Plan of attack: CROWS

[cab09]

Theres a field on my permission which is currently getting pestered by crows and rooks. It isnt safe to shoot this field (s**s law ) as there is a village church, footpath, playing field and primary school on its boundaries. However I can set up in the corner, in the neighbouring grassed field, beneath a large tree and close to the flight path over. Thing is not sure which is the best plan of attack as I only have one full bodied flocked crow decoy, but have twenty flocked pigeon shells on springs, a rotary and a set of hypa flappers.

 

Options (I see) are:

 

OPTION 1 = set up the pigeon decoys and rotary with the hypa flaps and single crow just away from them. Pattern = the parallel 'highway' line out beneath the flightpath to try and entice them down off their flightpath

 

or

 

OPTION 2 = get a dead rabbit and put it in the field under the flightpath with the single flocked crow (have no crow caller though)

 

Not entirely sure which is best, especially since the field I will set up in is grassed. Which do you think I would be best of using or can someone recomend a better alernative??

 

PS I'll obviously add any shot crows to the set up, if and when..

 

Many thanks

CAB

[Ozzy Fudd]

ive never had much luck with pigeon decoys and crows, best results were under a flight line with 3 crow decoys; had my back to a hedge, crows came over it from behind me, swooped down to look at the decoys and then i gavce them the good news from behind

 

you know, that sounds like something fullbore would be saying...

 

[steve_b_wales]

The best way (in my opinion) to get good results on crows is to put as many decoys as you can in a random fashion, but facing the wind. I use a flapper with dead crow attached, and this is attached to an intermittent timer. Finally, I use a Primos power crow call, which is brilliant. Obviously, there has to be crows in the area, but this set up has proved to be deadly (for the crows) many times. The best bag I ever had was 128 in a few hours.

 

Hope this helps. Good Luck.

 

Steve

 

EDIT. The advantage of using a hand held call which you blow into is that because it's not electronic, it can legally be used to call in birds to shoot.

Edited May 24, 2009 by steve_b_wales

[dazza]

###############- obviously so you can photograph them.

[Ozzy Fudd]

###########- obviously so you can photograph them.

 

thats what mine is for, sometimes i love to just stand in a field watching the birds come in looking all puzzled

[Greenhunter]

Of your two options I'd try the rabbit. The other setup is more to give the pigeons more confidence to come in but since you are not trying for pigeon it would seem a waste of time.

The other suggestions are all good but if you haven't got the kit you're a bit stuck!

[cab09]

Didnt manage to get out over the weekend as got called out to work at the last minute

 

I did manage to pop and get another few flocked crow decoys though and a crow/rook caller (Acme).

 

Should hopefully get to go out this weekend.....will keep you all informed. Going to dry the rabbit with my decoys and caller and put any dead birds on the rotary.

 

Mind you the Acme caller sounds more like a duck, think I need a bit more practice with it!! (seems quite a high pitch 'squark' if you know what I mean??)

 

Plan B will be the owl.....but yet another purchase the wife wont be too pleased about I've read a few posts about the owl, the crows dont seem to like him...a good trick me thinks

 

Thanks for the help.

[MerseaDavid]

I would loft one of you crow decoys at the top the tree and the crows will come into it.

 

It has worked for me many times.

[malkiserow]

Try the above, but the dead rabbit is well worth the try. SOme one on here suggested a bag of rubbish with some eggs visible. I tried this trick and it worked a treat, Tesco bag, some rubbish and the critical EGGS. I am drying a rabbit skin to see if this works.

 

I don't have a caller as they are illegal for shooting. I've not wanted one either as the rubbish or rabbits work a treat for me. The owl sometimes works but not always - IMHO.

[cab09]

I've read a few times about the bag of rubbish and eggs, will try that too. Probably a daft question but what is termed rubbish in the bag... things like veg peelings, etc or anything from my kitchen bin??

 

The Acme caller is manual not eletronic.

 

Thanks again for the help

[steve_b_wales]

I made a bag of 'rubbish' by attaching tins, bread wrapper, cardbard box etc to a carrier bag and staking the bag into the ground. I placed some dog biscuits and some bits of bread around the carrier bag. It attracted many magpies and a few jackdaws, but no crows.

[steve_b_wales]

Only electronic callers are illegal (I'm almost sure) to call birds in to shoot. Ones than are hand held and blown are not illegal.

[shotgun666]

try this,,,,rubbish with half a dozen eggs and a small yellow rubber duck,,crows go mad over them,,place the bag out in the field as people have said,,scatter bits of waste food about place eggs within two feet of the bag,,with 1or 2 rubber ducks,,, the type you would use in the bath,,, and you will see crows and magies fight to get to these...100% works for me and people i know,,,,goodluck

BUT ALWAYS TAKE YOUR RUBBISH HOME

ONCE YOUR FINISHED :look: