Decoy techniques for Crows?

[Ron L]

If this is the wrong forum, please accept my apologies.

 

In the U.S., we use a few whole body crow decoys with an electronic caller and have a moderate amount of success . I was just wondering that if I added more movement to my decoys, would I decoy more birds?

 

When hunting crows in England, do you hunt them using floaters/bouncers, rotary magnets, or flapping decoys?

 

Thanks.

 

Ron L

[invector]

I don't think we are allowed to use electronic callers in the UK.

[roe doe]

R L yes i use full body and shell flock coated crow decoys on spring sticks

"very similar to the avery ffb crow decoys "

and also use electric flappers , floaters, and a few pecking decoys

i don,t use my rotary on crows .

as for the electronic call we can not use them by law for shooting birds

[Cranfield]

Movement in any decoy layout whether its pigeons, crows, ducks etc., is an absolute plus in my opinion.

[lurcherboy]

Drop Topgunners a PM he and his crew shoots shedloads of corvids and I am sure he will be happy to help you out mate

 

 

 

LB

[pin]

Don't just wander out into the field with no hat, no gloves and a call and sit there for hours watching everything that isn't on the list wander past like there wasn't a care in the world. I can vouch for the fact that it doesn't work too well

[mossy835]

better if you have movement in the pattern

[Lord Geordie]

I have heard you can use Bird of prey decoys to attract the corvids attention they tend to dive at them bringing them in range of your SG.

 

Also people use a dead rabbit with the guts spilt out and a few decoys feeding.

 

plastic owls are supposed to be good to attract them too?

 

LG

[Hairy Pat]

Hi Ron

 

Make sure you are well hidden including a cover over your hide, the crows on my permissions tend to come in very high and can look down into the hide from quite a distance away. I also had to put black gaffer tape over the shiny bits of my extended chokes as the flash off these warned the birds. It is a good idea to vary the position of the hide as they soon learn, I have had crows landing 60 yards out from my hide walking up and down and calling to warn other crows of my position, sadly I just had the shootie and not the .17hmr or I would have taught them a new trick. They are clever and they learn, and this makes them more interesting to shoot than any other bird in my opinion.

It is a shame we cannot electronically call them in as this is an effective way of getting them close.

 

Pat

[invector]

How do you KNOW your extended chokes were scaring the birds?

[leeboy]

Movement will help. Put plenty of decoys down all facing different directions. Use a hide preferably, camo is up to personal preference. A head net or face mask is a must.

 

If there is somewhere you can perch a couple of sentry birds overlooking your pattern this makes things look more natural. Tip, dont have the sentry birds looking in your direction !

 

Crows have excellent vision and spot movement in an instant.

 

As long as you stay still until the last second before mounting your gun and keep your face covered you will shoot crows.

 

I've heard loads of stories about the supposed intelligence of crows and I think from experience that its nonsense.

 

Keep still and covered.

 

Leeboy