Rooks and Crow decoying advice pls.
- Thread starter trucraft
- Start date
sir-lamp-alot
Well-Known Member
one dead crow left on its back with its wings out left out in the open where the other crows can see it, they will go mad shouting at it flying round and round mobing making them easy pickings for you and your shotgun
There is an acquired art to decoying corvids which I do not possess. I have decoyed many thousands of pigeon but cannot master crows. Good attention to camo and good pattern seems to be a prerequisite. Veil and gloves essential and solitary carrions have 6th sense for self preservation.
Good luck
D
Good luck
D
paulbshooting
Well-Known Member
Fieldcraft is critical, good hide, face and hands covered, little movement - they can be tough but great sport. Good luck.
caorach
Well-Known Member
I'm new at this but here's what I've picked up through recent experiment:
Crows will often feed in groups so you can put the decoys in a nearly random pattern and can place them quite close together if you wish. I position mine for visibility from a distance rather than for "pattern."
I find having one or two "up high" is very helpful - they often post a sentry bird and this seems to give them confidence to come in. Also putting one up high makes it more visible from a distance so if you can get it up against the skyline it can improve the number of birds that see your decoys. So stick a few up trees or on fence posts or whatever.
The Primos crow call is a really good way to get them to come in for a look and has worked really well for me but they will often come in to an "observation point" maybe 800 yards away and then sit and watch for a while before deciding to come over to the decoys. So far I'd say that the call is my best bit of gear, though some days they simply ignore it even when easily close enough to hear it.
Some days they come in really well and steady all day, other days no matter what I do they simply will not come in. For some reason in the location I am setting up I'm finding a very light northerly wind and a nice sunny day have always produced a steady stream of birds but clearly each location will be different.
Crows will often feed in groups so you can put the decoys in a nearly random pattern and can place them quite close together if you wish. I position mine for visibility from a distance rather than for "pattern."
I find having one or two "up high" is very helpful - they often post a sentry bird and this seems to give them confidence to come in. Also putting one up high makes it more visible from a distance so if you can get it up against the skyline it can improve the number of birds that see your decoys. So stick a few up trees or on fence posts or whatever.
The Primos crow call is a really good way to get them to come in for a look and has worked really well for me but they will often come in to an "observation point" maybe 800 yards away and then sit and watch for a while before deciding to come over to the decoys. So far I'd say that the call is my best bit of gear, though some days they simply ignore it even when easily close enough to hear it.
Some days they come in really well and steady all day, other days no matter what I do they simply will not come in. For some reason in the location I am setting up I'm finding a very light northerly wind and a nice sunny day have always produced a steady stream of birds but clearly each location will be different.
IIRC electronic/recorded calls are prohibited for bird decoying.
scoby270
Well-Known Member
Electronic calls are prohibited for rooks and crows mate, I've never bothered with a pattern they aren't bothered unlike pigeons, good camo and stay still, put out at least 1 guarding decoy, this does give others confidence. I've used a little owl decoy before, sometimes it works others it doesn't luck of the draw, if you can get a rabbit or squirrel open it up and smear the blood out onto the underside white fur this has worked quite well for me in the past.
Good luck
Good luck
trucraft
Well-Known Member
A lot depends on where you are attempting to shoot them. If on new sowings then standard decoy set up. However if not what I have found very pre dawn start, ideally get a pigeon place out say 30 yds and pluck its breast feathers and scatter or better still let the wind carry them off. Place pigeon breast up and wings outstretched. May pay to peg it down if you have buzzards. Retreat to very well cammo hide. Now I do this on solitary carrions and use rifle so can sit well off but shot gun needs to be closer and you need to be very still. Dead hens on our chicken farms work just as well.
Often if things go well you can get one and then it appears if every crow for miles will come in and you have a big flock calling and circling around the slain.
D
Often if things go well you can get one and then it appears if every crow for miles will come in and you have a big flock calling and circling around the slain.
D
Wingers243
Well-Known Member
All good stuff above but one old bit of wisdom I received was that crows can't count! If you put the off where they're feeding they go away but one or two will sit up a tree half a mile away, watch you build the best hide and lay out all your decoys perfectly, get into your hide and then warn off every other corvid that comes near for the day..... But, if two of you turn up, set all the kit out, and go into the hide and one of you then walks away...... Back they come! Thus proving the theory they can't count.
Probably a load of old tosh but it worked sometimes!
Probably a load of old tosh but it worked sometimes!
Wingers243
Well-Known Member
Another one I was told about but never brave enough to try for fear of being seen was to walk out into the field with your gun, stumble about a bit, fall over and play dead...... "They'll come and have a look at ya' Buh"! Or so I was told. You can then jump up and have a shot.
If you try it, and it works, could be a great YouTube video!
If you try it, and it works, could be a great YouTube video!
Seems like it's really OLD tosh though. I reckon I heard that over 60 years ago.
Ravens are supposed to be able to count to 7, though.
Rasputin
Well-Known Member
Buy a sam neyt call they are by far and away the beat. Promos callers are all too high pitched. Bjybthe deckys online then dust them in sand and matt black paint for a flocked effect. Make your hide as thick as possible but the real secret to shooting any of the corvids is remaining still their eyesight is unreal. They will come in crazy close if your still sub 15 yards. I would also say use a proper cartridge like a 32g5 because some people seem to think it’s ok to shoot them with clay carts and they are hardy birds that demand respect as a quarry.
trucraft
Well-Known Member
Thanks guy. Some good advice.
I did get out Friday morning but very few about (seem to have moved off the drilling)
I had a few and missed a bunch more.
However I did sit up at the farm yard too where they have been mobbing the maze heap. I had more success there using the .22 and a couple of dead birds as decoys.
I birds circling low over my head for almost an hour. Unfortunately can't use the shotgun in the yard as it's still full of calfing cattle.
I did get out Friday morning but very few about (seem to have moved off the drilling)
I had a few and missed a bunch more.
However I did sit up at the farm yard too where they have been mobbing the maze heap. I had more success there using the .22 and a couple of dead birds as decoys.
I birds circling low over my head for almost an hour. Unfortunately can't use the shotgun in the yard as it's still full of calfing cattle.
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