Rifle Shooting Corvids

[finnbear270]

My fullest apologies to the OP, for my derailing this excellent thread.

 

[Tamus]

Does anyone have any wiley tricks they use to outwit crows and maggies? We are over-run at the moment and I need to break out every trick in the book. The trapping regime will obviously be the cornerstone and is starting in earnest but I will be mopping up with the 17 HMR and every trick helps!

I use a .223rem at about 150m from a "hide" (my house) over the sheep licks in a suitable bit of field (with safe backstop). Killed 11 Corbies and 4 Magpies this way since the newyear, specially when there was snow cover. Also another attractive site (not midden ) that I shoot over for foxes from a nearby bit of plantation, 2 Foxes, 2 Magpies, 5 Corbies, also since newyear.

NB. Corbies = Carrion Crows

 

[finnbear270]

Call em' Poo peckers here.

 

[Tamus]

Call em' Poo peckers here.

I like that one.

Cattle fed outside, plenty barley in the diet.... Know what you mean.

 

[j0e_bl0ggs]

I do agree that it is important that the fieldsports community does not eat its own young, so to speak, but I think it is also very important we are mindful of how we express ourselves. Especially doing the job I do in a very publicly strutinised capacity it is easy to become over sensitive to this. Those trawling these sites for rhetorical ammunition will not stick around to ask for clarification. Remember the infamous Independent article concerning lamping some years back? It quoted forum posts verbatim with no context at all. We all need to be aware of this.

In that vein I am still not sure Joe Bloggs' post has been understood. I don't think he is suggesting these branchers are shot with a centrefire at all, on the ground or otherwise, but rather these are two distinct strategies- branchers in April (which I have always shot with an air rifle and tend to be sitting on branches, hence the name!) and long range centrefire control at other times of the year. Correct me if I am wrong.

Joe have you found targetting these youngsters to have a significant impact in controlling populations? The powers that be frown on my using methods that could be construed as sport, so would be interested in the results you have had.

On the crow communities that I have access to, yes thinning out the branchers is invaluable.

 

[limulus]

Same as others have said.

Get in the side of a wood with a dead fox set up about 30yds out with a rabbit in its jaws with the belly cut open.
Set a couple of crow decoys about 6-8yds away (I know its pedantic but the crows seem to know just how close to get to put pressure on the fox and not get caught if they have to take flight)
Make sure you're there for first knockings and watch em come in from miles around

great fun

I had two maggies on saturday when out roost shooting when the ring tone on my phone happened to go off for quite a while

(the ringtone is a maggie calling)

 

[finnbear270]

PC brigade would get a grip on the enjoyment factor though.

 

[J DAVISON]

Hi mate,Ladder traps are a good way to start off with,keep moving them about though,larsen traps are also a good way ,but keep your magpie call bird in, the corbys seem to get inquisitive and drop in.other than that driving about with a .17 hmr and shoot them out of the vehicle.If you like deycoying,that also works a treat.
ATB john

 

[Cyres]

This happens to be one of my favourite pastimes.

In my teens used to shoot hundreds of Rook "Branchers" with the air rifle, me and a mate used to be very busy. Peak time used to be 10th May, but a little dependant on the spring weather.

As for crows, .223 with 60 grn v max is awesome. Often use a dead chicken as bait. You need to be out before first light. Pluck some feathers off the bait and drift in the wind, this acts like a superb attractant. Ideally get up high, ie highseat or better still hay barn. Skill is shooting 2 crows with one bullet!!

In the recent hard weather spent several early monings with the rimmy parked in a barn overlooking a silage clamp, shot 25 in 3 sessions.

100yd maggies are very testing tagets.

Dead rabbit or road kill can also be used as bait.

D

 

[Aidy223]

Just discovered 5 minutes ago that, when you hit a magpie with a 50grn ballistic tip from the .223 at 60 yards out of the bedroom window, it blows up. Who'd have thought?
I'm lucky enough to be able to get safe shots on my hedges from upstairs out to about 180 yards. Great craic and good practice. Can't seem to hit a bull in the arse (figuratively speaking) with the rimmy out past 50 yards.

 

[Claret_Dabbler]

Just discovered 5 minutes ago that, when you hit a magpie with a 50grn ballistic tip from the .223 at 60 yards out of the bedroom window, it blows up. Who'd have thought?
I'm lucky enough to be able to get safe shots on my hedges from upstairs out to about 180 yards. Great craic and good practice. Can't seem to hit a bull in the arse (figuratively speaking) with the rimmy out past 50 yards.

Aidy, it just vapourises them, a puff of feathers and a streak of red is all that is left on the grass.....

 

[mickjgardner]

put anything dead out in a field near me and the kites devour it ,corvids dont get a look in

 

[trouble]

Try some china or plastic eggs then

 

[Heym SR20]

Its called a "High Five" - hit then head on on the sternum, head goes up at 12 o'clock, wings go off to 10 and 2o'clock and legs down to 5 and 7 o'clock!

 

[Aidy223]

Its called a "High Five" - hit then head on on the sternum, head goes up at 12 o'clock, wings go off to 10 and 2o'clock and legs down to 5 and 7 o'clock!

...with an audible 'pop'.