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crows in barley

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  • 21-07-2014 11:24pm
    #1
    larthehar
    Registered Users Posts: 606 ✭✭✭


    Hi folks,
    this year beats all, they are literally mowing through it... I can't keep them out, scarecrows, deterints, shotgun.. I am out of ideas..

    any tips?!

    Something I seen online was a hawk kite, anyone use one of these?


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    #2
    Deranged96
    Registered Users Posts: 588 ✭✭✭Deranged96


    My father hangs up dead cows upside down dangling from a string around the creep feeder when things get bad.
    I dunno how effective it is but it has a certain rustic charm to it, I think.


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    #3
    Zr105
    Registered Users Posts: 1,453 ✭✭✭Zr105


    larthehar wrote: »
    Hi folks,
    this year beats all, they are literally mowing through it... I can't keep them out, scarecrows, deterints, shotgun.. I am out of ideas..

    any tips?!

    Something I seen online was a hawk kite, anyone use one of these?

    Tie up a few crows if you've managed to fill any with lead, they dont overly like it, have also heard lads say about ripping them up and scattering but i wouldn't be mad on that idea myself.

    Have you tried a gas banger?


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    #4
    micraX
    Registered Users Posts: 752 ✭✭✭micraX


    larthehar wrote: »
    Hi folks,
    this year beats all, they are literally mowing through it... I can't keep them out, scarecrows, deterints, shotgun.. I am out of ideas..

    any tips?!

    Something I seen online was a hawk kite, anyone use one of these?
    We use hawk kites, can be effective, need to be moved around as they get used ti them in one place.


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    #5
    Sam Kade
    Registered Users Posts: 12,313 ✭✭✭✭Sam Kade


    Deranged96 wrote: »
    My father hangs up dead cows upside down dangling from a string around the creep feeder when things get bad.
    I dunno how effective it is but it has a certain rustic charm to it, I think.
    How do dead cows keep the crows away :D


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    #6
    Deranged96
    Registered Users Posts: 588 ✭✭✭Deranged96


    Sam Kade wrote: »
    How do dead cows keep the crows away :D

    I dunno haha, I presume most intelligent animals (which crows most deff are) have a kind of a warning system that goes off when they see a few if their own kind dead that tells them 'danger get away' :)


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    #7
    larthehar
    Registered Users Posts: 606 ✭✭✭larthehar


    Sam Kade wrote: »
    How do dead cows keep the crows away :D

    I hung up the dead crowa and the half alive ones.. keeps em away for a day or so then back again.. was on DD there and I seen bird gard.. these any good?!

    I can't use a gas banger as there is a few neighbours around with young kids..

    This wil be my last yr growing it I.d say..


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    #8
    FISMA
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,616 ✭✭✭FISMA


    larthehar wrote: »
    ... shotgun... any tips?!

    Yes. More shotguns!

    Seriously, go to the hunting section of boards, under sports.

    Ask a few of the lads to volunteer their time. I am sure you will have more than your share of helpers.

    Call your own terms - maybe have subsonic rounds like 22lr or require moderators on faster rounds.

    If you have deer damaging crops, a few permissions to the lads would more than compensate them.

    A few lads could hammer away a few hundred in a week. Birds are smart and will get the message.

    Here's a lad literally looking for shooting in the west.

    I would be there myself if I was currently home. :(


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    #9
    larthehar
    Registered Users Posts: 606 ✭✭✭larthehar


    FISMA wrote: »
    Yes. More shotguns!

    Seriously, go to the hunting section of boards, under sports.

    Ask a few of the lads to volunteer their time. I am sure you will have more than your share of helpers.

    Call your own terms - maybe have subsonic rounds like 22lr or require moderators on faster rounds.

    If you have deer damaging crops, a few permissions to the lads would more than compensate them.

    A few lads could hammer away a few hundred in a week. Birds are smart and will get the message.

    Here's a lad literally looking for shooting in the west.

    I would be there myself if I was currently home. :(

    I asked a fella in the local gun club, no interest in crows.. foxes and rabbits that was all he wanted I haven't the time to camp out with the gun up there myself... time consuming job..


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    #10
    Zr105
    Registered Users Posts: 1,453 ✭✭✭Zr105


    FISMA wrote: »
    Yes. More shotguns!

