotgun, non-toxic shot.
Source: Waterfowl guide p. 8 (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources); checked November 10, 2026.
Every 2026-27 season row for sandhill cranes
Sandhill cranes rows are sorted by first day; lines without dates are those KDFWR had not set or that follow another season.
| Window | Where | Dates | Limit | Details | Open? | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crane, by permit | Statewide | Dec 7–Jan 31, 2027 | 1 bird per permit tag (1-3 tags), up to 2 daily, 3 possession | Drawn permit (apply in September, $3); ID test; sunrise to sunset; telecheck; post-season survey. | Waterfowl guide p. 8 |
How to apply for a crane hunt
Statewide season by drawn permit. September online ($3); 1-3 permits; ID test.
Source: Guide p. 34 and Waterfowl guide (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources); checked November 10, 2026.
Bag and possession limits for sandhill cranes
The crane lines below come straight from the guides, so the counting rule is exact.
| Applies to | KDFWR limit |
|---|---|
| Sandhill crane | 1 per permit tag; 2 daily; 3 possession |
Source: Waterfowl guide p. 7 and Waterfowl guide p. 8 (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources); checked November 10, 2026.
Lawful gear for sandhill cranes
What KDFWR allows and bans when hunting sandhill cranes, by season group.
| Group | Legal methods | Banned |
|---|---|---|
| Waterfowl and migratory birds | Shotgun 10 ga or smaller plugged to 3 shells; non-toxic shot no larger than T for waterfowl and cranes; shells max 3.5 in. | Lead shot for waterfowl/cranes; rifles; recorded calls (except light goose conservation order); sink boxes. |
| Point | Rule text |
|---|---|
| Wanton waste | Reasonable effort to recover big game and upland birds and remove edible parts. |
| Vehicles and boats | No taking wildlife from a vehicle; boats may be used (not under power) for small game, furbearers and waterfowl; disabled hunters may use a stationary vehicle with an exemption. |
| Drones and aircraft | No manned or unmanned aircraft (drones) to hunt or harass wildlife. |
Methods for sandhill cranes, in short: shotgun, non-toxic shot.
Source: Waterfowl guide p. 10, Guide p. 11 and Guide p. 10 (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources); checked November 10, 2026.
Sandhill Crane paperwork and prices
Fees were adjusted in January 2026; the list shows the current crane items.
| License or permit | Resident | Nonresident | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| $28.54 | $169.12 | Shooting range permit included (must register). | |
| $15.86 | $15.86 | Not needed for hunters under 16 or for crows. | |
| $3 | $3 | Apply in September. |
Kentucky mails no paper license; a crane hunter buys online or from an agent and carries a copy or screenshot.
Migratory bird and waterfowl hunters must complete the HIP survey (My Profile) and write the confirmation number on the license.
Source: Guide p. 7 and Guide p. 4 (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources); checked November 10, 2026.
Sandhill Crane: orange, checking and bait
These are the Kentucky rules most likely to matter on a crane hunt, close to KDFWR wording.
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Hunter orange | A crane hunter afield during the modern gun, muzzleloader or youth gun deer days, or a firearm elk or bear season, must show solid orange on head, back and chest. |
| Telecheck | Telecheck: record the harvest on a harvest log (species, sex, date, county) before moving the carcass, then report by phone 1-800-245-4263 or online (My Profile); write the confirmation number on the log. |
| Deadline | By midnight on the day recovered and before processing; bear by 8 p.m. Eastern the day taken plus a call to 1-800-858-1549 within 24 hours for physical check and tag; bobcat and otter before leaving Kentucky. |
| Bait | area stays baited 10 days after removal; areas manipulated for doves are not legal for waterfowl. |
| Hunter education | Born on or after January 1, 1975? Then a crane hunt needs a hunter education card, or the free exemption permit and a licensed adult alongside. |
Source: Guide p. 10, Guide p. 8 and Guide p. 9 (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources); checked November 10, 2026.
