I got a call a few days ago from my buddy JJ, who was gleefully complaining about being covered up in crows. I felt compelled to help him with this problem, so I woke up at 4:15, and drove the 87 miles to his wheat field. We set up his Snow Crow Pro, and my Fury, and put out about 20 decoys.
JJ wasn't lying. When the sun came up, wave after wave of crows poured into that field. Groups of 5-50, one after another. We saw 1 group that must have had 150-200 birds in it, but only a few of those peeled off to come eat lead.
Another shooter (Ivan) joined us, he hasn't been on very many crow shoots, but he shoots well, so he had no problem pulling his weight. He was using Kent High Brass 6's, and it was a real pleasure watching those heavy loads devastate low flying bogies.
When the feather's had settled, we had 80 crows down. I packed up, and drove the 73 miles back to office, and was here in time for lunch. Too bad all work days can't start off like this.
Great work! I wish we could have gotten Skip into some of this good action during his visit.
This morning I headed east and drove 98 miles, whacking all of 4 crows at two locations. Used the new to me (1941 vintage) Model 12 Skeet in 20 gauge at the second stop. The Cutts Compensator is noisy but period correct. Also I test fired a few very old paper hulled Remington Shur Shot shells using the "pump and fire" no disconnector mode. All fired perfectly. I guess that's why the Model 12 was known as the "Perfect Repeater".
Looking forward to our planned hunts this weekend with Big Ed and hope we can approach the results you and JJ experienced this morning. Well done!
Bob A., You couldn't be more right. Wish I would have thought of that! I think Ivan did run out of ammo. He started started shooting subsonic metro gun ammo through his Beretta. They wouldn't cycle, so he was a single shot after that. Had I known he was out, I would have given him some regular ammo.
Gadget Bob, If you get a chance, post a pic of that Model 12 and the comensator. Sounds like a odd contraption.
Greg, Thats a "Metro Barrel", its essentially a 32" long ported choke tube. The Texas Crow Patrol shoots probably 90% of our crows with them. When combined with subsonic ammo, the gun is so quiet that you don't need hearing protection. It doesn't spook the crows near as bad. They're not the ideal tool in all situations, but they seem to help our numbers.
Greg, Thats a "Metro Barrel", its essentially a 32" long ported choke tube. The Texas Crow Patrol shoots probably 90% of our crows with them. When combined with subsonic ammo, the gun is so quiet that you don't need hearing protection. It doesn't spook the crows near as bad. They're not the ideal tool in all situations, but they seem to help our numbers.
That is cool! I looked up their website and that is neat.
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"If money can fix it, it ain't broke" The great theologian and my crow hunting partner AW.
Nope. In fact, I think it helps. Something else that I find bizarre, is when we build a grid of dead crows, they decoy to that. The fact that the dead crows are in perfect lines doesn't matter to them.
-- Edited by TexasMatt on Friday 10th of December 2010 06:46:28 PM