Crow hunting questions

[C. Aaron Beck]

All this talk of crow hunting has piqued my interest. Seems one can hunt crows on Monday, Friday and Saturday year round in Mass. How does one set up?

[E Robert Fabian]

A half dozen decoys will help and a good mouth call and the biggest help is a digital game call or the older tape models. Locate farm land where there feeding. The spring migration north will be good but the fall flights are best.

[william faulk]

From an old Alabama Crow hunter..
Need a crow call...owl decoy...5 or six crow decoys.
First you have to be in an area where there are crows.
Place the owl decoy up as high as possible where it can be seen(dead tree,no leaves).
Set the crow decoys up 25-30 yards away from owl.
Blow call with short uggg,uggg,ugg.sounds...don't shoot untill you have 6 0r seven crows
flying in after the owl..# 6 is just right.
Clean crows,pluck all feathers,nail breasts to a pine board and roast over small fire with lots of hot sauce.When done throw away the crows and lick the board.

[charlie cleveland]

tried the pine board cooking once but did nit like all the splinters you get.....agood meal for a hungary man....you will like crow hunting..... charlie

[Francis Morin]

Which is much the same as for boiled Loon or Owl (where legal to bag them of course)-- Build a deep pit fire with a backstop, when down to hot coals, take your Dutch Over, filled 1/2 way with lightly salted water, the plucked and dressed crows, and a rock about the size of a grapefruit- Cover, bury Dutch oven in the pit of hot embers and rake dirt over the top- let it be for at least 24-32 hours, when all is cool to hand touch, remove pot, lid, remove with tongs the rock- if you can slice the rock easily with a knife, your crows are table ready Bon Appetit!!:rotf::rotf::corn::cool::cool::cool::cool :

[Pete Lester]

A good blind, head to toe camoflage, and no movement is absolutely needed for success. Effectiveness of Owl decoys is hit or miss. Crow decoys are helpful, lots of dead crows in front of your blind even better. Flapping wing decoys draw their attention, spinning wing decoys not as much. Electronic crow callers work great, two going at same time with different sounds even better. Lots to like, lead shot, no daily limit, long seasons. Shoot a decoying duck you shot a nervous bird looking for the security of numbers. Shoot a decoying crow and you shot a pissed off bird looking for a fight. The best part, coyotes, fox, maggots, worms and bacteria like to eat them feathered and raw, no cleaning, no carrying them out, the original biodegradable target. Best live wing shooting in terms of action there is in the US. I prefer tight chokes and #6 shot. No matter how close you take them you can't hit a crow too hard.

PS. Crow hunting may open new opportunities for your other hunting pursuits. Many farmers have a disdain for crows and may grant you initial permission to hunt their land for crows, this can lead to a relationship that allows to hunt their land for other things as they get to know and trust you.

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[scott kittredge]

Pete, is that the day i only brought 103 shells ? yes i missed that 60 yd over head shot:rotf: we use 7/8th oz 6 's out of our 20 ga, 1 to 1 1/8 ths oz 6's or 7's out of our 12 ga, and 1 1/4 oz 6's out of our 10 ga. all tight ckoked for the most part. boy do the feathers fly on the close ones:) scott

[C. Aaron Beck]

Looks like some very successful shoots. Do they come in all at once or over the course of a day? Guess Ill need some decoys too. Thanks for the helpful pointers

[scott kittredge]

Looks like some very successful shoots. Do they come in all at once or over the course of a day? Guess Ill need some decoys too. Thanks for the helpful pointers

hi, pete and i ended that day at about 2:30 in the afternoon started at sun up. in oct. you can hunt all day when they are moving, we picked up 2 more birds after the pic. bring lots of shells if you shoot and hit 50 % you did outstanding!! (well that is us, were closer to 33%) when hunting alone you will hit more often than not but thats not fun hunting alone:rotf: good luck

[charlie cleveland]

i can understand not being able to hunt crows on SUNDAY ...but why cant you hunt them on tuesday wednesday and thursday....fellas them are good crow recipes...always wondered how long it took to cook a rock....need to post these recipes for cros in the cooking section where they will not soon be forgotten.... charlie

[charlie cleveland]

aint been crow hunting in several days...willgo this week you bows got me all revved up...got a 3 inch elsie i need to try out... charlie

[Francis Morin]

aint been crow hunting in several days...willgo this week you bows got me all revved up...got a 3 inch elsie i need to try out... charlie
Use crow dekes and somedove dekes for Barn Pigeons- feeding on spread cow poop in the snow- but I think- Model 12 weather here- let you know later- a 3" 12 Elsie and a "Black Duck"--sorts like bowling with a wrecking ball, but lotsa fun-and agree 100% with brother lester- no better target awing that a crow--but why stop at just one??:cool:

[E Robert Fabian]

The hunting days are limited because you are only allowed so many days shooting, do to a treaty with Mexico I believe.
Some states will allow hunting a few days a week so to offer the most opportunity for hunters.

