Decoying Grey Crows

minktrapper

Is it possible to decoy Grey Crows like you would pigeons or crows. If yes how would you go about it.

cookimonster

Shoot a couple of crows first (a bit of a chicken and egg routine), I find when I'm out decoying pigeons that you'll get crows coming in for a look see. Where I shoot the Grey's and the ordinary crows flock together.

Then use the dead birds as a decoy either off to one side of your pigeon layout or keep them for a latterer date. I use a mixture of cradles and bicycle spokes to prop up the dead birds in my patterns. Flappers, bouncers and spinners can be used.

The most important thing about corvid shooting is concealment and although I have shot birds from a standard hide set up my most successful attempts are when I'm well hidden in a treeline or hedge row.

cavan shooter

If you want greys hide in the back of a ditch after slurry has been spread..

minktrapper

I have the slurry bit tried and tested. It​ works to a degree and you might pick off one or two. The area I am shooting is a Grey Crow rich environment as in anything up to 100 greys in the locality. So I was hoping to pick them off by using decoys maybe. Drawing them in in ones or twos.

J.R.

I use same tactics as Cookimonster

I always throw one of my kid's furry toys in the decoy bag when decoying pigeons.

If I shoot a rook I spread the wings out to make it more visible and put furry toy nearby...greycrows can't resist it if you're well camouflaged with no movement as they approach.

The magpies are the crafty buggers I find very hard to bring in to range...very wary and clever.

cookimonster

A fresh rabbit with its inners exposed is meant to be very good , with the addition of a crow in attendance.

While a dead fox propped up over a dead corvid is another old trick.

cavan shooter

Not sure if its true...and or legal..but here the bird scarer yokes that look like hawkes get mobbed by greys, they think its a buzzard. Greys dont like buzzards

minktrapper

If I got Grey Crow decoys. Maybe 2-3 of them and placed them in a field and hid in camouflage what are the odds of it working.

cookimonster

Not trying to be an dick here but scroll, I think five threads down below your own and see.....

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057766565

Artificial decoys other than those for pigeons, duck and geese are illegal and that would include the use of artificial hawks, owel (corvids hate 'em) and even a stuffed fox ( know a lad who knew a lad said he heard they were great)

I'd love to use any of the multitude of corvid decoys available in the shops as a quick trawl on the net shows they are the 'dogs...' but sadly the law is the law.

J.R.

minktrapper wrote: »

If I got Grey Crow decoys. Maybe 2-3 of them and placed them in a field and hid in camouflage what are the odds of it working.

Think about this scenario:

There is nothing stopping you using real dead greycrows as decoys.

1. If you were lucky enough to get one or two each time you're out you could freeze them (in standing position) and bring them out to use again & again.
ALLOWED AS NOT CLASSED AS DECOYS

2. If you were lucky enough to get one or two each time you're out you could practice your taxidermy skills - "stuff" them (in standing position) and bring them out to use again & again.
NOT ALLOWED AS CLASSED AS DECOYS??

Same birds used!!!!!!!!