We've started working on them with mixed success since the first of November. Not finding them where we expected and when we did find a few the shooting was slow and the crows wary. Not a good way to shake the rust off.
Hoping for more success, we headed out on 11 Nov. to scout Monday and hunt the next two days. We had a hard time locating many in the morning. They must have scattered, as bunches of 40-50 were as big as we could find. They definitely weren't concentrated in their usual feeding areas. It was after noon before we found a couple groups of a thousand or so. We had no spot for a decent morning shoot and unless we found something that evening, we were ready to bag the whole trip and head home. Just after 3:00 we found a promising spot. Crows were filtering in, and we could get between them and the roost. The predicted 10-15 mph wind would be perfect. We decided to stay for one day.
As expected, our morning shoot was slow. We got 25 mostly cooperative crows before we moved. We were ready to go by 2:00. The first hour or so was slow, but the action picked up after that. To the point of not being able to load fast enough. Doubles and triples were splashing into a nearby backwater at a rapid pace. We totaled 93 that afternoon/evening, with 87 in less than two hours. Over half of them probably in the last forty-five minutes.
Hopefully, we start getting them figured out or they resume their old habits. One positive is, we've got a few usually reliable spots we haven't burned yet.
At least you're not trenching through the snow like you've done before. I'm sure that's coming soon. You can't win every time.
Big Honkers said
Dec 1, 2024
Hi Randy!
Thanks for the report, I always enjoy them. When the shooting gets hectic, there is nothing else like it.
BH
Granite Jaw said
Jan 14, 2025
We're keep'n after 'em, with unremarkable results. Our last hunt of Dec. yielded 90, our second best hunt of the fall. What we'll probably remember most is how hard we had to work at it. Rain had forced us into a muddy 500 plus yd. walk in. I was a whipped pup at the end of the day. Didn't get cold, though.
Hopefully we start finding them in better numbers.
We've started working on them with mixed success since the first of November. Not finding them where we expected and when we did find a few the shooting was slow and the crows wary. Not a good way to shake the rust off.
Hoping for more success, we headed out on 11 Nov. to scout Monday and hunt the next two days. We had a hard time locating many in the morning. They must have scattered, as bunches of 40-50 were as big as we could find. They definitely weren't concentrated in their usual feeding areas. It was after noon before we found a couple groups of a thousand or so. We had no spot for a decent morning shoot and unless we found something that evening, we were ready to bag the whole trip and head home. Just after 3:00 we found a promising spot. Crows were filtering in, and we could get between them and the roost. The predicted 10-15 mph wind would be perfect. We decided to stay for one day.
As expected, our morning shoot was slow. We got 25 mostly cooperative crows before we moved. We were ready to go by 2:00. The first hour or so was slow, but the action picked up after that. To the point of not being able to load fast enough. Doubles and triples were splashing into a nearby backwater at a rapid pace. We totaled 93 that afternoon/evening, with 87 in less than two hours. Over half of them probably in the last forty-five minutes.
Hopefully, we start getting them figured out or they resume their old habits. One positive is, we've got a few usually reliable spots we haven't burned yet.
Pictures are of the morning set.
Good hunting to all. Randy
Thanks for the report, I always enjoy them. When the shooting gets hectic, there is nothing else like it.
BH
We're keep'n after 'em, with unremarkable results. Our last hunt of Dec. yielded 90, our second best hunt of the fall. What we'll probably remember most is how hard we had to work at it. Rain had forced us into a muddy 500 plus yd. walk in. I was a whipped pup at the end of the day. Didn't get cold, though.
Hopefully we start finding them in better numbers.
Randy