So I am very prepared this year. Northern New Jersey is not the midwest and we don't get the kind of volume the rest of the country does. I have to go to a WMA to do my hunting and I have to take what I can get as far as areas of operation. I learned from this group that crows have a real avertion to tall tree surrounding thier feeding area and the only place in the WMA that is a short grass field is a gravel parking lot that is deep in the WMA but behind a chain that doesn't come down until deer season. It is wide, about 30 yards by 90 yards, grassy but surounded by tall trees. So I had to figure out what would get a crow in close enough to a spot that they have a natural aversion to, especially out here in New Jersey. I figured it out - human garbage.
With baiting illegal I thought about and gathered all the affects that I could use to make a decoy spread that would appeal to a mid-atlantic crow. A white paper bag, some plastic wrap, a plastic deli bag and small tin that looks like it could be tuna, but is some dried out pipe tobacco flake. When I got to the lot I found a styrofoam sandwich containier a la MacDonalds. I only have some crow FUD's (fold up decoys) and a plastic crow I got from Dick's Sporting goods. I arranged the crow decoys as if they were having a feeding frenzy. The Fud's don't move but I had planned that with a few rocks holding the plastic and paper in place the movement would come from the bags and would add an illusion that the decoys were moving.
I took opening day off and had my sleep cycle changing so I could get up and be ready by 5 am. Flashlight had new fresh batteries so I could do it all before sunrise and nail them hard.
I arranged the articles a little off center in the parking lot. I hung the plastic crow as the sentry as described on this forum. I have a big camoflage burlap wrap that I hung from two tree branches in the tree line. I set it up so that the sun would come up behind me. I was a little concerned with my new modified 'comp-n-choke,' because it was shiny and silver so I set back in the treeline so that it would not glint and resolved not to poke it out past the blind. I had 25 rounds of Remington Long Range Express #6 and another of 7 1/2 shot just because I really like that way both patterned and couldn't make up my mind. I have a leafy net that I wear over my head now instead of a camo cap because I knew it was going to be hot and the net let the heat escape.
I have practiced my calls. I have 3 callers and I have been practicing with them and finding when I would use one vs. the other. I have a Hammerin' Crow call that I use for the loudest calls, calls that need to go the distance. I get my first group of crows to come in with this one just this past February but they didn't commit to the decoys. So I also brought a Malardtone that I would use to bring them in to the feeding set up. I think it sounds better, but I can't get it to be as loud as the Hammerin,' so I have resolved to use it for the "Fun and Frolic" noise once the crow get near the treeline. I sound good ; )
The sun came up and I was cawing with the c'mere call regularly since daybreak. I thought I heard one or two responses but they were far off. At one point I heard a regular "crunch crunch," noise. I knew it was a person walking, I knew this person was going to see the decoy set up in the parking lot. I just hoped the crows didn't show up when he did. I could see him walking and got ready to speak up. I didn't want to freak anyone out, especially since I am sure no one else in the area is aware it is opening day for crow in New Jersey, and it is a parking lot after all. He comes out of the treeline with this beautiful husky. I wanted to see how this played out. The dog barely noticed but the owner tightened up the leash and braced for the dog to run. He was looking and expecting something. A good 4 or 5 seconds elapsed and the said out loud "wait a second here..."
I said "yea, those are my decoys."
He nearly jumped out of his skin. There I was with my leafy head net and camo oufit. I told him I was trying to bring in crows. He said, "was that you making those crow sounds?"
I said yes. Hey says "Man those sounded good! I thought for sure there was a bunch of big, huge angry crows out here. I thought those were them!"
He actually asked me if he could finish walking the dog thorugh the lot as it is part of their routine. They walked around it and he and the dog went pat the set up (there was only 5 birds) and he laughted and shook his head a little. As he passed me again he said "that is so cool!" I bet you will get a lot!"
I told him if he saw any crows to send them my way and he laughed, promising to do so. An hour went by and I heard no crows. I started practicing all kinds of regular caws and tried getting the Mallardtone louder. The sun was getting higher. I was getting bored. Four hours had passed. I lay back and thought I might go to sleep.
Then I saw some big black birds approaching. They were quiet. O HO! scouting me out......then.. oh well. No wings flapping. They were turkey buzzards. They circled around. Two became four. Four became eight. Holy crap they were circling my decoys! One came down for a closer look, then another. Just skimming the tree tops you could see them with one wing hign peering down at the set up. One did a quick dive and tippped his wing, then flew off. Not smelling anything but some old pipe tobacco, they went back up to the tree tops. They circled for about 15 minutes and I thought this would be the perfect set up to convince a crow that there is some good eats. I tried to make it sound natural. A few random CAW CAWS, and fun and frolic, a quick fight (becaue of course they would fight a little with that free lunch) and some extra loud C'mere calls. Nothing.