    Seriously, go to the hunting section of boards, under sports.

    Ask a few of the lads to volunteer their time. I am sure you will have more than your share of helpers.

    Call your own terms - maybe have subsonic rounds like 22lr or require moderators on faster rounds.

    If you have deer damaging crops, a few permissions to the lads would more than compensate them.

    A few lads could hammer away a few hundred in a week. Birds are smart and will get the message.

    Here's a lad literally looking for shooting in the west.

    I would be there myself if I was currently home. :(

    Rifles aren't much use to crows in barely as its generally impossible to get a shot down into the barely without them first seing you. You need the noise of the shot gun to scare, and the ability to shoot at moving targets.


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    #11
    Reggie.
    Registered Users Posts: 24,370 ✭✭✭✭Reggie.


    Zr105 wrote: »
    Rifles aren't much use to crows in barely as its generally impossible to get a shot down into the barely without them first seing you. You need the noise of the shot gun to scare, and the ability to shoot at moving targets.

    Yes with rifles you have to remember the fall of shot plus the distance the round will travel if ya miss


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    #12
    Birdnuts
    Registered Users Posts: 9,645 ✭✭✭Birdnuts


    larthehar wrote: »
    I asked a fella in the local gun club, no interest in crows.. foxes and rabbits that was all he wanted I haven't the time to camp out with the gun up there myself... time consuming job..

    If you stick up a thread in the hunting forum I'm pretty sure you'll get offers from lads willing to travel for some sport on the crows and pigeons.


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    #13
    MickeyShtyles
    Registered Users Posts: 1,371 ✭✭✭MickeyShtyles


    I recommend the Hawk Kite. Got two of them here.
    Mighty job once ya keep moving them.
    The price of them is a bit steep.....
    I'll getta pic for ya when I'm in the field 2mora :))


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    #14
    micraX
    Registered Users Posts: 752 ✭✭✭micraX


    larthehar wrote: »
    I hung up the dead crowa and the half alive ones.. keeps em away for a day or so then back again.. was on DD there and I seen bird gard.. these any good?!

    I can't use a gas banger as there is a few neighbours around with young kids..

    This wil be my last yr growing it I.d say..
    Well once your 200 meters away from houses bangers are grand. Kids will get used to them.


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    #15
    Sam Kade
    Registered Users Posts: 12,313 ✭✭✭✭Sam Kade


    micraX wrote: »
    Well once your 200 meters away from houses bangers are grand. Kids will get used to them.
    I had a neighbour who turned off his neighbours banger a few years ago :eek: There was a distance of about 500 meters between the banger an the house and the banger was downhill from the house. The thing is my house was only 100m downhill from the banger and had no trouble with it. The other neighbour said they couldn't sleep at night with it.


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    #16
    micraX
    Registered Users Posts: 752 ✭✭✭micraX


    Sam Kade wrote: »
    I had a neighbour who turned off his neighbours banger a few years ago :eek: There was a distance of about 500 meters between the banger an the house and the banger was downhill from the house. The thing is my house was only 100m downhill from the banger and had no trouble with it. The other neighbour said they couldn't sleep at night with it.
    Yeah we've had them turned off, gas connections cut off and trends on boards.ie complaining. Haha. Not ment to leave them on at night though


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    #17
    _Brian
    Registered Users Posts: 18,493 ✭✭✭✭_Brian


    Deranged96 wrote: »
    My father hangs up dead cows upside down dangling from a string around the creep feeder when things get bad.
    I dunno how effective it is but it has a certain rustic charm to it, I think.

    I hung one up just Saturday where I feed the pigs. Definitely works on regular crows but I did notice a grey crow at the trough earlier.
    Not pretty looking but works.

    Did same last year too.

    Hard to explain to kids though :(


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    #18
    micraX
    Registered Users Posts: 752 ✭✭✭micraX


    _Brian wrote: »
    I hung one up just Saturday where I feed the pigs. Definitely works on regular crows but I did notice a grey crow at the trough earlier.
    Not pretty looking but works.

    Did same last year too.

    Hard to explain to kids though :(
    We made big hawks a few years ago, hung them on baler twine between 2 big posts in cabbage with a "squealed" underneath. People came in, said it was crulety, then the DSPCA came out, they laughed.


