Corvid shooting

[Natures_son]

Bumped into a local farmer today and seems he's having a problem with rooks/ crows on one of his fields which has been planted as the ground was so hard the majority of the seed is lying on top and reckons every day there is about 300-500 crows feeding on it. Now i plan to get up there during the week but the only problem is i am broke. I have one full bodied crow decoy and thats it ive just made some crow cut outs which i plan on painting black and using like suggested in another post. Basically i want advice from more experienced members and is it worth me getting a call before i have a go at them?

[neilbe2]

do you have any pigeon decoys or couldnt you borrow any? because when i go out pigeon shootig i always get crows and rooks coming down to be nosey and once ive shot one and decoy that more and more turn up. but only in places were there are lots of corvids....its gotta be worth a try, but make a good hide cos these things are very wise and dont hang around long once they spot you!

 

have fun!

[beatingisbest]

if you get a piece of polystyrene and a glass bottle. Wet the polystyrene with your tongue and draw it across the bottle it makes a sound very similar to a young rabbit in distress. You are bound to get hundreds in!

[Cranfield]

If he reckons there are 3-500 birds on the field, then I would take what I had and be confident of a few dead decoys very soon.

On a clear field (no high crops), its my experience that a few decoys are seen from a good distance and will draw the birds.

As you shoot them, add to the pattern.

[dunganick]

one time me and LB were on my permission and there must have been 2 gangs of 150+ birds following the two tractors, the 3 of us hid up around the field, not one shot at a crow.

 

wish we had had a few decoys that day it would probably have been a good one.

 

let us know how u get on N-son

Edited February 11, 2006 by dunganick

[plinker]

buy half a dozen eggs a break some in with your pattern that should encorage the greedy fellas. leave some intact in the pattern as well in case you have to up sticks and move and as said before add all the dead ones you should have some good sport. good luck

plinker

[shawn9914]

when i go crow shooting i ALWAYS put a roof on my hide i find they have that gooder eyr sight a roof really helps, my best day is 67 over drilled maize, can't wait till april

 

cheers shawn

[henry d]

Go with what you`ve got and use a centre fire to hit them on the ground.

However I think your crows are rooks and/or jackdaws.

[roe doe]

if you have any old pigeon shells get some matt black spay paint from any car maintence store and spray them . add them to your single crow decoy .

make sure you make a good hide i would advise a face vail and gloves

i always like to set up at first light when shooting crows get set up before they get on to the field as for a call if with out practice you will do more harm than good.

if you havr any floater they will work on crows as well and sit still good luck

[kirky640]

try a big owl decoy this works well and brings them in if u cant aford mibby you could make one cheers kirky

[lurcherboy]

NS, just put down a dozen rabbits with spilt guts and the eyes removed, that will bring them in

 

 

 

 

 

LB

[Natures_son]

Thank you for the advice lads just to prove to some that i do have manners

[M ROBSON]

If there are 3-500 bird on the field then they are definately ROOKS, forget the Rabbit guts, Owls and eggs etc, they will work on the odd silly Carrion Crow but Rooks are interested in Bugs and seed on the field. Carrion Crows are territorial loners, that's how a Larsen trap is so effective.

I shoot hundreds of Rooks each year by shooting a few on the flightline then using them as dead bird decoys.

 

 

Nosy Carrion Crows find it too tempting also.

 

Cheers,

Mark.

Edited February 12, 2006 by M ROBSON

[rjimmer]

If there are rooks in the area, scatter a loaf of sliced white bread about in front of your hide. They can see it from miles!

[ROB REYNOLDS UK]

the only real way of shooting large numbers is get there very early in the morning before they are in the field ,pick your self the spot were they are comeing in to the field shoot one put it out ..

Edited February 12, 2006 by ROB REYNOLDS UK

[stirky]

Take one of the lads off PW with you, who has some crow decoys Other than that try to find which direction the crows come from, make your hide under the hedge or wall and put your decoy 25yds out. If you go to morrisons they sell some bamboo kebab skewers 99p for 100 use these to prop up any dead birds that you shoot and gradually build up your decoy pattern, remember crowds atract crowds.

[plexer]

Why is this posted in the pigeon shooting tips & tricks section?

 

Ben

[Cranfield]

Why is this posted in the pigeon shooting tips & tricks section?

 

Ben

Mainly, because I wasn't sure where to move it to.

 

The subject is decoying and there are quite a few other "how do I do it" type threads on this Section, so I decided to leave it where it was.

 

I may change my mind later.

[lazza]

Hi Natures Son

You have already been given some good advice. Here's my tupence worth. I always put a roof on my hide's, and I also try to make the hide a small as is comfortable.I have a rectangular hide with an extra pole at the front to push the netting away from my feet. I always sit in the hide, and bring the roof of the hide tight to my head. I then bring the front of the hide up to just below my shoulder. Then I let the netting from the roof droop in front of me to create a letterbox for me to shoot through.( I'm hoping this isn't as clear as mud ). I set my hide up either the evening or night before, or in the dark in the morning, as I expect to do most of my shooting in the first hour after light. I'm lucky enough to have my own freezer, where I can keep frozen dead birds, but decoys or some of the methods that have been mentioned before will work. When you see a bird coming, make sure you don't move at all, as it's eyesight will pick you up, and it will veer off. If they don't see you, they will land in your pattern, then it's up to you.

Before I finish this great big book , two more things. firstly I always cover my face with a mask( and I've been told that I look much better that way :*) ), and secondly I never move out of the hide unless the birds are veering off from the deeks, or it's time to pack up .

 

Good Luck!

[Natures_son]

As it is the only cartridges i have in my armoury at the moment are 28gram 7 1/2's and 24 gram 7 1/2's. Are these enough to bring down a crow/rook?

Ive used them on pheasants with good results though a few were hit a bit hard. :thumbs:

[dunganick]

5's are ideal for crow/rook what ever

 

6's tend to be a bit on the light side i find, but will do the job if you put the pattern in the right place

 

anything smaller is no good in my opinion

[Natures_son]

Next question then how much is 250 5's gona set me back? any makes to go for how many grams etc etc :thumbs:

[deadeye ive]

NS, just put down a dozen rabbits with spilt guts and the eyes removed, that will bring them in :thumbs:

 

 

 

 

 

LB

LB

 

Why remove the eyes as well ................Is it to give the impression they've already been pecked at ?

 

Ive

 

NS

 

Around £30ish .............And as your not overly concerned about etiquette plastic wads will be cheaper

[RAMMER BURT]

:thumbs: RC SIPE will be £32 quid in 32g 5 or 6's they are crow stoppers out and out

[Natures_son]

cheers lads looks like a trip down the gun shop is in order :thumbs: