Magpies are gay Posted April 6, 2004 Report Share Posted April 6, 2004 How dwo you crow deek? Do you just wack them out randomly over about 30yards and hide in a near by bush? or is it more complocated than that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mel b2 Posted April 7, 2004 Report Share Posted April 7, 2004 hi mag im not an expert on crow/rook decoying i was asking the same question myself a few months back. as with pigeon decoying what works one day wont work the next but the best all round method ive found is to use a random pattern around 25/30 mtr in front of your hide use a crow caller to get their attention but as they approach stop blowing the caller or they spot you.build the best hide you can manage preferably a couple of days in advance to give them time to get used to it but probably the most important thing is dont move until the last minute or they will spot you and flare away.some days they will respond to 6/8 decoys and some days just 1 decoy with a broken egg at its feet you will find that some days they will drive you mad with frustration by flying just out of gun range and the next day they will be suicidal hope that makes sence and hope it helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tody27 Posted April 7, 2004 Report Share Posted April 7, 2004 after reading the sporting gun article a couple of months ago I decided to have a go today. I put out a dead pigeon with white feathers scattered around it. I then put a jackdaw I had shot earlier on a lander about 1m from pigeon. I sat right in the hedge, which was very uncomfortable as I was sat in a boggy ditch, but at least I was well camoflauged. Two crows came flying around chattering to jakky,- they wouldnt come down but they were in range, bang - bang and both down. :blink: I am sure that if I had, had a call they would have come down to feast- my guess is they were checking the bird out too see if it was a decoy. tody Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eugene molloy Posted April 8, 2004 Report Share Posted April 8, 2004 First a couple of definitions… Crows…what most people call crows are either rooks or jackdaws. Crows are reasonably solitary birds and don’t move in big bunches. They are notoriously difficult to bring into shooting range. Decoying….the artificial decoys currently available have not had the development that pigeon ones have. In consequence they are a bit crude, and all those I’ve got tend to shine. I’m told that a magnet with rooks or jackdaws instead of pigeons works well; I have never tried it so I can’t say for definite. Seems logical though. The basic principles are the same as for pigeon shooting; observation of flight lines and feeding area is all important. Good concealment (as others have said) is vital. Decoy patterns seem to be less important than with pigeons though; I’ve found putting out two big clumps with a killing ground between them works well enough. They are apparently brighter than woodies, if you give them a pasting on Monday they won’t be around on Tuesday in anything like numbers. Something to look out for as the corn harvest approaches is areas alongside fences and hedges that the birds have flattened. They “dive bomb” the standing crop from off the fence, and then walk into it getting at the fallen heads. I’ve see as much as an acre of wheat knocked to pieces like this; drives farmers demented which is your opportunity. Any that you shoot falling into undamaged areas you just have to leave. Of all the dodges I’ve tried the one that worked best outside arable areas was an old sheepskin rug! Sounds crazy I know, but if you put a few deeks on top of one that you’ve plumped up to look roughly like a dead beast, and a couple more on the ground nearby they will come in quite confidently. Have fun, Eug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magpies are gay Posted April 8, 2004 Author Report Share Posted April 8, 2004 Do they land? or just fly over? (for shot guns) or do they land in a near tree and look? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eugene molloy Posted April 9, 2004 Report Share Posted April 9, 2004 Rarely land. A bit too cute. Eug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teal Posted April 9, 2004 Report Share Posted April 9, 2004 Have tried making false "nest" in garden use clingfilm as base (so it remains visible and doesn't merely soak into ground), break open one hens egg, make it look quite nest like, place another egg in there. Sit and wait. Shot a magpie and two hooded crows this way (airifle). Bag of frozen chips. I just used half a dozen on the ground, big ones so they couldn't fly off with them (airifle so had to wait for stationary), but presumably a greater number of chips = greater pulling effect Magpies jackdaws etc.. go crazy for this they think they are giant maggots, shot 6 daws, 7 rooks, 3 magpies (2 were younguns), 2 hooded crows with this in my garden. This was with airifle, as it was in my garden. After shooting 1 daw the sky turned black and hundreds of daws + rocks began circling overhead, I kept low, if in the country would have had many left and rights, but none of them landed. They are very curious of things, sometimes to their downfall. Always are very interested if you shoot one of their mates, sometimes will begin to fly off see their mate drop down and turn around. Has to be seen to be believed, they have their weaknesses! Regards, Teal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magpies are gay Posted April 10, 2004 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2004 HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, chips!! , did you use them frozen still, or were they defrosted? I think i might have to try both of them! Thanks very very very very much teal!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aled_cky Posted April 10, 2004 Report Share Posted April 10, 2004 we have crows / pigeons after our rams/ewes and lambs feeders/troughs they go there oftenly from the cliffs were i live near. ive placed a crow decoy(only had 1) ontop and near a feeder/trough and out some barely/oats by its feet. the pigeons flew down fast. had 4/10 with my single shot bolt action .410.. just bought 4 Woodpigeon deeks. dont have any woodpigeon by me only Rock Doves. Aled Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magpies are gay Posted April 12, 2004 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2004 Teal--- I have made a pigeon nest, put it under a big oak tree, in the corner of a weat field. Im gonna put 1 real broken egg about 50cm away from the nest. And i have got a rubber egg at home, That im gonna put inside the nest. And put my magpie decoy out aswell! I rekon it will work! CHeers!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teal Posted April 12, 2004 Report Share Posted April 12, 2004 Good luck mate, if its your first time out you may even get away with putting a handful of frozen chips near the nest, say 20 feet to one side. You didn't say if you are using a shotgun or airifle? Good luck, let us know how you get on, you have to remember not to make the nest "too obvious" (unless with shotgun as they'll be curious enough to come in range) but at the same time you have to make sure they do see it!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magpies are gay Posted April 13, 2004 Author Report Share Posted April 13, 2004 Im using a airrifle!! It kind of worked, (i aint use the magpie decoy) When i was waiting, i saw 3 carrion crows feeding on the other side of the field, About 200yards away! i was watching them through my scope! (summit 2 do) Then i noticed one stretched up!! and it goes "caw caw" and they all flew to wards me and sat in the oak tree it was under! But i couldnt get a shot at them! i dont know if came becuase they saw the eggs becuase they didnt go down and eat them! awell, i will try again soooon! Cheers any way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeadShotHoncho Posted February 15, 2008 Report Share Posted February 15, 2008 In regard to shooting in gardens I have a couple of flightlines for them in my back garden and they sit on the wires in the field behind. If they are flying over what should I use to attract their attention and bring them in to land (using a HW80 air rifle). Also do they spot you if you are shooting out of a window or are they used to seeing people in windows. many thanks HSH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anser2 Posted February 16, 2008 Report Share Posted February 16, 2008 Eugene while you are right to suggest that crows are usualy single birds or in pairs while rooks occour in large groups is true on the whole but not always. Crows will flock , usualy immature non breeding birds in winter. I sometimes have groups up to about 20 feeding on the fields close to my reserve . In addition non breeding crows will form a communal roost at times . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sundowner Posted February 17, 2008 Report Share Posted February 17, 2008 Chips??:lol: do you serve them with tomato sauce or mayonnaise? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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