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    #19
    larthehar
    Registered Users Posts: 606 ✭✭✭larthehar


    micraX wrote: »
    with a "squealed" underneath.

    A squealed?!


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    #20
    larthehar
    Registered Users Posts: 606 ✭✭✭larthehar


    Thanks for all the replies folks, I.l chance a few hawk kites this eve and see how they go..


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    #21
    micraX
    Registered Users Posts: 752 ✭✭✭micraX


    larthehar wrote: »
    A squealed?!

    Sorry "squealer" red box connected to a battery that squeals.


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    #22
    lefthooker
    Registered Users Posts: 1,691 ✭✭✭lefthooker


    Napsack sprayer filled with waste oil and spray it around the edge of the standing crop. The smell/taste seems to deter them. This was a very effective tactic a few years back when most oils were of the heavy black oil type, with the frequence of semi synthetic oils I don't think it's as effective and may require a few coating a to keep them at bay. Creosote would be another option but is more expensive than the waste oil.
    And a shotgun on hand too.


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    #23
    Sam Kade
    Registered Users Posts: 12,313 ✭✭✭✭Sam Kade


    micraX wrote: »
    We made big hawks a few years ago, hung them on baler twine between 2 big posts in cabbage with a "squealed" underneath. People came in, said it was crulety, then the DSPCA came out, they laughed.
    I'd have told them to leave the same way they came in. Did it keep the crows away?


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    #24
    sandydan
    Registered Users Posts: 1,471 ✭✭✭sandydan


    larthehar wrote: »
    I asked a fella in the local gun club, no interest in crows.. foxes and rabbits that was all he wanted I haven't the time to camp out with the gun up there myself... time consuming job..

    then ban shooting on your land "fur and feather" notices like that can concentrate their minds re winter hunting season ahead


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    #25
    micraX
    Registered Users Posts: 752 ✭✭✭micraX


    Sam Kade wrote: »
    I'd have told them to leave the same way they came in. Did it keep the crows away?

    They stayed for a chat. Haha for a while, wore off like everything else.


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    #26
    larthehar
    Registered Users Posts: 606 ✭✭✭larthehar


    I did some more research and the hawks weren't cheap, bought another electronic bird scarer.. holy crap.. if ya see the effect it had.. crows went cracked after 3mins not one in sight!! Time will tell if it works but happy so far!


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    #27
    jd06
    Registered Users Posts: 583 ✭✭✭jd06


    How much andwhere did ya buy, if you don't mind me asking. Thanks


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    #28
    milkprofit
    Registered Users Posts: 1,168 ✭✭✭milkprofit


    larthehar wrote: »
    I hung up the dead crowa and the half alive ones.. keeps em away for a day or so then back again.. was on DD there and I seen bird gard.. these any good?!

    I can't use a gas banger as there is a few neighbours around with young kids..

    This wil be my last yr growing it I.d say..

    Pay the kids to walk the field every hour


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    #29
    sandydan
    Registered Users Posts: 1,471 ✭✭✭sandydan


    grassland fertilizer in cork have scarer. sounds can be varied in it works well, sound like birds being mauled by hawk,


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    #30
    Sam Kade
    Registered Users Posts: 12,313 ✭✭✭✭Sam Kade


    larthehar wrote: »
    I did some more research and the hawks weren't cheap, bought another electronic bird scarer.. holy crap.. if ya see the effect it had.. crows went cracked after 3mins not one in sight!! Time will tell if it works but happy so far!

    Yeah they are stupid price for what's in them.

    Just checked ebay.co.uk the hawk kite is £11.70 free postage in uk but you could use parcel force for around €3-4. Not bad considering they are charging €120 for them in farm shops


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    #31
    larthehar
    Registered Users Posts: 606 ✭✭✭larthehar


    Sam Kade wrote: »
    Yeah they are stupid price for what's in them.

    Just checked ebay.co.uk the hawk kite is £11.70 free postage in uk but you could use parcel force for around €3-4. Not bad considering they are charging €120 for them in farm shops

    Well another concern is that the wind has to be well picked up for the hawk to work too.. like something that will work regardless of conditions!


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