[charlie cleveland]

huntem even on sunday in ole miss. byt there is a season on them unless they are bothering your garden.... charlie

[Theodore LeDurt]

We lay a 3-D deer target on the snow and sprinkle a little ketchup around. Sit back light our cigars and ooh and ah over each others guns while waiting for "candidates".

[John Dallas]

Just don't be killing that big, white-headed bird coming into the deer decoy:shock:

[E Robert Fabian]

We lay a 3-D deer target on the snow and sprinkle a little ketchup around. Sit back light our cigars and ooh and ah over each others guns while waiting for "candidates".

I like that one, it would work good for us in the spring season.

[Pete Lester]

Looks like some very successful shoots. Do they come in all at once or over the course of a day? Guess Ill need some decoys too. Thanks for the helpful pointers

Yes :rotf:

Sometimes they come in multiples, usually a few together but sometimes you find a mob of dozens even a hundred + swirling around overhead. Frankly that sucks, two shots, maybe one more and they are gone. Better to have singles and doubles come in every few minutes. There have been plenty of times we shoot some, then have an hour or an hour and a half of nothing in sight, we think about heading home and then they come in steady again for awhile. They share a similiar trait with ducks, you can go a long time without seeing any, hours, step outside the blind to pickup your decoys and there will be a crow trying to come in to the decoy spread when you are exposed.

[charlie cleveland]

sure enjoying this bunch of crow hunting fellas and there methods....willtry some of these methods maybe tommorrow...what time of the day do most of you fellas like to start the hunt....charlie

[Francis Morin]

sure enjoying this bunch of crow hunting fellas and there methods....willtry some of these methods maybe tommorrow...what time of the day do most of you fellas like to start the hunt....charlie For me- being retired- anytime after breakfast up until about Beer-thirty-- Pete is 100% right- camo is a must- I always use a face net--just like for hunting turkeys- and singles and small groups are your best shooting--but you have to be prepared for whatever-

All of God's critters have an "Achilles heel"- a weakness or trait that if you learn what it is, you can use that to your advantage- Deer don't usually look up, so elevated stands often help you bag a buck (where legal)-- Tom turkeys are like High School football players eyeballin' the Cheerleaders in their short skirts--they both have pretty much one thing in mind--

Crows are very smart, have keen eyesight, and a wary of man by nature. I have seen them fly off and then back to a dead carcass if the farmer goes by on his John Deere pulling the poop wagon-- but you walk out there with a gun in hand, hoping to pick off a few, and they skedaddle- Their biggest weakness is cowardice- IMO- no one crow will go after an owl or hawk, they'll wait for a gang and then mob attack- safety in numbers-- this is where having a well concealed group with repeating shotguns can run up a good score- allowing for multiple hits-- But one tip for sure- if you get a single coming in quietly and circling, make sure he's well within range and kill him, if not and he sees something amiss, or you shoot and miss- he'll alert the rest of the gang and you can kiss that set-up and change to score goodbye--

Crows are all wing and feathers- very little body mass=- so I like a 12 mod or full with No. 8 skeet loads 1 & 1/8 oz. And as they will die and be consumed by the Airborne prize patrol later, I don't waste shells finishing cripples- often crippled crows moving across a field will attract other crows within range- Good shootin'--:cool::cool:

[charlie cleveland]

to wet and miserable to hunt today..hpoe its better tommorrow...i agree them crows have sharp eyes and if you dont get him with that shot you might as well move on.. i have a bunch of no 9 shot that im going to load up and get rid of on them crows...i know that its not as good as 8s or 6 s but i need to get rid of it...in my 10 ga load with a 1 1/4 oz load does a mighty good job on squirls.... charlie

