ellebarto Posted May 5, 2011 Report Share Posted May 5, 2011 Anyone read the articale on decoying crow and magpies in this months BASC mag? Gave me a few ideas for decoying and I'm half thinking about buying an owl decoy, maybe a few maggies, already got my flocked crows and then making a nest for my hens eggs! Question is before I launch into this full tilt as I usual do with new advice, is it realisitc? Is an owl decoy (that looks a bit ****) and a home made next with a broken egg in it really going to attract crows and magpies? My permissions are almost barren right now and I'm desperate for some sport of any kind. The BASC article is talking baout air rifles but I guess it owul dapply to .22 rifles or even the shotgun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_R Posted May 5, 2011 Report Share Posted May 5, 2011 I have successfully shot magpies (with the air rifle) by using a fake nest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellebarto Posted May 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2011 I have successfully shot magpies (with the air rifle) by using a fake nest. Did you make your own nest? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
semiautolee Posted May 5, 2011 Report Share Posted May 5, 2011 does basc come out monthly?? iv just joined basc 2 weeks ago and iv got march/aprils issue here.......im guessing the crow bit isnt in my issue?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_b_wales Posted May 5, 2011 Report Share Posted May 5, 2011 I've got the small and eagle owl decoys, and have never had any success with them. Having said that, I'm going to try and place the eagle owl decoy on a branch, with some crows decoys above it. This should give the birds confidence to mob it. Steve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docholiday Posted May 5, 2011 Report Share Posted May 5, 2011 People I have talked to say Owls make no difference, ask Stevie b Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellebarto Posted May 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2011 does basc come out monthly?? iv just joined basc 2 weeks ago and iv got march/aprils issue here.......im guessing the crow bit isnt in my issue?? No sorry its quarterly. Dont know whay I said monthly! As a principle of decoying it sounded to simple and good to be true. If I can find an owl cheaply enough might give it a go. The nest and egg thing sounded stupid to me but at the moment I'm consdiering any and all hair brained schemes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_R Posted May 5, 2011 Report Share Posted May 5, 2011 (edited) Did you make your own nest? Yes, I ripped out some long grass and twisted them into the right shape. I actually ate a few eggs, having very carefully popped just the end off the shell, and placed the empties into the "nest" in such a way as to hide the broken end. What the magpies would do is check them out from a little distance, then drop down to the ground and hop their way over to the nest. I would track them in the scope and shoot when they stop. First time I tried it I got two magpies within about 20 mins of each other, I knew where they worked and set up in the right place. Those two had been eluding me for a couple of weeks till then. Next time out I had bought some little white fake eggs from eBay, from what I can recall I shot one magpie with those but have not been out after them since. Edited May 5, 2011 by john_r Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellebarto Posted May 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2011 Yes, I ripped out some long grass and twisted them into the right shape. I actually ate a few eggs, having very carefully popped just the end off the shell, and placed the empties into the "nest" in such a way as to hide the broken end. What the magpies would do is check them out from a little distance, then drop down to the ground and hop their way over to the nest. I would track them in the scope and shoot when they stop. First time I tried it I got two magpies within about 20 mins of each other, I knew where they worked and set up in the right place. Those two had been eluding me for a couple of weeks till then. Next time out I had bought some little white fake eggs from eBay, from what I can recall I shot one magpie with those but have not been out after them since. Interesting! Thanks for your input mate! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stubby Posted May 5, 2011 Report Share Posted May 5, 2011 Ive made/got all sorts of decoys for the crows, the large eagle owl being one of them, only time Ive really had success was on a day when it was blowing a gale, and my time was spent trying to hold down the hide Id suggest if using the owl, only use one crow decoy, as having a group of crow deeks, may stop single crows from coming in/down, loft the owl into a tree and the same with the crow deek, a little higher than the owl, then using a "blown" call, not electronic, put out some distress calls crows with young/nests should be on the defensive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver pigeon 3 Posted May 5, 2011 Report Share Posted May 5, 2011 I have had quite a lot of crows using a eagle owl decoy, I normally place it on top of a fence post near to the roost a lot of crows use. I found a good hide is a must as the slightest movement within the hide sends the crows away. This is with a Shotgun not an air rifle but i would imagine it would be a lot harder with a rifle as most of the birds just swoop down and do not land. This time of year is ideal as there are nests and chicks about so the crows are keen to mob any predator Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cannon Posted May 5, 2011 Report Share Posted May 5, 2011 Tried using a large Owl decoy and had absolutely no luck whatsoever. It seems to be more of an American thing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted May 5, 2011 Report Share Posted May 5, 2011 Try putting a Magpie and a Crow together on a rotary, I'm told it works well. Cat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted May 5, 2011 Report Share Posted May 5, 2011 for a laugh we tried my foxpro the other day, nothing more frustrating than a magpie in the tree 15 foot from the truck making a noise back at the caller I hasten to add with a .243 and hmr at our disposal no magpies were harmed during the experiment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scolopax Posted May 5, 2011 Report Share Posted May 5, 2011 I've had success with an eagle owl decoy and dead crow, the crows came in very aggressively. Main success was with terristorial birds so it was never going to get me a great deal of shooting at one sitting. Key though is having a good hide and staying out of sight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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