Did a little crow hunting this morning.

[billythekidrock]

 
The last couple times I went out there deer hunting I saw a few hundred crows leaving their roosts and heading to where ever they go to feed so I thought I would try to setup and blast a few. I set up the blind, decoys and call in the dark with only a few minutes to spare before legal shooting hours. Luckily there was a heavy fog that bought me a little more time. Unluckily for me, only about 50 crows showed up.

At about 6:50 am I started with some crow distress (Dying Crow) and it was about 7 am before the first one came in. Then a couple more landed in the fir trees out front. I missed with my first shot and spooked them all away.

After a few minutes of “Crow Party” I had about a dozen that landed in the trees, but only one flew within range. After shooting it the others started to fly away but I most of them to come back when I switched sounds to “Crow Mix” (a custom sound). I had two come near the blind and when I shot at the first one it tumbled and then proceeded to spin out of control and over the edge of the landing.

The next batch came in after about ten minutes of “Struggling Crow” and “Crow Look Attention” (another custom sound). I was able to kill one out of this bunch and miss a couple.

After that it kind of dried up. I would have a couple fly bys or they would hang up out of range. Since I had other things to do, I packed it in after an hour.

It was a lot of set up and tear down for such a short hunt, but it was a lot better than sitting on the couch.

Decoys


The first crow killed was placed next to the owl


Blind, calls, decoys and crows.




Truck covering.

[carpsniperg2]

sweet! thanks for sharin the pics. looks like it was wet but you still got into them

[krout81]

I like it the owl is a good touch.  Thats how you stay in the woods hunting.  I have seen 50 or so crow chasing an owl under a car in the city.  I used my electronic call at my house near PLU with the owl fight setting and they came in like maniacs.  The hawk fight worked great as well. 

[Boss .300 winmag]

thats funny.

[Thenewguy]

I am constantly at war with the crows at my parents house. I need to try the Owl decoy

[billythekidrock]

I am constantly at war with the crows at my parents house. I need to try the Owl decoy

Yea, but are you winning?

[ouchfoss]

I'm gonna have to try a few days of crow hunting. Sounds like a fun and easy hunt to do that helps you on your marksmenship. Also, seems like a pretty productive hunt considering crows come in almost everytime you make some crow calls. (I wish calling for other game was that productive!) Makes me kinda wonder if someone has actually eaten one!? 

[billythekidrock]

Yep. Lots of folks eat them. There is a current thread here that is discussing it right now.
You can also find recipes at crowbusters.com

[ouchfoss]

I guess I'll have to add crow to my "wild game dinner bucket list".  That makes me feel a little better about killing them. Im kinda a stickler about not shooting things unless your gonna eat it with the exception being coyotes considering that killing coyotes does alot of good for other species that ARE good eating. I'll have to invite some friends over for "crow strips" one of these nights. 

[wadu1]

I like to have a crow/owl call with me when waterfowling; when things get slow I use the crow call. Called in some pintails a few weeks ago using my crow call in Sequim all I can say dumb pins

[Kain]

I guess I'll have to add crow to my "wild game dinner bucket list".   That makes me feel a little better about killing them. Im kinda a stickler about not shooting things unless your gonna eat it with the exception being coyotes considering that killing coyotes does alot of good for other species that ARE good eating. I'll have to invite some friends over for "crow strips" one of these nights.  

Crows can be predators as well.  I have personally seen a couple crows pecking at baby cottontails.  I also hear they can be very destructive to waterfowl nests but I have never witnessed it.  Even if you just want to leave them for the coyotes and other scavengers you might be saving some rabbits and game birds.  Might wanna use steel shot for that though.  

http://www.grandviewoutdoors.com/predator-hunting/articlecontent/9/2010/1301/how-crow-hunting-helps

Crow Facts

Hunters have a way of underestimating crows. The birds have tremendous eyesight, ranking with waterfowl in their ability to spot movement. They are one of the most intelligent of all birds, often living to 10 years of age. The oldest crow on record was 29 years old, and discovered in a banding study in 1988. Crows are effective predators and omnivorous feeders. They are constantly on the move and because of this hyperactivity require large amounts of food to maintain body metabolism. An adult crow fills its crop eight to ten times a day. They eat anything, from road kill to dumpster scraps, and among their favorite treats are bird eggs. Crows are nest raiders. Besides eating the eggs, they will pluck a young bird or duckling from its nest without hesitation. The Department of Agriculture conducted a survey of crow predation on waterfowl nesting grounds in the U.S. supplemented with data from Canada. The facts revealed that crows destroyed one-third of waterfowl egg production. So for every crow I harvest, I figure I save a dozen ducks, not to mention songbirds.

You could also find other uses for the meat if you dont want to eat it.  Dog or Cat food, livers make good bait for weasels, crawdads and other critters.  Im sure you could probably come up with other uses for them and their parts.

[BlackRidge]

Cool pics!

Thanks for the info Kain, eye opening stuff indeed

[mjbskwim]

I guess I'll have to add crow to my "wild game dinner bucket list".  That makes me feel a little better about killing them. Im kinda a stickler about not shooting things unless your gonna eat it with the exception being coyotes considering that killing coyotes does a lot of good for other species that ARE good eating. I'll have to invite some friends over for "crow strips" one of these nights. 

You can kill coyotes in good conscience but not flying rats?
I could kill crows every day and not do any good toward reducing the population.
A dead crow is a good crow/(coyote)

BTW people eat coyotes too