[Francis Morin]

to wet and miserable to hunt today..hpoe its better tommorrow...i agree them crows have sharp eyes and if you dont get him with that shot you might as well move on.. i have a bunch of no 9 shot that im going to load up and get rid of on them crows...i know that its not as good as 8s or 6 s but i need to get rid of it...in my 10 ga load with a 1 1/4 oz load does a mighty good job on squirls.... charlie-- Yes, I thought about it yesterday- on Sat on our way to the GR Hospital to visit my newest grandson, went by one of my many dairy farms- lotsa pigeons and crows in the rutted snow where the "poop wagons patrol" and few snomobilers dare to venture-- hitting the fan, hitting the studded belt- either way, messy-

But will try it this afternoon- gonna use no. 8 spreader loads in right tube of the big 12 2E- and a regular trap load of 8's in the left- But Charlie- I love no. nines- I got a chance to buy a flat of AA no. 9 12 skeet loads last summer from a friend- not reloads- $50.00- and I have shot 'em all up on barn pigeons and crows, and that dense pattern sure "cuts 'em a dusty" I think you'll love No. 9 in that 10 bore- Whoom and a big cloud of black feathers blots your vision- good shootin'---:bigbye:

[charlie cleveland]

that was a bargain for a case of shells regardless of shot size....not to many bargains left in ammo...wish i lived closer at least for a moment i would tag along and see if i could help dispatch one of those pesky black demons....i think i would bring my tried and true 10 ga ph hammerless gun...have never used it on crows but its murder on turkeys....weighed it the other day weighed 9 1/4 lbs was a little disapointed hoping it to weigh at least 10...ha back in my younger days i could handle those big guns with ease but since i havenot hauled in hay for a while im beginning to get out of shape...will probably have to start using a liter gun...well how did the crow hunt turn out francis...hope you got enough to mame a good mess for supper.. call me when they are done and that rock is ready to half.... charlie

[King Brown]

charlie, time for a true story about cooking crows. When my dad came home from the war, I was 13, and my dad, a bomber pilot, had spent 3 1/2 years as a POW in Stalag Luft III of The Great Escape fame. He would tell us kids when we turned up our noses that you can learn to eat anything. "I can eat anything," he said. I shot a young crow one day and when skinned thought it looked a lot like a spruce partridge. I cooked it and set it out with fixings when dad came home at lunch. He ate it without batting an eye. I never had the nerve to tell him, not even when I nursed him round-the clock for the last year of his life. my dad was quite a guy, charlie, but couldn't shoot or fish worth a damn. If you get a chance read about him in the book A Gallant Company, The Men of the The Great Escape by Jonathan F. Vance. It's the story of the most famous prison escape of all time.

[Francis Morin]

My regular Tower shoot gunning partner bought that flat of AA 12 skeet loads probably12-14 years ago at Gemmen's- now out of business-each box was marked $4.95. They are the older reifenstahl plastic molded red cases--my friend Ted Huff, a reloader from who laid de rail, says the newer cases have a different taper- anyway Bruce gave me a great deal- so I bought lunch that day--I usually use No 8's in my 12's as a compromise-

Today- well I couldn't find my flat of 12 spreader loads, so I took the 12 GHE instead- set up a camo net cover near some old farm equipment- cloudy- 32 degrees- 5 mph wind from my back- and set the K-mart foolies out in the snow by the spread poop- all kinds of bird tracks- pigeons, doves (a no-no) starlings, and then some crows-

I had off and on shooting- steady and good, but as Pete lester mentioned, with crows, like ducks- often times you set up and wait- then out of nowhere- Bingo-- I had mostly singles come in quietly- I carry a few Olt mouth calls with plenty of extra shells in the camo folding stool I use to keep my keister off the snow-but I seldom call, and if a bird is incoming, I never do- I hope he'll home in on the decoys I put out, get in range, and BOOM- ended up killing 8 crows and 3 barn pigeons- then packed up and headed to Burger Ding for a senior citizen coffee and a warm-up-- Best tool in my arsenal- a camo face net- if they can see the glare from your skin, they usually flare- pigeons, not so much--

Anyway, my friend, when you care to do so, send me a PM here with a shipping address and I'll get that box of 12 gauge once fired hulls down your way-- Best-- Francis--

[Pete Lester]

A good video of how it's done.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRHKxyErgZw&feature=related

[charlie cleveland]

that was some crow hunt....hope to be in on something like that some day...most of my hunts are sneak and move type...king brown thats a awsome story about your dad..i dont think i could have cooked a crow for my dad and got by with it....been a few times hes made me eat crow...ha i will get that book as soon as i can....ive seen the movie THE GREAT ESCAPE is this the story.. well im off to the hunt....charlie

[King Brown]

book and movie same, charlie, only there was no steve mcqueen running around on a motorcycle. The POW camp was all air crew, every one of allied side who got shot down. they had it better than other POWs because Herman Goering, head of the German air forces, considered them his personal prisoners. He once sent in beer for Christmas.