Kentucky sandhill cranes pack list
Kentucky sandhill cranes gear here follows the game on this page; nothing loads until you tap a button.
Amazon links are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no cost to you.
Chest waders
Chest waders are standard kit for a December morning in a flooded field.
Duck call
Goose and duck mornings near the big reservoirs go better with a duck call.
Hand warmers
Waterfowl hunters along the Ohio and Mississippi bottoms pack hand warmers.
Daily crane hours on key dates
Legal light for sandhill cranes on the key dates, computed with the NOAA solar formula.
1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset; dove Sept. 1 on private land and Sept. 1-Oct. 26 on public dove fields: 11 a.m. local time to sunset; sandhill crane sunrise to sunset.
| Date | Hickman (Fulton) | La Grange (Oldham) | London (Laurel) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 7, 2026 | 6:55 a.m. to 4:41 p.m. CST | 7:45 a.m. to 5:22 p.m. EST | 7:36 a.m. to 5:20 p.m. EST |
| Dec 21, 2026 | 7:05 a.m. to 4:44 p.m. CST | 7:55 a.m. to 5:24 p.m. EST | 7:46 a.m. to 5:23 p.m. EST |
Hours rule from the 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting & Trapping Guide; sunrise and sunset from the NOAA solar formula for each county seat on its own clock (KDFWR prints no sunrise table, so sunrise and sunset are worked out with the NOAA solar formula for the exact point, on Central Time in the 41 western counties and Eastern Time elsewhere, with daylight time ending November 1, 2026 and starting March 14, 2027.); checked November 10, 2026. Legal hours for every county.
Mourning dove on the groundPhoto: Cindy Sue Causey (CC BY 2.0)
Mallard drake head portrait in golden light against a blue skyPhoto: 19_Matt_79 (CC BY 2.0)
Wild turkey gobbler walking through a grassy field at Land Between the LakesPhoto: Russ (CC BY 2.0)
Common questions on sandhill cranes
How is the crane limit counted?
In KDFWR wording for sandhill cranes: 1 per permit tag; 2 daily; 3 possession.
When are sandhill cranes in season in Kentucky?
Crane, by permit (Statewide): Dec 7, 2026 to Jan 31, 2027.
Which methods may be used on sandhill cranes?
Shotgun, non-toxic shot. Shotgun 10 ga or smaller plugged to 3 shells; non-toxic shot no larger than T for waterfowl and cranes; shells max 3.5 in.
What does a crane hunter have to buy?
Annual Hunting $28.54 resident, $169.12 nonresident; Kentucky Migratory Bird/Waterfowl Permit $15.86 resident, $15.86 nonresident; Sandhill Crane Hunt Drawing $3 resident, $3 nonresident. All crane items and fees are in the table above.
Do crane hunters wear hunter orange?
A crane hunter afield during the modern gun, muzzleloader or youth gun deer days, or a firearm elk or bear season, must show solid orange on head, back and chest.
Which hours apply to sandhill cranes?
1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset; dove Sept. 1 on private land and Sept. 1-Oct. 26 on public dove fields: 11 a.m. local time to sunset; sandhill crane sunrise to sunset. Clock times for crane hunting depend on the county: Central Time in the west, Eastern Time across the rest.
Can I hunt sandhill cranes over bait in Kentucky?
area stays baited 10 days after removal; areas manipulated for doves are not legal for waterfowl.
How do I report a crane harvest?
By midnight on the day recovered and before processing; bear by 8 p.m. Eastern the day taken plus a call to 1-800-858-1549 within 24 hours for physical check and tag; bobcat and otter before leaving Kentucky. Telecheck: record the harvest on a harvest log (species, sex, date, county) before moving the carcass, then report by phone 1-800-245-4263 or online (My Profile); write the confirmation number on the log.
Do I need permission to hunt sandhill cranes on private land?
Ask first: a crane hunter needs the owner’s verbal or written permission for private land, including railroad rights-of-way.
What does the crane drawing cost?
September online ($3); 1-3 permits; ID test.