How clever are jackdaws ?

[30-6]

I'm asking this as a serious question.

 

Local farmer has hundreds of jackdaws that feed on his farm and in the nearest village and all come to his yard and surrounding trees to congregate, not roost, they fly away each evening. When the young are all out, there really are hundreds. As it's local i go there quite regulary to try to thin them out. I could easily shoot 40 + just sitting on a stool next to a tractor. It's got to a point now though that as soon as i park up in the yard they dissapear.

 

The farmer says next day when he's there alone they are back.

 

Is it possible that they recognise me as a threat, and can pick out me from other people ?

[mr williamson]

absolutely! i mainly shoot crows rooks and jackies as i do alot of pest controlling on alot of local farms. there not quite as witty as crows and decoy easier but there still very wary once they have been shot a few times. iv steted parking my car in the barn as the reconise the car, sounds silly but it true. get down first light set up some decoys and sit tight and you should have a good day by the sounds of it. get some floaters out as jackdaws love them. they come into a patern like pigs to a troff if you get the set up right. ive had em landing when iv bin in the feild seting there mates out in the patern that id just shot.

good luck mate

Edited August 29, 2012 by mr williamson

[pigeon pete]

absolutely! i mainly shoot crows rooks and jackies as i do alot of pest controlling on alot of local farms. there not quite as witty as crows and decoy easier but there still very wary once they have been shot a few times. iv steted parking my car in the barn as the reconise the car, sounds silly but it true. get down first light set up some decoys and sit tight and you should have a good day by the sounds of it. get some floaters out as jackdaws love them. they come into a patern like pigs to a troff if you get the set up right. ive had em landing when iv bin in the feild seting there mates out in the patern that id just shot.

good luck mate

whats the best pattern to set out crows ,ive just dotted them about and about 2m apart and a century look out ?

[wildfowler.250]

They are really easy to decoy. I just use a random pattern

[mr williamson]

whats the best pattern to set out crows ,ive just dotted them about and about 2m apart and a century look out ?

theres mo uniform pattern to follow as such but just make look as you see them feeding thats all i do and it works well. leave a kill zone as you would when decoying pigeons and thats all realy. there quite quick so be ready to take your shot. and try not to fire at large groups there best shot at in small numbers or singles. the more you kill the more they think there mates are landing in the pattern. but if there 5 and you kill 2 ,3 know not to come back as they know its danger then. im owt nearly every weekend at different farms and thats my take on them.