flocknocker Posted October 9, 2007 Report Share Posted October 9, 2007 Hello All, Writing to you here from the state of Ohio, USA. Me and a few friends have become obsessed with crow hunting and upon stumbling upon your site, I have found the "magnets" and bouncers you use to be something I would like to try. (Nobody in the states have even heard of them) I am an able welder, and would very much appreciate plans some so I may build my own. We occasionally shoot pigeons (they are scarce!!) but have a few crow roosts that number the 75000 mark at peak migration. 200 bird shoots are the norm for 2 guys. I think the addition of the magnets and bouncers would be awesome! Any other suggestions would be appreciated. You guys overseas seem to be 10 years ahead of us in these kind of gadgets. Thanks in advance, Flocknocker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter_zero Posted October 9, 2007 Report Share Posted October 9, 2007 Hello All,Writing to you here from the state of Ohio, USA. Me and a few friends have become obsessed with crow hunting and upon stumbling upon your site, I have found the "magnets" and bouncers you use to be something I would like to try. (Nobody in the states have even heard of them) I am an able welder, and would very much appreciate plans some so I may build my own. We occasionally shoot pigeons (they are scarce!!) but have a few crow roosts that number the 75000 mark at peak migration. 200 bird shoots are the norm for 2 guys. I think the addition of the magnets and bouncers would be awesome! Any other suggestions would be appreciated. You guys overseas seem to be 10 years ahead of us in these kind of gadgets. Thanks in advance, Flocknocker Why don't you look up Andy Moss on Evil Bay and ask how much surface shipping would be? He sell complete machines for $100. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted October 9, 2007 Report Share Posted October 9, 2007 If you do a search on the Craft and DIY section, you will find a few threads on how to make your own bouncer/floater. I will also ask our nice member Hawkeye, if he would kindly PM you details of his home made rotary device. :blink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlander Posted October 10, 2007 Report Share Posted October 10, 2007 You guys overseas seem to be 10 years ahead of us in these kind of gadgets.Flocknocker Hello & Welcome Yank. Funny that 'cause most of our best wildfowling kit comes from your side of the pond. Take a look round some of the UK's shooting kit retail sites like our sponsor (commission please Will) for vermin deeks most of which will work/fit a range of gadgets. Can't imagine the cost of buying/shipping from here to there will break the bank only you will find our kit costs way more than similar stuff in the USA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caeser Posted October 10, 2007 Report Share Posted October 10, 2007 Hi, I've got to say that I think a battery powered flapper is the best for decoying crows. Its a lethal attractant for corvids. I'm sure there is a lot of people on here that will agree with me. Plus it's a lot lighter to carry with you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortune Posted October 10, 2007 Report Share Posted October 10, 2007 Hello and welcome corvoid batterer. :blink: I’ve never gone out to specifically shoot corvoids for sport. When you shoot these do you use any sort of decoy or are you roost shooting or what? Are you shooting them for sport or are you controlling an agricultural pest The only time that I have shot them is when they have been feeding on fallen wheat and trampling down big areas of standing crop. Please clarify what you are actually shooting. Over here crows are mainly solitary and don’t flock at all. Well as far as I know. Now rooks and jackdaws do flock up. Are you actually talking about crows or one of the corvoid family. Now you recon that we are 10 years in advance of you over there? more like 20 or more. I was playing about with this sort of thing back in the 80s. On the night of the great storm 16 October 1987 I was at a BASC road show in Maidstone and was discussing the pigeon flapper and a new type of humane killer with Sid Seemark the man who developed lots of interesting machines and bits of kit. I made flappers and bouncers when they weren’t for sale anywhere but I never used them very much because they were a pain in the ****. Springs are very difficult to control with unknown variables >> (the wind). When there was no wind the bouncer just sat there when it was windier the bouncer started to work and when it was gusty or fast the bouncer thrashed about like a roller coaster. Sometimes the decoy was thrown off the cradle frame and had to be put back. I thought of several ways to overcome this problem. Unless I could drive to the decoying spot I didn’t bother to take them as I had enough to carry. If you’ve done your recce and are in the right place they come in to the decks and if your not a bouncer probably wont make them. I can advise you of some of the problems that I encountered and some of the solutions that I used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flocknocker Posted October 10, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2007 Thanks to everyone for all the useful info...Mojo's are the bigthing over here..because waterfowl is the primary wingshooting. I have gathered enough info from everyone here to build my own magnet. Cabelas does carry it, but it is rather pricey. We are shooting crows over here. Yes , they flock!! We are targeting an area with a roost of 75000 plus birds during peak migration. I agre that the flappers will do wonders. I also thought a bird shaped helium balloon on fishing