Not one stinking crow. From four am 'till noon I heard maybe two crows. On the drive home I expect to see dozens, just because that would be God laughing at me. None. No crows anywhere near my house. No where. Where the hell did all the crows go? I think I scared them all out of New Jersey! ARRRGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!
-- Edited by bulpup on Tuesday 9th of August 2011 04:42:07 PM
-- Edited by bulpup on Tuesday 9th of August 2011 04:58:53 PM
I never tried hunting a parking lot . The problem with the WMA's are, they're multi use lands. It happens to me also. Your going to get everything from walkers to hunters. Check the stocking dates for pheasants this fall and stay away. It's like a war zone. As for small numbers of birds, that's the nature of the beast for N.J. Don't waste that many hours unless you scouted a small flyway and you know they coming. Do some small quick setups or just R&G. I'm sure there are some larger numbers on some of the farmlands, but for the most part, small murders are what we have. You can't go by the monster tally's you will read here, we don't have the birds to do it.
Yea I figured the trick would be to at least try well in advance of pheasant season. Last year I Just stopped when that hapened.
I think a decoy setup may just be wrong here. Run and gun is the next thing to try. But still, no birds at all? I thought maybe I would see about 4, like I did in February. Should I try more towards the evening? I do know that I have always seem about a dozen flying around that area from scouting the off season. There is a particualar pine tree group that seemed to attract them.
Perhaps the crack of dawn is not the answer? I had thought that would be nice and cool for feeding.
-- Edited by bulpup on Tuesday 9th of August 2011 08:28:47 PM
bulpup: Given the situation that few if any crows were in the area you hunted, I would recommend what you suggested as your plan II.. do some run and gun and find some farmland...if possible. Crows are everywhere... except where you were on opening morning! I am sorry as you put a lot of effort into that hunt. Keep after them, it will pay off.
I admire your tenacity. I am sorry all you hard work didn't pay off. Sounds like you have put in the time to hone your calling skills. I hope you are able to find some private land to hunt where there are more birds that aren't so educated.
Good luck in the future
__________________
"If money can fix it, it ain't broke" The great theologian and my crow hunting partner AW.
I am probably hunting the same WMA's as you here in north jersey. I never tried them in the summer or even the fall for that matter, but I know where they are in the winter. The set up I have been successful with involves no decoys and a well hidden caller along with a mouth call to get the attention of distant birds. No decoys keeps them hanging around and curious until "Boom". I also found that it is important to be well camoflauged.
Ditto on the camo. Head to toe. When I stand on the edge of tree line of a opened field, I noticed the opposite with the no deeks. When they have a long distance to veiw, they respond to the call, see nothing and leave. Try putting a couple of deeks for them to come to. Not trying to change what your doing. If it ain't broke don't fix it. Just a little advise. Also lower your volume when they are close. We can't afford to scare what little we have.
I have tried the dekes on many occasions with not much success. I have noticed they steer clear of any dead birds in the field as well. So I pick up dead birds and hide them as I go. I am afforded the luxury of being off for 2 months in the winter (lucky me) and I go every Mon. Thurs, Fri. and Sat so I get a lot of time to try new techniques. And I have tried almost everything, never tried the McDonalds bag trick yet. I have even found 20 foot long branches and stood them up with dekes in them with not much luck. Like you said if it ain't broke, don't fix it. It just took a lot of fixin to get it unbroke. Good luck this year, maybe I'll see ya out there.
Bulpup,,,,,,,,,,, Don't give up!!!! You will find birds somewhere,,,,,Maybe all your birds are here Where the Ohio meets the Mississippi,,,,,,,,,Sorry couldn't resist
The problem with the WMA's are, they're multi use lands. It happens to me also. Your going to get everything from walkers to hunters. Check the stocking dates for pheasants this fall and stay away. It's like a war zone. As for small numbers of birds, that's the nature of the beast for N.J. Don't waste that many hours unless you scouted a small flyway and you know they coming. Do some small quick setups or just R&G. I'm sure there are some larger numbers on some of the farmlands, but for the most part, small murders are what we have. You can't go by the monster tally's you will read here, we don't have the birds to do it.