[Francis Morin]

My first wife's uncle Jack was a Lt. and a bombadier in the USAAC in Europe. Both he and my late father-in-law were raised in Milwaukee and were fluent in German-- Jack's B-17 was shot down on the Polesti/Rumania oil field bombing runs, and all the crew parachuted out safely- unlike the Japanese, who would either machine gun our pilots that bailed out, or fly into the parachute cords to cause death to the pilot- the Luftwaffe followed a more chivalrous code of conduct, and in spite of Goering ( or Goring with the umlat over the letter o) was in charge of the Luftwaffe Stalags--Jack often said that the worst part of the POW affair was that the Germans would take the American cigarettes out of the Red Cross packages and help themselves- Jack was assigned to work as an orderly in the Commandant's office, he wisely never let on that he could understand quite clearly all that was spoken in his presence--

The Commandant was a full Colonel (Oberst) with a Knight's Cross (Ritterkruze) with oak leaves and diamonds personally awarded to him by Goering, who may well have figured out early on that Germany would lose, with the Russians pushing in from the East and the Allies coming in from France, Belgium and Holland- Jack told me that one day a Gestapo Hauptsturmbannfuehrer (Major) came into the office with orders that all the Allied prisoners of the Jewish faith were to be shipped East- The Colonel told him: We removed all their dog tags, and all these men are under custody of the Luftwaffe, not the Gestapo or the SS- and further, he told the Major to "take a hike"- Brave man--

[charlie cleveland]

wind was blowing like crazy this afternoon on the hunt...i set up my owl on the edge of afield were crows usally hang out...i really had a good hiding place dont think a crow could have spoted me if theyhada come in...i hunted for an hour in the field decided to move locations i set up in another field with no luck at this location....tried the 3rd spot called on the crow call and one answered me here 3 crows came a mile high..said what the heck took a super long shot and didnot cut a feather....went to the house some days better off setting at the computer looking and talking about parkers.... charlie

[C. Aaron Beck]

Silly question but... Ever use retrievers to fetch em? Not sure he will let me out of the house with camo, shells and a gun without those sad eyes...

[Francis Morin]

Silly question but... Ever use retrievers to fetch em? Not sure he will let me out of the house with camo, shells and a gun without those sad eyes...-- Never thought about that- a Black Lab, mine is named Khartoum, after black birds- if you can keep your dog still, with all the noise of the calls and the crows screamin', like in brother Pete Lester's great video-- but--like woodcock, my guess is- crows might be repulsive to the nose of a retriever-and also, if you get a few cripples on the ground and squawking and moving, I leave them be- ads realism to the set-up and also makes the crows even madder- and a maddened crow is what you want- when they are in that state, they throw caution to the wind--:bigbye:

[charlie cleveland]

good question about the dog...i bet it would work out.now if youve got a blue tick hound like mine it want work out... charlie

[Theodore LeDurt]

Silly question but... Ever use retrievers to fetch em? Not sure he will let me out of the house with camo, shells and a gun without those sad eyes...


I wouldn't recommend it, as a crippled crow will go after a retrievers eyes, even while in the dogs mouth. It simply isn't worth getting your dog hurt over a crow.

[Pete Lester]

My old female Lab Cinders never picked up a crow on land, she'd bark at them and push them around. She would water retrieve them, maybe the water took the stink off them. Can't remember her fighting a wounded crow, if she did she made quick work of them. She had an interesting albeit bad habit. If a crippled duck did not fight she would deliver it to my hand alive. If she delivered a dead one that felt kind of spongy ie broken back, it put up a struggle that didn't end well for the duck :)

[Francis Morin]

I wouldn't recommend it, as a crippled crow will go after a retrievers eyes, even while in the dogs mouth. It simply isn't worth getting your dog hurt over a crow.-- Right-O. At our pheasant hunt club this past Sat- at the coffee break discussion inside the warm clubhouse, also heard that sandhill cranes if wounded, will do that as well. Some of our members are going on Spring hunts in the Dakotas-Neb areas--

