Corvids

[maxwell]

Sunday and an early start with an invite from my good friend Si-Snipe, the corvids have been hitting the food in the farm, I set up in the yard with my back to the bails and Si on the field at the opposite side of the farm under the Flightline to cover as much as possible, we shot until mid afternoon when it went quiet and rain closing, I picked 57 and Si 142 of mixed corvids.

[jall25]

Thats mega !

[oowee]

Impressed you could pick them. Usually all over the roofs.

[Spr1985]

Well done gents! A productive outing 👏🏻

[maxwell]

On 25/07/2022 at 17:15, jall25 said:

Thats mega !

We enjoyed the day

On 25/07/2022 at 17:35, oowee said:

Impressed you could pick them. Usually all over the roofs.

I was lucky with the wind direction and set up shooting away from the barns so only the odd one went amiss

On 25/07/2022 at 20:55, Spr1985 said:

Well done gents! A productive outing 👏🏻

Thank you, the farmer was happy.

[Brad93]

That's some shooting! 

[wymberley]

On 25/07/2022 at 17:35, oowee said:

Impressed you could pick them. Usually all over the roofs.

Yep, that was a good effort.

Posting really though as if you don't mind I would like to pick your brains and benefit from your experience with the corvids. We've never had a lot of pigeon here. My record for one afternoon was 96 (I've always regretted packing up before counting them into the bag as I know I had 4 dead in an impenetrable blackthorn hedge and also plenty of time to grab  four more). This one session (stubble turnips) was way beyond the norm and now getting into double figures is difficult. The drillings are now a non event with regard to the pigeon as is this year in particular with the stubble. The weather has meant that the straw remained sturdy and the ears firm and so there's been very little spillage and therefore very few pigeon.

Although there's always been a good number of corvids on the neighbouring farm, I had cause to speak to the farmer and happened to mention the number which is unprecedented this year. She said what you've just seen is nothing compared to earlier. I have no doubt that come the drilling, I can pull these over the old railway line (I know better to ask the good lady following the reaction to a gentle hint on my part some years ago) on to my permission which will be drilled shortly. Corvid attack on this is now far more damaging than that by the pigeon currently is.

So, I am not too sure about the best shot size when decoying these as the two sizes that I've heard mentioned, one seems somewhat large and the other the opposite. So, what would you recommend for  decoying - I'd rather settle for a little further out ( not excessive) rather than have them veer off because I tried to be too clever.

Many thanks.

[Stonepark]

33 minutes ago, wymberley said:

So, I am not too sure about the best shot size when decoying these as the two sizes that I've heard mentioned, one seems somewhat large and the other the opposite. So, what would you recommend for  decoying - I'd rather settle for a little further out ( not excessive) rather than have them veer off because I tried to be too clever.

Many thanks.

Whether roost shooting or decoying, I use 28g no7.5 White Gold actually a UK no7, but any similar 5% antimony, 2.4mm (UK7, EU 7.5), will do.

Crows, Rooks and Jackdaws are not armour plated and range from half the size of a cock pheasant down to a quarter the size, therefore the more pellets in you pattern the better.

Jackdaws and Crows at the first hint of movement veer off, whereas rooks will keep going on their original line much like a pheasant,  and again I have found that lighter chokes (quarter or light mod max) and more pellets ensure more kills.

I have no issues dropping corvids to 50yds with the above cartridges and nearly all are dead with roughly 150 pellets in 30 inch circle at that range.

Edited August 19, 2022 by Stonepark

[oowee]

2 hours ago, wymberley said:

Yep, that was a good effort.

Posting really though as if you don't mind I would like to pick your brains and benefit from your experience with the corvids. We've never had a lot of pigeon here. My record for one afternoon was 96 (I've always regretted packing up before counting them into the bag as I know I had 4 dead in an impenetrable blackthorn hedge and also plenty of time to grab  four more). This one session (stubble turnips) was way beyond the norm and now getting into double figures is difficult. The drillings are now a non event with regard to the pigeon as is this year in particular with the stubble. The weather has meant that the straw remained sturdy and the ears firm and so there's been very little spillage and therefore very few pigeon.

Although there's always been a good number of corvids on the neighbouring farm, I had cause to speak to the farmer and happened to mention the number which is unprecedented this year. She said what you've just seen is nothing compared to earlier. I have no doubt that come the drilling, I can pull these over the old railway line (I know better to ask the good lady following the reaction to a gentle hint on my part some years ago) on to my permission which will be drilled shortly. Corvid attack on this is now far more damaging than that by the pigeon currently is.

So, I am not too sure about the best shot size when decoying these as the two sizes that I've heard mentioned, one seems somewhat large and the other the opposite. So, what would you recommend for  decoying - I'd rather settle for a little further out ( not excessive) rather than have them veer off because I tried to be too clever.

Many thanks.

I have little choice as I shoot with my cocker and want to save his hearing in the hide so I am using no5 30g 20g sub sonics. Not cheap at £380 a thou for the last but they have the advantage when used around buildings of not putting the birds off so much. I would use 6's in a 12g but the 20g with 5's is not so far behind. The birds here will number in the 1000's around the farms. I will shoot big numbers at the start of the year. I also use a half roof to sit back into and work hard on the hide so that they rarely veer and fully commit. If it's new drillings I will get there before day light. For deeks I will use a few plastic full bodies to start but then prop up the dead with a stick up into the skull and pushed in the ground. Later they get more wary and multiple shooters is a bonus. 

My dog is used to collecting the birds and now will hit them hard if they are still kicking and rag them. Not great when he gets on pheasant but it is what it is. I just need to be careful when shooting around buildings if machinery is about. 

[Ultrastu]

For me - the rules on corvids are .

Have a hide set in a hedge with very little around it like trees or shade .so in the wide open and get your hide tucked in as tight as possible with natural  vegetation. 

Have a roof or half roof giving u shade and stops them seeing in from above 

As a bird comes over slowly Wait ' wait and wait a bit more till they look real close .when you drop it and pace it out you will be surprised at actually how far away it is .

I like 30 grm no 6 shot . 

Plenty of crow decoys on the ground not set too close to the hedge line if you can get them (depends on the flight line ) to come over from behind you set the deeks out maybe 40 _ 60 yds in the field .this way they are above you when still deciding wether to land or not .

Good luck. 

[wymberley]

7 hours ago, oowee said:

I have little choice as I shoot with my cocker and want to save his hearing in the hide so I am using no5 30g 20g sub sonics. Not cheap at £380 a thou for the last but they have the advantage when used around buildings of not putting the birds off so much. I would use 6's in a 12g but the 20g with 5's is not so far behind. The birds here will number in the 1000's around the farms. I will shoot big numbers at the start of the year. I also use a half roof to sit back into and work hard on the hide so that they rarely veer and fully commit. If it's new drillings I will get there before day light. For deeks I will use a few plastic full bodies to start but then prop up the dead with a stick up into the skull and pushed in the ground. Later they get more wary and multiple shooters is a bonus. 

My dog is used to collecting the birds and now will hit them hard if they are still kicking and rag them. Not great when he gets on pheasant but it is what it is. I just need to be careful when shooting around buildings if machinery is about. 

Many thanks. I’ll keep the 20b for the pigeon and go with the 12 for these. I’ve found some 6&1/2s which I will just try while I’m looking for some 6s - can’t remember the last time I used them - sometime in the mid 70s.

[RyanMc]

On 19/08/2022 at 11:51, Stonepark said:

Whether roost shooting or decoying, I use 28g no7.5 White Gold actually a UK no7, but any similar 5% antimony, 2.4mm (UK7, EU 7.5), will do.

Crows, Rooks and Jackdaws are not armour plated and range from half the size of a cock pheasant down to a quarter the size, therefore the more pellets in you pattern the better.

Jackdaws and Crows at the first hint of movement veer off, whereas rooks will keep going on their original line much like a pheasant,  and again I have found that lighter chokes (quarter or light mod max) and more pellets ensure more kills.

I have no issues dropping corvids to 50yds with the above cartridges and nearly all are dead with roughly 150 pellets in 30 inch circle at that range.

Interestingly enough I had been using home loaded 28g 5s or 6s on decoys, but got a couple slabs of Hull trap 100 28g 7.5. Through 3/4 & full chokes it was dusted pigeons and crows at shorter distances, dropped them out to 60yrds no problems too (when I succesfully did my bit correctly!).

[maxwell]

On 19/08/2022 at 11:23, wymberley said:

Yep, that was a good effort.

Posting really though as if you don't mind I would like to pick your brains and benefit from your experience with the corvids. We've never had a lot of pigeon here. My record for one afternoon was 96 (I've always regretted packing up before counting them into the bag as I know I had 4 dead in an impenetrable blackthorn hedge and also plenty of time to grab  four more). This one session (stubble turnips) was way beyond the norm and now getting into double figures is difficult. The drillings are now a non event with regard to the pigeon as is this year in particular with the stubble. The weather has meant that the straw remained sturdy and the ears firm and so there's been very little spillage and therefore very few pigeon.

Although there's always been a good number of corvids on the neighbouring farm, I had cause to speak to the farmer and happened to mention the number which is unprecedented this year. She said what you've just seen is nothing compared to earlier. I have no doubt that come the drilling, I can pull these over the old railway line (I know better to ask the good lady following the reaction to a gentle hint on my part some years ago) on to my permission which will be drilled shortly. Corvid attack on this is now far more damaging than that by the pigeon currently is.

So, I am not too sure about the best shot size when decoying these as the two sizes that I've heard mentioned, one seems somewhat large and the other the opposite. So, what would you recommend for  decoying - I'd rather settle for a little further out ( not excessive) rather than have them veer off because I tried to be too clever.

Many thanks.

32#6 are ample for corvids, if you want a bit further tighten up your chokes a little

On 02/08/2022 at 01:26, Brad93 said:

That's some shooting! 

Thank you