string would also attract!! All the best, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortune Posted October 10, 2007 Report Share Posted October 10, 2007 Have you ever thought of using an owl decoy ? crows hate them and mob them if they are out in the open during the day. Another draw is an opened rabbit carcass as are eggs. I can see a combination of an owl decoy being mobbed by the crows on your homemade magnet device. That ought to drag them into range and keep their attention on the decoy rather than you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurcherboy Posted October 10, 2007 Report Share Posted October 10, 2007 75000 :blink: Are you for real? You need to post pics of a 75K roost mate. BTW whatto and :blink: LB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurcherboy Posted October 10, 2007 Report Share Posted October 10, 2007 Have you ever thought of using an owl decoy ? crows hate them and mob them if they are out in the open during the day. Another draw is an opened rabbit carcass as are eggs. I can see a combination of an owl decoy being mobbed by the crows on your homemade magnet device. That ought to drag them into range and keep their attention on the decoy rather than you Fortune, 75000 do you think a whole rabbit will keep them on the 'scene' LB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invector Posted October 11, 2007 Report Share Posted October 11, 2007 I think I'm right in saying that there is an 80,000 rook roost, somewhere in the UK.? Norfolk I believe? Buckenham?? Edit: Just put '80,000 rooks' on Google, and the above statement is correct. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurcherboy Posted October 11, 2007 Report Share Posted October 11, 2007 I have just checked that and would love to see them doing the off in the morning. LB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortune Posted October 11, 2007 Report Share Posted October 11, 2007 Hey LB it was late and the 75k hadn’t sunk in. :blink: Come on, 75000 !! If they're all coming together at one roost site what the **** does anyone want a bouncer - flapper or any sort of decoy for? Just up and shoot. I recon a plastic Mack and umbrella might be useful though. O I forgot the bin bag tied on the gun barrels for corrosion protection. The only time I’ve ever seen anything like this was when jackdaws decided to roost in a small strip of wood at dusk. They flighted into the trees in their hundreds maybe in their thousands. There was no way of any sort of count. The noise was incredible. Suddenly as if a command had been given they all went quiet. I have never seen that wood used like that before or since. It was a kind of one of. I could have shot out if I had wanted to. But a bit pointless though. Not my kind of shooting. :blink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flocknocker Posted October 11, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2007 First off, you never shoot the roost.(And all 75000 dont arrive together,Einstein) We set up around 5 miles outside of the city. The fly out like the spokes on a wheel. An ideal day is getting groups of 10-20 decoying for a few hours in the morning then catch them going back to roost in the evening. Its like a consistent flow of new birds,like a big black windy river, you decoy what you can, some just fly out of range.... Check this out:(For all the disbelievers) crowbusters.com http://www.tribstar.com/news/local_story_0...=secondarystory Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortune Posted October 11, 2007 Report Share Posted October 11, 2007 Have you ever thought of using an owl decoy ? crows hate them and mob them if they are out in the open during the day. Another draw is an opened rabbit carcass as are eggs. I can see a combination of an owl decoy being mobbed by the crows on your homemade magnet device. That ought to drag them into range and keep their attention on the decoy rather than you Fortune, 75000 do you think a whole rabbit will keep them on the 'scene' LB Not all at one sitting. It might take two or three I was right !! It’s plastic macs and umbrellas . It says so in that link. Flockknocker I believed you all the time. It was that Lurcher Boy that was the doubting Thomas. Try an owl decoy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurcherboy Posted October 12, 2007 Report Share Posted October 12, 2007 I was a doubting Thomas but now I can see and would love to see them for real. LB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Beasley Posted October 21, 2007 Report Share Posted October 21, 2007 Thanks to everyone for all the useful info...Mojo's are the bigthing over here..because waterfowl is the primary wingshooting. I have gathered enough info from everyone here to build my own magnet. Cabelas does carry it, but it is rather pricey. We are shooting crows over here. Yes , they flock!! We are targeting an area with a roost of 75000 plus birds during peak migration. I agre that the flappers will do wonders. I also thought a bird shaped helium balloon on fishing string would also attract!! All the best, Jim @ Sillosocks.com carries plenty of our gear like Rotary machines, flappers etc in the States if you dont fancy Cabelas prices......... 402 651 0947 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starlight32 Posted October 22, 2007 Report Share Posted October 22, 2007 I think I'm right in saying that there is an 80,000 rook roost, somewhere in the UK.? Norfolk I believe? Buckenham?? Edit: Just put '80,000 rooks' on Google, and the above statement is correct. Yes that is correct, old Buckenham in Norfolk. Un-shot as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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