Crow Hunting

southernhunter

Just wondering if anyone does any crow decoying if so what gear do you use ? Calls, decoys, guns etc. Looking for something to do when the seasons over:(
Any advice will be greatfully recieved;)

Umiq88

Im not sure if alot of this is done on its own but alot of people decoy pigeons but will have crow decoys out as well.

The pattern isn't as definate as pigeons as in a horseshoe facing into the wind but if you go and have it look at a flock of crows you'll find that they dont bunch together and are scarely placed and the pattern is pretty random you'll get better as time goes on.

I'm not sure about rotarys with them as they're clever baxtards but a pecker on an upturned pigeon works wonders with a few pigeon feathers scattered around the ground.

Calling them works very well i got a lend of a friends lockvogel (spl?) caller and it would call them in by the hundred highly recommended great for magpies as well and fox didnt try duck but sounds good as well a little pricey at €160 but boy is it worth it if you have it.

E@gle.

what some guys i know from gun club do is cut a rabbit open and hide in bushes and crows will land down to eat at him. Very effective for magpies.

Shotgun the best thing to use

Terrier

Often decoy crows, need to find a field where they are feeding!! Normally setup about 6-9 crow decoys and throw in a few pigeons also. I place a single magpie decoy along the edge near some cover as you might always get one. As with pigeon shooting try and work out the flightline makes it easier.

I leave all shot birds out, only when the are belly up or have there wings spread do I fix them up.. the more birds in the pattern the better in my opionon.

Just make sure you use a 30/32g 6/7 as they can be tough little buggers!!

Enjoy..

southernhunter

Cheers boys:)
Another thing do you let your dogs retrieve them? Some people say a winged crow can do a lot of damage to a dogs eyes:mad: Are there any videos out there on this subject searched can only find crow hunting in America that probably wouldn't apply here for once I'm mot totaly disapointed about the season ending.

Umiq88

I'd leave them out there alot of the time they can attract more as was said if they're the wrong way up turn them around or if they're flapping just give them the other barrel. If you start getting into bigger numbers just stick em in the ditch or whatever

southernhunter

Hopefully I will be getting into bigger numbers;) What abouth camo I'd say you have to build a good hide.

Vegeta

A crow in distress attracts a lot of other crows.

I have one of those electronic callers as well and when the distress call is on, things go crazy. When i got it i tried it out my back window and after some 2 mins of calling I had to turn it off because the sky was black with crows around my house. I'd say the neighbours were wondering what the hell was going on

Rovi

Vegeta wrote:

I'd say the neighbours were wondering what the hell was going on

Tell 'em you're doing a remake:

civdef

That film bugged the hell outta me. I mean are we to believe that crows terrorised a small town in the US, and no-one thought of trying out a shotgun on them?

southernhunter

I'm going to get an electronic crow call whats the best? lot of people have recomended the Cass Creek.

Umiq88

http://www.shoot.ie/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2_33&products_id=51&zenid=c051dfbd5be5dc26aaf29420624aa6a6

Thats the vegeta has and having heard a mates would highly recommend really does get the crows flocking it.

southernhunter

What calls does it have? Feeding, pleading crow etc.

civdef

There seem to be some similar electronic callers on Ebay, seem like good prices.

J.R.

Have a website dealing with crow & pigeon decoying in Ireland - I do quite a lot of it when the game season closes. You may find some useful information here.

http://homepage.eircom.net/~jamesanthonyryan/index.htm:[/URL]

Had the site originally registered under Pigeon & Crow Decoying in Ireland but forgot to renew annual €10 subscription.

I see I haven't even updated it since last year - must dig out summer photos and update - been too busy this year!

Umiq88

Crow and Pigeon Decoying Ireland

southernhunter

Great site found lots of good information cheers;) Do you let your dog retrieve crows?

J.R.

No - neither I or my shooting partner allow the dogs retrieve crows (rooks, jackdaws, greycrows or magpies). The crow has a very sharp dagger like beak which it can use with dealdly accuracy.

I have heard stories of crows actually pecking dogs in the eye when being retrieved, causing severe damage, but never actually witnessed it first hand.

A shooting friend of mine who allowed his retriever retrieve crows now regrets it. The dog received a peck from the sharp beak somewhere around the face area but since then is very cautious and hestitant at retrieving anything - tends to nudge it a few times first before making retrieve, since incident.

Clare gunner

Get a owl or hawk decoy along with some crow decoys.Crows HATE birds of prey,and will come in to mob the hawk or owl.I use a old lung powerd crow call,and with a bit of practise they will come to within shotgun range of my front door.Make it sound like there is loads of aggro going on,like the hawk /owl is within the nest terrority.They will flock to home defence.
Freaked out some of my female friends doing it once,they thought they were going to be in a remake of The Birds:D
Make sure you are well hidden .Crows have exellent eyesight and are suss of everything human.
Some dogs will have no bother retriveing crows,but if they are pecked they will develop hard mouth with anything they have to retrive.As they will be making sure it is dead,by biteing hard on the bird.

southernhunter

Anyone got good crow shooting pics?;)