Hi all, I'm new to the forums and crow hunting. Ive never gone out before and know next to nothing about crow hunting. What do I need to start hunting? What would be a good cheap setup? Where and when should I crow hunt(I live in NE Ohio)? Any advice is appreciated! What loads do you use?
Let's see, what have I picked up on here... 12 ga. #8 or 7 1/2, modified or imp cyl choke, get a good mouth call and a few decoys, full camo - they have great eyesight, avoid movement they'll see you, build a blind with some natural materials in a hedgerow or clump of small trees/brush, listen to the sample calls on here -- don't use "danger" call, shoot the first bird that comes in -- they scout and report back, did I say full camo and sit still?
Since you're starting out, I'd just go basic... good camo, whatever shotgun you happen to have, some 7 1/2s or 8s, and a good hand call. Not a plastic call; get a good Gibson or similar from Doug.
When I hunt my local lake I don't bring decoys or anything, I just find a nice spot and see if I can get any to come in. I used to have great luck there, but there's a local guy and his son that have been hunting all my spots lately, so they won't come in now.
As time goes on, you can add stuff that you think you might need.
Thanks for the tips. Would you recommend making my own decoys or going with an owl and a crow or 2 (I wanna keep costs as low as possible). Or can you recommend any cheap decoys that will work. I will be getting a gibson call soon.
The trailer thing is a good idea. Get a used four horse trailer. Put a bunk in stall number 1. You and a buddy can then camp out the night before and have all you gear with you then........ Or do what jon does ... minimum gear - pack in and out.
Well went out today for the first time! I get in my first spot and started calling with a crappy plastic crow call (all I've got right now) and no decoys. In the first 5 minutes I had one crow fly in while my buddy and I were kinda unprepared I shot twice looked like I hit him the first time or he tweaked out and it looked like it then got away. Stayed there for another 35 minutes or so and didn't see another bird. I went to 3 more fields and set up on the treeline and didn't see another bird. I heard 1 or 2 far away but they didn't come close. So after 4 hours I left since it started to rain. Anyone have any advice? Did I stay in one spot for too long?
-- Edited by ls1 on Friday 10th of June 2011 07:40:07 PM
-- Edited by ls1 on Friday 10th of June 2011 07:42:38 PM
35 min is a little long but I suspect the problem is the call. You could take some sort of e caller back to the same locations and probably do very well. They make some cheap one that will get you going.
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"If money can fix it, it ain't broke" The great theologian and my crow hunting partner AW.
Would it be worth it to get a good hand caller? Or should I just get a e caller (seems easier)? What is a good cheaper e caller or can I just buy some tapes or a cd and a boombox?
Do you know of any cds? My boombox doesn't have a tape player on it or do you guys have any mp3s you can send me to save me some money? Also, how do you guys call your crows? Should I just let the cd play or should I let a 2-3 minute track play then stop for a couple of minutes and switch to another track?
wheir are located? I have an e-caller with Jonny Stewart tapes ( I think 5 crow sounds and 5 coyote/fox sounds ) with a power booster, that I would sell for 100 bucks. I bought it off of Glen a couple years ago and I added the booster for more volume. nothing wrong with the call I just upgraded.
Anyone have any advice for me im going out with my friends little brother round 6 in the morning. I made a cd of some crow calls with tracks that are about 2 minutes each should I play it on repeate or play a track then wait a little bit? Im just using a crappy boombox so should I sacrafice quality and turn it up all the way or keep it down a little so it sounds better? Any help would be greatly appreciated I dont wanna waste the gas, 10$ batterys, and time to see 1 crow again.
How long should I stay at the spot playing it on repeat? 20 minutes or so? Should I go to the same place I went last weekend or will they have wised up since its public hunting land(I went there twice last weekend)?
I would let that spot rest. If you dont have anything show in 20 minutes time then personally I would move to another location. You might want to find someone in your geographical area that knows more about how your local crow population acts.
Jeremiah
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Jeremiah Weber Owner of Boondock-Outdoors. Makers of the Boondocker Flocker Crow decoys.
I dont think I have enough spots to let them rest for 6 months + I haven't shot a bird at any of my spots so should I still go to them? The land I go hunting on probably has between 8-12 good spots to go to and I've visited them all! Heres a rundown on how fri went for me. Got out there at around 7 set up in a big field along the grass and turned on the boombox. First thing I relised is my boombox definatly isn't loud enough, but between that and my hand caller I got one to come check out what was going on. He landed on a bear tree about 140 yards away, sat there and looked at us for about 1 minute and flew away ( I think my friends little brother I was with was moving around to much). So we left that spot and went to a differnt field. Do the same thing and another bird comes in about 300-400 yards away this time on a really tall tree, I could see him with my binoculars stareing right at me then he took off like the other one, so we left that spot. Then I went to the spot I missed my first bird I could hear them less then 100 yards away from me but they would come towards me. Went to another spot and had the same thing happen. Someone tell me what im doing wrong!!!!! Do I need a louder caller? Do I need a popup blind? Do I need decoys? Anyone live in northeast ohio or anywhere in ohio that will let me hunt with them?
Without being there with you its hard to tell what is wrong. Here are a few things I just picked out of your last post that might help.
1. "I think my friends little brother I was with was moving around to much" Any movement will usually flare crows.
