Crows often use the same way and out that is-the route they took during the morning will be the same they use in late afternoon and dusk.
Remember don't get too near the roost though...give it breathing space or the roost will vamoose. Never shoot up a roost..always shoot at some distance away. It isn't any fun hunting down where the roost went.
A good distance might be a quarter mile but there are others with better views on this. The bigger the roost the more you want more distance. You don't want to educate too many crows at once. I like getting single crows if at all possible coming in...this isn't always possible. One roost always had about a dozen birds coming through between intervals...but anyways..
Here in dutchess county,ny, they roost at the hudson river. They fly in by the thousands. I hunt about 10 miles away. I get a good run of crows heading to there feeding stations when they leave. When I shoot one day, the next day they will adjust there flying route by 1/8 of mile of so. Sometimes I am right, and sometimes I am wrong. You need to go out an hour before dust and watch how they fly. Start at about 3 - 5 miles away and work your way out. Make sure you have a good viewing spot to see the horizon. When I get lucky, I have 50-100 fly over me with in an hour. Make sure your set up early, like in the dark and wait. When you find a spot, not a lot of calling needed. Some crows will care less and some will check it out. Good luck and hope this helps.
A real crap shoot as to how the birds will exit at first light or return to the roost late in the day. Up here this depends a lot on wind conditions and direction I have forud. Very frustrating thinking your in the right location only to find crows moving heavy for an hour or so a mile away.
Ted
__________________
Life's tough... It's even tougher if you're stupid. John Wayne
Late last year my buddy and I discovered a small flyway and roost. Normally we run and gun but a flyway shoot sounds like a blast.
My questions is. What is the best way to determine the route the crows will use on the return to the roost??
Will they come back the same way they left in the morning exodus ??
If anyone has input please let me know. Im not sure if the same group will be there this year but am hopeful.
Here's how it has worked over the course of 30+ years on my farm. Please see my photo at the bottom for detailed flight paths. The Orange line shows the morning "exodus" flight path and the Blue line shows the evening return to roost path. The Yellow box is simply all I can see from the red dot where I am most often while Crow hunting. I can be anywhere inside the upside-down J shaped field, but, the red dot is "home base" ground blind. I have watched Crows follow the same two paths leaving on the Orange line in the mornings and returning on the Blue line in the evenings. Nothing has ever changed.
The main reason we have "flyways" and flight paths is because Crows simply follow landmarks in their travels. Like us Humans, we simply know to turn left at that blue house and take right at the grocery store and we find home again.
Will they return from the same direction they came ? Most often No. Will it be close ? Absolutely. And "close" could be by a mere 50 yard difference. Us humans might live in the city and only have one way streets and can not come and go on the same street. The reason my lines cross outside of the yellow box is because that I can not see and where those Crows go after they leave the sight of the field is anyone's guess.
-- Edited by DODGEM250 on Sunday 28th of September 2014 09:43:29 PM
Here is my explanation of how the infamous "SW Michigan Flyway" works.
Map 1 is during the two X two-month MI Crow Seasons. Map 2 depicts the much discussed "flyway" during the "No-Shootie" season.
I claim full responsibility for this non-scientific assessment, but I have heard similar rumblings from a Crowbuster of great renown, who resides not too far away, in the county directly to my north. Also, who can argue the excellent hunting reports from other areas that seem to be "Crow Migratory Destinations," due to their "attractions" -- three of which I attempted to document.
Just whining. I'll be out on Tuesday, 30 SEP, for one final, desperate day of Run & Gun.
That's their plan (See the US Maps above). These birds are way too smart around here. They probably read the maps published by those sensitive birdwatchers at Cornell U.
I am hoping it is simple as that. Last year I watched hundreds of the bandits fly back and forth up this small canyon and did find where they were roosting. After some work in the off season I met the right guy and now can get between them and the roost about 2 miles away. It pays to stop and meet the farmers for sure.
Any other information on determining the out bound or inbound flights of a roost would be appreciated. Is wind a factor or does it just come down to food sources.
I notice on your maps the bandits stay completely clear of Kansas. Do you suppose the elders of the flock know BA the legendary crow slayer is there waiting for them and the beating he gave them last year and the year before. Maybe they are developing a natural evolutionary aversion to Kansas LOL .
I notice on your maps the bandits stay completely clear of Kansas. Do you suppose the elders of the flock know BA the legendary crow slayer is there waiting for them and the beating he gave them last year and the year before. Maybe they are developing a natural evolutionary aversion to Kansas LOL .
Foe
I've been complaining about how smart these bandits are.....
__________________
"Arms are the only true badges of liberty. The possession of arms is the distinction of a free man from a slave." -- Andrew Fletcher 1698
OA
I'm beginning to think they didn't read the map this year. After 4 consecutive days of duck hunting I still havent seen any respectable number of crows. I think they all disappeared somewhere.
OA I'm beginning to think they didn't read the map this year. After 4 consecutive days of duck hunting I still havent seen any respectable number of crows. I think they all disappeared somewhere.
As predicted, a gun club friend who owns a b-berry farm called me yesterday. He said he was on his tractor working and the sky was full of bandits. Now I'm not certain what the numbers were, but certainly way more than I saw on my 30 SEP hunt on his property where I nailed only one.
He recalled he heard me talk of the legendary "permission to kill crows out of season, etc., etc.," said to be available from the DNR. I said, "Go for it! call the nice lady at the Plainwell DNR office and ask--you're the farmer whose land is being ravaged by crows." So, we discussed how he could convince the gal there. He said he'd gotten a license to kill three deer out of season that were eating his new apple trees, but couldn't gin up a reason for the crows. Any suggestions? They can't be bothering the blueberries that much since there are only a few shriveled up ones left on the bushes. He said he'd try. "Good luck" said I. We'll see. Otherwise, no particular movement here. Only the townies making their usual racket several times during the day.
__________________
"Arms are the only true badges of liberty. The possession of arms is the distinction of a free man from a slave." -- Andrew Fletcher 1698
-- Edited by Mark on Wednesday 15th of October 2014 10:24:43 PM
Yes. Way too many hoops to jump through, as I've previously seen discussed on this site. Only a federal bureaucrat could think of so many ways to restrict or prevent a perfectly good crowbust.
That's why I've never heard of anybody around here exercising that option--but, I've only been doing this 2-3 years. I will see what my friend finds out--I'm not optimistic.
__________________
"Arms are the only true badges of liberty. The possession of arms is the distinction of a free man from a slave." -- Andrew Fletcher 1698
Ducks ?? . I couldn't wait for the ducks or Missouri crow season to open so I made a run up to Nebraska to get a crow fix yesterday . No big groups but nice family units.
!
