Here are the results of my brief survey. There were 36 responses which I think represents the most active participants on this website at the current time.
Q. How long have you hunted crows?
The majority responding are grizzled veterans with 64% answering 10 years or more. Another 11% answered they have been doing it more than 5 years but less than 10. Three quarter are 5 year plus veterans. Newbies, with less than 1 year of experience was 11% (4 people).
Q. What type of shotgun do you prefer for crow hunting?
The hands down winner was the semi-auto at 56%, followed by pump guns at 28%, side by sides came in at 17% (6 people). Surprising to me not one person in 36 shoots an over and under.
Q.What shot size do you prefer for crow hunting?
The leading choice, number 6 used by 42% of those responding, 7.5 followed with 36% and 8's were the choice of 14%. Those who like to use bigger than #6 were three people. Oddly enough nobody is using #9 which was the shot size of choice and recommended by Bert Popowski. (Shows what he knew huh?).
Q. How many crow decoys do you use?
6 to 11 was the choice of 33% responding, and even dozen by 19%, more than a dozen by 17%. Those folks not using decoys at all came in at 11%.
Q. What gauge shotgun do you prefer for crow hunting?
No surprise here, 12ga was the overwhelming choice at 83%. 20ga came in at 8%, 10ga at 6% and 16ga at 3%. (FWIW I answered 12ga as I shoot most of my crows with a 12).
Q.What are the most crows you have shot in a day or with a partner in a day?
100 to 200 came in at 43%, less than 20 at 22%, 200 to 500 at 17% and two lucky souls answered 500 or more for 6%.
Q. What is the highest number of crows you have shot in a year?
Leading the pack was a 1000 or more at 25%, tied at 22% was 300 to 500 and less than 100. The takeaway here is 69% shoot 300+ a year.
Q. Does your state have a migration of crows.
Overwhelming answer was yes at 72%
Q. Have you ever shot a Piebald Crow.
36% (13 out of 36) said yes. 64% of respondents are still waiting to bag a white winged black bandit.
-- Edited by nhcrowshooter on Thursday 10th of November 2016 03:15:07 PM
The leading choice, number 6 used by 42% of those responding, 7.5 followed with 36% and 8's were the choice of 14%. Those who like to use bigger than #6 were three people. Oddly enough nobody is using #9 which was the shot size of choice and recommended by Bert Popowski. (Shows what he knew huh?).
Good info on all this: with regards to Bert Popowski... he was dyslexic or it was a "typo."
Good info on all this: with regards to Bert Popowski... he was dyslexic or it was a "typo."
He used 6's...
From the Varmint Hunter's Bible, 1971 by Bert Popowski. Crows at 50 to 60 yards with 9's, that is some extremely poor advice!!! In my experience 9's only have one place, the Skeet Field.
Our grey crow seems to be the opposite of your pinball. It's grey bodied with black wings.
Our crows are generally much larger than your, the nearest to yours appears to be our jackdaw, but carrion, grey, and rook, are about three times the size of that
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If it moves and is legal but also moral, SHOOT IT !!
Your camo pants are amazing! Your lower quarters about disappear in that cornfield. If you were in total camouflage of tht style you probably wouldn't need a blind!
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Top Cat Statutes never replaced or rewrote the constitution!
Wow. I suspect most people on here don't shoot 530 in year much less in one day. You are fortunate you can hunt where you have a lot of crows to work with because once you know how it's done it's just a matter of having available targets.
-- Edited by nhcrowshooter on Monday 21st of November 2016 04:51:03 PM
Again having a way to drive to your blind is a huge plus. Imagine trying to lug enough ammo for a 500 crow shoot? I think I saw a photo somewhere where this one fellow had his pick up full of dead crows!
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Top Cat Statutes never replaced or rewrote the constitution!
Besides having plenty of crows you also need the right weather conditions to get decent shoots. Out here a day with no breeze is the kiss of death for an afternoon shoot. A breeze strings them out so they don't come in mobs. You can get away with a windless morning while the birds are still green but even then I don't like hunting with out a little breeze. Dick & I have shot over 2,400 crows so far in November.