Parkers were well used that day, both for the Tower shoot, where over 80% (est'd) of the released birds were killed, including some "flurry released hens) and then the post lunch pickup shoot/hunt as well. My GHE 12, a 12 VHE with original single trigger and ventilated rib, a 12 DHE with DT and again, orginal ventilated rib, and a friend's son with his 20 Trojan- also in evidence were several English doubles, even a hammer 12 bore-Great day indeed!!:bigbye:

[todd allen]

I learned how to "hunt" crows from this guy, Jerry Tomlin.
http://www.thecrowroost.com/
Full camo, blind, crow dekes, and a good electric call. Jerry does all of the calling with a set of mouth calls, which is infinitely more effective, if you know what you are doing.
I have found an ounce of 7 1/2's to be the ideal load.

[Pete Lester]

I have found that using 7.5's will result in higher number of flying cripples vs. using #6. Any shot size works close but as the range extends the larger shot size is more effective. #6 is a much better choice of shot size for crows in low to moderate velocity hunting loads that are more friendly to old guns and old shoulders.

[Francis Morin]

I have found that using 7.5's will result in higher number of flying cripples vs. using #6. Any shot size works close but as the range extends the larger shot size is more effective. #6 is a much better choice of shot size for crows in low to moderate velocity hunting loads that are more friendly to old guns and old shoulders.-- I bought a flat of 12 gauge AA skeet 1& 1/8 oz. No 9 shot for $50 from a friend who no longer shoots skeet- I would have preferred no. 8, but the price was right- two things to remember about crow shoots- (1) they are all feathers and wings and little body mass (2) if they flare on their incoming pass, shoot down at their feet-same as for flaring Canada geese- as they are dropping back and down-- I shot up all 250 of those skeet loads on barn pigeons and crows, using these shotguns: 12 PH 30" choked F&F, 12 GHE 28" choked Imp. Cyl. and Imp. Mod., 12 gauge Model 12 30" choked Full-all dropped both the flying poopsters and the "Black Ducks" like gangbusters-average range was 25 yards est'd.:whistle::whistle:

[todd allen]

We are talking decoyed birds here. We live in a major crow flyway, on a hill above a pecan orchard. To say that I have shot a few crows would be a major understatement.
A crow's body is not that much bigger than a pigeon, and 8's kill pigeons quite well out to 50 yds. or so. (ask me how I know) No. 6 shot is just fine on crows, and will increase downrange energy significantly, but payload size, or choke constriction has to be increased to maintain pattern density.
btw, when you live in the country, and can shoot in your backyard, it's easy to experiment with guns/loads. One day a friend and I were doing some looong range experiments on crows. My friend was ranging the flock with a range finder, and I was shooting at them with an Ithaca Mag 10, with 2 ounces of #7 shot.
Conclusion: 10 ga. mags kick too much for me!
:banghead:

[charlie cleveland]

what did the range finder say.....them old tens will kill crows at unbelieable ranges.... but you are rite they do kick some....charlie

[todd allen]

I think the tallest shot was 90 yds, straight up. Lotsa lead!
I patterned the 10 ga. @ 90yds, and the pattern was pretty skimpy, even with 2 oz. of #7's.

[Francis Morin]

I think the tallest shot was 90 yds, straight up. Lotsa lead!
I patterned the 10 ga. @ 90yds, and the pattern was pretty skimpy, even with 2 oz. of #7's.-- any game or varmint bird dead over head is a nice cross shaped target- but the lead, the "Hun In The Sun" factors on bright days, and the direct recoil on the shoulder pocket downward-almost akin to the greater felt recoil on the shoulder with a center fire rifle in the Military prone position- One of the many ways to control felt recoil is position- I love incomers- if you blot out the bird with the muzzles and remember to keep them moving, the bird flies right into the pattern- BINGO-- the temptation is to stop and look and check your apparent lead- usually resulting in a miss-

I went out this afternoon, bright sunny end of Feb. 34 degrees SE wind about 5 mph- and shot silo cruising barn pigeons- I used my 3E 12 Smith- 28" Mod and Full- but tried some Fiocchi no. 8 spreader loads a pal gave me- 1 & 1/8 oz. 1175 fps- darn good shooting- I shot about 7 of his speader loads, varying with one spreader in either barrel and a std. AA Trap 1 & 1/8 oz. no. 8 in the other-I am not a great one to alter existing chokes in my shotguns, and these spreader loads performed rather well for me in that Smith- haven't tried a pattern test with them yet-:bigbye: