reedbradshaw Posted March 27, 2008 Report Share Posted March 27, 2008 i havnt really shot crows before ( except the odd one when after rabbits ) but i have been granted permission on 170 acres of land from a local farmer who has a massive problem with crows!!! this at the moment is the only permission i have and wouldnt like to disapoint the farmer by not shooting a great deal of them! what tactics would you all use for this ? he has just called saying there is literally 100s of crows on one particular corn field he has just drilled and has said i can go any time! this is the first proper permission i have and wouldnt like to get kicked off it due to not culling enough crows :blink: heres the gear i have Falcon FN19 .22 complete with silencer & 3x9x40 scope ( no mill dots though ! ) Camo clothing A flask of tea if i have to sit and wait !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big_Sam Posted March 27, 2008 Report Share Posted March 27, 2008 Right you are going to need some decoys or dead crows. Set them up about 20 yards out from the edge of the field, hide in the hedge and shoot them. I have had them come within a few metres if you are well enough concealed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveieP Posted March 27, 2008 Report Share Posted March 27, 2008 I'm over at Dronfield, if you need help on the weekends.... have gun will travel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr smith Posted March 27, 2008 Report Share Posted March 27, 2008 Right you are going to need some decoys or dead crows. Set them up about 20 yards out from the edge of the field, hide in the hedge and shoot them. I have had them come within a few metres if you are well enough concealed. Maybe i've read this wrong,but why would you want to shoot your decoys. :blink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reedbradshaw Posted March 27, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2008 how many decoys would i need ? any one got any reccomendations to what make etc ? half body or full body ? how much am i looking to pay per decoy ? can someone post a link :blink: ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr smith Posted March 27, 2008 Report Share Posted March 27, 2008 how many decoys would i need ? any one got any reccomendations to what make etc ? half body or full body ? how much am i looking to pay per decoy ? can someone post a link ? http://www.ukshootwarehouse.co.uk/ Might be a good start. :blink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reedbradshaw Posted March 27, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2008 many thanks, ill have to try this at home as im currently at work and that website comes under "war, weapons and or terrorism!!!" just because it has the word shoot in!! but can anyone answer my other questions ? how many decoys etc ? and how would i go about using them ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roadkill Posted March 27, 2008 Report Share Posted March 27, 2008 http://www.crowbusters.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reedbradshaw Posted March 27, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2008 many thanks, i think ill buy a few deeks and just have a lie down in a hedge and experiment that way : ) anyone find using crow decoys better than a owl ? or the other way round ? ( i always wondered what the plastic owls were for in the local gun shop ! ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roadkill Posted March 27, 2008 Report Share Posted March 27, 2008 dont bother with the owl mate , just get a load of crow decoys and spread them out , also stick some on top of a hedge like a sentry on watch out .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reedbradshaw Posted March 27, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2008 sounds good, cheers for advice again :blink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Browning Posted March 27, 2008 Report Share Posted March 27, 2008 If you can lay your hands on a dead rabbit or two add those to the pattern, on their backs with stomachs opened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reedbradshaw Posted March 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2008 ok thanks for the advice....wow so much advice in just one day ! my gun shop is usually helpfull but unlike you lot hes trying to sell me something at the end of the day!! im going out this afternoon with the gun after work, cant wait! hope it gets brighter though & hope it stops raining ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dusk2dawn Posted March 28, 2008 Report Share Posted March 28, 2008 i havnt really shot crows before ( except the odd one when after rabbits ) but i have been granted permission on 170 acres of land from a local farmer who has a massive problem with crows!!! this at the moment is the only permission i have and wouldnt like to disapoint the farmer by not shooting a great deal of them! what tactics would you all use for this ? he has just called saying there is literally 100s of crows on one particular corn field he has just drilled and has said i can go any time! this is the first proper permission i have and wouldnt like to get kicked off it due to not culling enough crows heres the gear i have Falcon FN19 .22 complete with silencer & 3x9x40 scope ( no mill dots though ! ) Camo clothing A flask of tea if i have to sit and wait !! Hi RBS, What your farmer is looking for is an end to the problem, something missed so far, I get these calls regularly, how to go about shooting them has already been covered but you need to leave the field at the end of the day with a number of rooks/crows hanging from 6ft sticks, to keep them up away from charlie, break the wings so they flap in the wind, avoid footpaths obviously. If its a large field start putting them up at the furthest corner to concentrate the birds towards you also so you can return to your hide spot next day. So add sticks and twine to your flask Do you have a shottie? If not think about getting one as you now have a sizeable permission. Since corvids and rooks in particular are the last ones to bed, you might get a late evening finish, almost til dark and still waylay them as they flight home. Good luck and make sure you leave the farmer your number, he will call you every year if you do a good job for him. D2D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reedbradshaw Posted March 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2008 thanks again the farmer wants to me to go tonight show he can show me round and go shooting tomorrow with him. i am thinking about getting a shotgun and the farmer ( who i have known for years ) supports this and is coming out with the shotgun tomorrow with me to "show me how its done with a proper gun!" as he puts it!! he says he has got two shotguns two rimmies and said he can borrow me one as long as he comes round with me but i quite like the idea the rifle tomorrow either mine or one of his rimmies ! other than that im so pleased i finally got permission whats right on my door step with such a top farmer. ill hopefully be posting pictures of the land and hopefully plenty of corvids at my lap!!! many thanks again you have all been a great help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spynappels Posted March 29, 2008 Report Share Posted March 29, 2008 Just be careful about shooting birds with the rimmie, you should never use a rimfire to shoot into the air as there is no backstop. Its ok if you are shooting down at them from a height as the ground acts as backstop. Using a shotgun is very satisfying though! Especially if you are comfortable using a light .410 or something. Just my 2p worth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terrier Posted March 29, 2008 Report Share Posted March 29, 2008 As Browning said, try to shoot some rabbits first and use them as bait. I have done this many times, and also use (dummy)eggs, with great satisfaction. Crows are very cleaver, they have seen you long before you see them, be in your hide before the sun set, full camo and silent (no cups of thea, crackers etc ) Also try to have a couple good hides, so you can change place from day to day, as I said before, they now when you are there after a (litlle) while. Airguns are usefull for Crows, but a couple guy's with a shottie are more effective in a short time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reedbradshaw Posted March 31, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 Just a quick update to how i got on started shooting around 10:00 am it was cold which was made worse by a strong wind blowing towards me. i decided to sit at the top of the field under a lorry trailer and sat and waited for crows to land. there was 100's ( not joking either, it was like a black carpet in places! ). after 15 minutes i shot my first one which landed about 10yard from where i was layed. i then used this as a decoy but after a hour & half of waiting nothing else came, i noticed that they was all down in the bottom of the field which was around a 10 minute walk so understandably well out of range of the rimfire!!! the farmer then came round on his tractor and i sat with him. i was amazed at how the crows dont even move when we drove by. this resulted in a few more dead crows! about 1pm i decided to do some barn shooting with my air rifle. shot 2 magpies and 2 collared doves. really enjoyed my self and cant wait to go next week, the farmer said i can go sometime this week as well as he seemed quite pleased with me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vagabond Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 Nice one Mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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