Crow Busters Forum

critterkiller1212 · Newbie

Fish Crows

8fishermen · Guru

Welcome from Mississippi.

We deal with them all the time. They do not carry shot well at all. If we think one is even remotely in range we shoot. You will be surprised how far you can kill a fish crow. We shoot 5's and 6's and over 70 yards is common shots on fish crows. They will normally not come into the set so just shoot. Worst thing that will happen is you miss and they fly off. As long as there is shot in the air there is hope.

Here is a tip on fish crows... They are notorious for stove-piping directly over head and hanging there in the wind. Shorten the lead a little more that may think and fire away. Remember it is smaller than it looks.

Skip · Guru

CK1212: 8Fisherman is correct on all counts. Here in NC.. we have lots of rain.. or coastal crows.. with that awful nasal cawing sound... like a real crow with a clothes pin holding his nose.. I am not aware of any technique that will call those birds... within range. Perhaps others do. They just do not decoy or respond like the common crow. Why they like to circle higher and higher over your position is a mystery to me but they do. I would describe them as 80% the size of a real crow.. so judging their distance can and often is... hard to determine. I subscribe to 8F's solution: shoot.. and shoot often. They are fragile birds.

Skip

Bob · Guru

Here is a fish crow on the right and a common crow on the left.

Bob A.

shaddart · Guru

How do you tell the difference ? fish crow appears smaller in Bob's pic ? I don't know if we have them in upstate NY.

8fishermen · Guru

shaddart wrote:
How do you tell the difference ? fish crow appears smaller in Bob's pic ? I don't know if we have them in upstate NY.

Shad,

They are smaller but when you look closely at them they are mature birds and not just young of the year. They are about 3/4 of the size of an American crow. They make a croaking sound that is unmistakeable and weigh about 3/4 pound. Here is a distribution map.

Crow Busters - Fish Crow Distribution

Bob · Guru

Here is another photo of a fish crow with common crows. The fish crow is at the top.

Bob A.

shaddart · Guru

Thx 8fish, looked at the map, guess I don't have to worry about it, I'm way north of their range.

Bob · Guru

Talking about a fish crows range, back in 1965 when I was living in South Dakota my dad came out from New York for a visit. We were hunting crows in south central South Dakota not far from the Missouri River. We shot one fish crow that was mixed in with all the common crows we shot that afternoon. We just didn't know what to think of it's size compared to the rest of the crows. We didn't know it was a fish crow until someone smarter than us told us.

Once in a while you get a few that get lost and venture way outside there range.

Bob A.