Hi I'm new to the forum and very new to crow hunting but I'd like to think I'm doing good so far, of course I've killed crows over the years put squirrel hunting and one land or some situation similar to that. But as far as calling crows goes I'm new very new, I bought a foxpro about a year ago and wanted to call coyotes but it just hasn't worked for me and I've had no success and for everyone who has one they know a foxpro isn't a small investment, so last week me and my brother went out calling crows making a total of about 4 stands that day (we were very wore out from previous endeavours) and had crows come in on 3 of them probably about 15-25 per we got some shots but stupidly I brought my .410 so it couldn't reach them. Next day we came more prepared with a 12 gauge but once again it wouldn't reach them but that's because they wouldn't come down from about 60 yards.
We packed it up and I decided to try again another day. Well every dang day since the same exact situation has happened they just won't come out of the sky. Nowhere near where my shotgun can reach I don't even know if a 10 gauge would reach them.
I don't have a problem with calling them in, calling them in seems so easy but getting a single kill seems so difficult. I bought a hawk decoy made some crow dekes and it still has not helped at all.
Can anyone tell me what I'm doing wrong? I'm new so it's probably a simple mistake I'm just not noticing or have no idea that I'm even doing it or not doing.
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I literally have no idea what I'm doing. -Me everyday.
Are you hunting the same spots or area and what kind of terrain (crops, woodland,etc) lots of reasons this could be happening. You have entered into the joys of crowhuntin . Seriously more info on what you are doing will help folks give you better tips.
Here are some "Problem Areas" to pick from. These are only a few and other can add as they want to. Also, check out the outlined basics on the CrowBusters main page. See if any fit in your case:
1) Camo. Are you totally concealed? Face masks, gloves, hat , etc.?
2) Movement. Crows will flare on a flinch. Is everyone totally still until the gun barrel is eased up?
3) Location. Are you returning to the same location(s). If the crows are coming into Round 2 of "CrowFight," they will be high or non-responsive.
4) Blind. Make a good one and see 1), above.
5) Fish Crows. Are these Common Crows or Fish Crows? Fish Crows generally stay much higher than Commons. Good luck getting them down, if so.
That is a start.
Welcome to the addition and Good Hunting from here.
Demi
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The man who thinks he can, and the man who thinks he can’t are both right.
I'll do my best to answer the questions.
1) Camo. I'd like to think I'm pretty concealed as far as camouflage goes but what I wear definetly isn't the best but it works and yes I wear mask hat gloves the whole shabang.
2) Movement. This could be an issue because they sneak up on me sometimes but when I see them coming I'm perfectly still no movement at all. They stay high up either way lol.
3) Location. I hunt an old set of railroad tracks, I have to pass through previously called areas but I definitely try to spread my stands the best I can. A few hundred yards apart normally. I basically run and gun so I don't have blinds setup anywhere also I am not sure how to tell the difference in a fish crow and a normal crow so I wouldn't know. But these crows actually seem to stay year round.
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I literally have no idea what I'm doing. -Me everyday.
JT Ark, fish crows do not make a cawing sound like a common crow does so that would be one way to see if you are dealing with fish crows or common crows. I have shot crows in Arkansas and have encountered both species in the areas I hunted. Fish crows can be deceiving because a fish crow looks farther away than they really are because of there size, they are smaller than a common crow. With no leaves on the trees makes it more difficult to get hidden so if it were me I would hunt in areas where the trees are dense and low if you can find areas like that to hunt in. Low pines make excellent cover to call from.
You can pull anything on them once if they have not been shot at before but after that they learn rather quickly.
Here is a photo to show the difference in size between a fish crow and a common crow.
The second photo you can see a fish crow on top with two common crows. The first photo you can see a piebald fish crow on the right with a common crow.
So do fish crows not caw at all or do they just make a different sound? The crows I'm hunting definitely caw. I just made it back now from a hunt would still be out there but my call ran out of batterits lol.
Made 4 stands total calling in about 15-20 I'd like to say, 2 stands were successful in the calling area none were successful with dead crows on the ground. I shot a total of 4 or 6 times I think 2 shots hit but didn't bring them down. I'm not sure what the issue is both crows that hit were probably 45 yards out though but idk maybe my shot is off I'm gonna go to a friend's tommorow and shoot some clays maybe see if it's operator error.
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I literally have no idea what I'm doing. -Me everyday.
Wow, something is definitely a miss. Whether your in fields or timber you should get a few to commit suicide. You have to understand these birds have eagle eyesight , no movement allowed , maximum concealment, caller needs to be in the decoys not by you 15 to 20 yards away is good, fox pro so you have remote shouldn't be an issue, Normally don't need max volume if it's cracking turn it down. Crows are very curious if you have a good set-up they'll come by to look without any calling. I hunt ducks and geese and they can't help but to drop down and see what is going on. If you can put a couple dekes up in trees around the ground dekes that will give them more confidence. Keep at though and you'll come up with your own tricks to fool'em!!
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If you aim for nothing you'll hit it every time!!!
I havn't killed a single one and I am more excited to go out the next day than I have been about any other sport in a long time. It's a rush calling them in but killing a few would make it just a bit more exciting.
Tomorrow when I'm done shooting clays I'm gonna try and set up some blinds with cedar branches and other shrubs and let it sit for a couple days and see it that helps any.
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I literally have no idea what I'm doing. -Me everyday.
Try one other thing, I'm normally about done before the first trap or skeet shooters pull the trigger at 9 AM, Get out there at Zero dark thirty get set-up and be ready to heat your barrel up a half hour before sunrise, They're way more workable when they first come off the roost. Then go shoot trap after you bust a few!
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If you aim for nothing you'll hit it every time!!!
Here is a link that gives a few of the Fish Crow calls. Although these are not the best recordings, they should help you differentiate between the two. They have very distinctive calls.
Island shooter thank you for the link I'll have to listen to it later as my phone is out of high speed data... phone companies are a joke lol.
BH I think your probably right, yesterday I walked about 1/2 mile further then I ever have and the calling was spectacular there just crows coming in from everywhere but once again only a couple came down for a shot and I just clipped both my plan is to set up some blinds throughout the tracks further then I normally go and hunt them.
Bob those are some great pictures amazing how many crows you take I hope only some day I have a picture that many dead crows with me being the one who killed them.
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I literally have no idea what I'm doing. -Me everyday.
Well the mid day hunt payed off. Got my first call in crow today. Missed a couple shots before and 5 shots after the 2 shots it took to bring him down. I have a red tailed hawk to thank because for some reason even after being hit at close ranges he stayed just to fight the hawk and that got him killed. Will be uploading a picture later.
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I literally have no idea what I'm doing. -Me everyday.
Welcome to the forum. On the blind, if appropriate it is best to back your blind against trees or tall brush. This not only hides you, but shade is your friend relative to concealment and comfort. Also, try to face North or Northwest if you are hunting in the AM.
If this is not possible, do your best with plenty of natural vegetation on all sides.
Good luck and keep us posted on your hunts!
Demi
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The man who thinks he can, and the man who thinks he can’t are both right.
. Seriously more info on what you are doing will help folks give you better tips.