2. "I could see him with my binoculars stareing right at me then he took off like the other one" Once again any movement will usually flare crows, leave the bino's at home when crow hunting. the movement to use them or a sun glare from the lens are both bad when hunting one of natures wariest creatures.
3. "Then I went to the spot I missed my first bird I could hear them less then 100 yards away from me but they would come towards me." This is why you let a spot rest, if you were shot at would you return to the same call at the same spot.
4. "Do I need a louder caller?" Depends do you want to run and gun or sit for a few hours. Lower volumn will draw closer crows and allow you to shoot and maybe draw more in later. Loud volumn will draw alot of crows from farther all at once so when you begin shooting you educate alot more birds.
5. "Do I need a popup blind?" A good blind will only help but it needs to be brushed in very very well. Camouflage is key when hunting crows.
6. "Do I need decoys?" This depends on you terrain and the individule calling setup. Decoys are usually a confidence builder for incomming crows.
I am no expert, but I do love to crow hunt and these are all things I have learned through trial and error. Some may agree some may not but these are just my honest opinions on what might help you.
Jeremiah
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Jeremiah Weber Owner of Boondock-Outdoors. Makers of the Boondocker Flocker Crow decoys.
Thanks jeremiah I appreciate it! I think im gonna try going by myself next time to see if it will make a difference. I've been run and gun so I think im gonna start saving for a foxpro. Fri was my first day using a cd, I played "crow frenzy" and "hawk/crow fight" mostly, so should I use decoys for those calls? On my local hunting and fishing forum one guy said he uses a turkey decoy to try and get them in has anyone ever tried this?
Read all you can in the "Beginner Techniques Section" on the Home Page. There are some pretty good film clips in the "Advanced Techniques" section look for "On Line Videos" this will give you some good ideas. Good Luck.
Bob A.
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To listen to this radio talk show go to episode 12, Bob Aronsohn
I'd leave the pop-up blind at home especially if you are doing the run-n-gun thing.
In my experience the summer months have always been the toughest. The birds are pretty hard to get fired up and it is even harder to find a good concentration of birds this time of year. It is always fun trying but your odds will increase significantly October thru March.
Hopefully thats the reason my luck hasen't been so great. So I've got an extra 40$ to spend on crow hunting stuff would you guys suggest getting a good hand call from crow mart(im thinking about getting the jack mincey or a gibson but i don't know which one to get) and which one would you suggest getting or should I get some more camo (pants, face mask as of now I just wear brown pants and a camo shirt and hat) and some decoys? Is crow mart even shipping orders now? I called and on the voice mail it said he was on vacation so does that mean my call woulden't ship till he got back??!
When I hunted crows by the R & G method the birds sure were fired up not only in New York State but in other states such as Ct, RI, Va, Wv, Fl, and Quebec. Now they are very spread out during the summer months but they still come real well to a good call in the areas I hunted.
Bob A.
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To listen to this radio talk show go to episode 12, Bob Aronsohn
Thanks jeremiah I appreciate it! I think im gonna try going by myself next time to see if it will make a difference. I've been run and gun so I think im gonna start saving for a foxpro. Fri was my first day using a cd, I played "crow frenzy" and "hawk/crow fight" mostly, so should I use decoys for those calls? On my local hunting and fishing forum one guy said he uses a turkey decoy to try and get them in has anyone ever tried this?
Are those sounds from Western Rivers? If so, all of their stuff that I have heard has been terrible audio quality. I bought a bunch that were on clearance one time. I bought all they had for a $1 each and was going to keep some and give some to my buddies and ended up throwing them all away and most were still in the package. You need some clean audio like JS or Bob A's or fox pro's. The sounds and the lack of concealment/movement are most likely your problems. As Bob said, read all you can. Read the beginning techniques and also the vintage articles. Unless you know what sounds to make, a hand call is not going to do you much good even if it is a Gibson or a Mincey. Save up and buy a caller.
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"If money can fix it, it ain't broke" The great theologian and my crow hunting partner AW.
When I hunted crows by the R & G method the birds sure were fired up not only in New York State but in other states such as Ct, RI, Va, Wv, Fl, and Quebec. Now they are very spread out during the summer months but they still come real well to a good call in the areas I hunted.
Bob A.
Bob,
That is interesting. I generally hate run-n-gun hunting and I do not have what I would call "a lot" of experience in that department.
I may need to retract my earlier statement, I checked my journal and I have had a couple "decent for my area" type shoots in the month of August but none of them were run-n-gun type hunts.
Your typical R & G hunt is anywhere from 1 to 3 crows per stand and it's usually over with within a few minutes, then on to the next stand. You don't shoot the numbers like you do in the fall & winter, but it's still a lot of fun.
Bob A.
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To listen to this radio talk show go to episode 12, Bob Aronsohn
Bob I just got done listening to you on predator hunting talk cast and boy did I learn a lot. Im going to order your run and gun cd and when I save up some more money ill be sure to order your dvds and your other cd.
I'm glad you learned from that interview. I just did another one two weeks ago and it will air July 1st in Austrailia. I'm supposed to get the link within the next few days. As soon as I get it I will post it on Crow Busters.
Tell me, what helped you the most in that interview?
Bob A.
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To listen to this radio talk show go to episode 12, Bob Aronsohn
It was all pretty informative and helpful, but informantion on finding the roost, where to set up, what calls to make, when they are most active, and a lot of the general information on crows was informative and interesting!
