I had an awesome season, my best ever. I don't suggest EVER setting a goal for yourself if you are the least competitive. I made a statement in September of 2010 that I would kill a thousand crows this season. I had bought the CS-24, a new MAXUS and worked evening shift for 6 months. My numbers during November and December were phenominal. I had found a huge roost and began feeding on it. By January 5th or so the birds had grown used to my sounds and became extremely hard to fool. I had 800 some odd birds on my counter. Then came the neck injury. I could not turn my head damn near the whole month of January. By the first week of February I had over 900 birds on the counter and saw light at the end of the tunnel. The hunting in Southern Illinois was almost non existent. No birds Ice, snow, wind, sore neck, and no sleep, and running overtime at work. Sunday the day before the last day I had 996 birds on the counter. I got up yesterday and had 40mph sustained winds, and rain on and off I vowed that I would get to my mark if I had to shoot em with a high powered rifle. I spent from 9 am til 1:45 in that brutal weather. I managed to peel out six birds for a total of 1002 birds for the 2011 season. This is the first time I'm glad its over for the year I am ready for a rest I learned a lot this year about late season decoying birds. I was 100 yards from my deeks when I killed those 6 birds. They start splitting the deeks really bad late in the year. I observed birds starting to pair up after the first of the year. I started deploying my decoys in pairs and spreading them out a good ddistance from each other. I would always leave one or two deeks by them self and this seemed to attract the bulk of the birds coming in. I would usually hide 40 to 60 yards from the single deeks. I am just gonna hunt next year without a set goal and have fun. Knowing me though if I get close to a certain number I will lock in on it and go for it. Thanx for all the input from the veteran members as well as the new members and ideas on this site Keep em coming and lets wait for them young and dumb ones to take flight in the fall.............
Troy I shoot Remington Gun clubs mainly, 7.5's 3 drams and an ounce and 1/8 of shot. If you start shopping now you will find the bargains. If you find them for under 60 a case buy all you can afford or all you can haul. I did get a deal on some Estate 6's in December. They were 48 bucks a case, I could not pass it up so I bought 5 cases. The number 6 shot did a better job on the crows as far as kill to cripple ratio but it is a cheaper made load and only the Remingtons have the power piston wad. I have learned that a shells wad is a major component to the shell. Most guy's don't give ammo a thought in Febuary and March but I look for bargains year round. I buy a lot of fishing gear in August but that is only after I look for a good buy on ammo
I vowed that I would get to my mark if I had to shoot em with a high powered rifle. I spent from 9 am til 1:45 in that brutal weather. I managed to peel out six birds for a total of 1002 birds for the 2011 season. This is the first time I'm glad its over for the year I am ready for a rest
I learned a lot this year about late season decoying birds. I was 100 yards from my deeks when I killed those 6 birds. They start splitting the deeks really bad late in the year. I observed birds starting to pair up after the first of the year. I started deploying my decoys in pairs and spreading them out a good ddistance from each other. I would always leave one or two deeks by them self and this seemed to attract the bulk of the birds coming in. I would usually hide 40 to 60 yards from the single deeks. I am just gonna hunt next year without a set goal and have fun. Knowing me though if I get close to a certain number I will lock in on it and go for it. Thanx for all the input from the veteran members as well as the new members and ideas on this site
