So me and my brother got permission to hunt this guys land. We picked a spot underneath this small evergreen tree right by the fenceline and built a snow wall around us so were covered from the top and a semi circle of snow, almost impossible to be seen by crows. But that is literally the only tree for like 50-75 yards. What do you guys think should we set up a couple sentries in the tree or just put the crows on the ground? Seen a lot of crows when we were setting up the blind, heard em the whole time too, if that makes any difference. There is also some dead bushes right around the blind, but otherwise were looking over a snow covered corn field. completely bare.
Thanks.
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A man can be beaten in two ways... he gives up or he dies.
You definitely need a few sentries in the pine you r sitting under. I, personally, never put sentries in the tree I am sitting under. I think it is just another reason for the crows to look that close to you. I also use pine trees as a blind, but the limbs are so low the limbs are the only cover we need. I had a once a crow land on top of the pine tree I was sitting under. I didn't know he was up there until he started calling, and still I couldn't see him. After about a minute, he flew over the setup low and I added him to the TBC. I always have 3-5 sentries within 30 yds. of my blind. For me, that seems to be the magic number of sentries. If I were you, I would put 1-3 sentries on the bushes. Remember with sentries, the more obvious, the better.
Duce, the biggest issue with setting up under a conifer where the crows cannot see you would be that your shots above will be screened by the conifer branches. Very frustrating situation and mistake made by most of us at one point along the learning curve!
Ted
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Life's tough... It's even tougher if you're stupid. John Wayne
Duce, the biggest issue with setting up under a conifer where the crows cannot see you would be that your shots above will be screened by the conifer branches. Very frustrating situation and mistake made by most of us at one point along the learning curve!
Ted
+1 on that. Nice hide, except when you have to swing about.
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"Arms are the only true badges of liberty. The possession of arms is the distinction of a free man from a slave." -- Andrew Fletcher 1698
Thanks for the replys. Yeah I think I'll put a couple in the bushes or maybe the tree, going out tomorrow morning and have to decide then. As far as the cover, I can shoot above me on my side of the tree, its great cover from the back and then theres one branch that extends over the snow blind but where were going to sit it doesn't interfere with shooting at all, because my brother brought up that point when we picked the spot out. I'll have to update you guys on how we do, maybe toss some pictures in there if I can figure it out.
Thanks for the replies.
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A man can be beaten in two ways... he gives up or he dies.
Went out this morning, had action as soon as we set up. Learned one thing today, we had a flock of around 15 or 20 crows come in and some were flying low and in range and some were high. Had 2-3 in low but we waited as they circled thinking the other crows would come in lower. After like 5 or 6 circles they all left and wouldn't come back to the calls. When you got a shot you just gotta take it. Also cant be afraid to skybust at one if he's staying up there.
Also when we shot at birds and say killed one or 2 and we would try the distress call but none ever came back, any ideas on why or what call we should do if we kill em? It seemed like the crows didn't like the dead crows in the snow, we would have crows coming in and they would stop when they seen the dead birds and stay really high, and just wouldn't commit to our calls or decoys. So when we picked up the dead ones we got them to come in.
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A man can be beaten in two ways... he gives up or he dies.
First thanks for all the replies. Mike, I agree to never skybust when there is no chance of getting them, and that goes for all birds not just crows. But when you get those birds that are up there and not the low gimmies that's what I meant. Had like 25 like that during that hunt that we never even tried to shoot. Not sure if its a good idea to shoot at the higher ones though. But none of them ever came back so it seemed like a waste.
Anyway thanks for the replies, learning more from every hunt.
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A man can be beaten in two ways... he gives up or he dies.
Sound wisdom 5065,,,,,,,,,,,,,, I did this one time and it worked!!!!! I put my field decoys out and mixed red koolaid with water and splattered it all over the snow. I was alone cause I was to ashamed to let anybody know I was doing this. I could not keep em shot off of me for a while. We don't get a lot of snow so that was the only time I tried it. It worked!!! If I am hunting a field without trees I put a 35 foot pole up and sit an aggressive caller on top of the pole. A set without a sentry is like shooting crows with blanks,,,,,,,,,,,,, Duce try a turkey choke on them tall ones but wait til they are directly above you,,, They hit the ground HARD
Sound wisdom 5065,,,,,,,,,,,,,, I did this one time and it worked!!!!! I put my field decoys out and mixed red koolaid with water and splattered it all over the snow. I was alone cause I was to ashamed to let anybody know I was doing this. I could not keep em shot off of me for a while. We don't get a lot of snow so that was the only time I tried it. It worked!!! If I am hunting a field without trees I put a 35 foot pole up and sit an aggressive caller on top of the pole. A set without a sentry is like shooting crows with blanks,,,,,,,,,,,,, Duce try a turkey choke on them tall ones but wait til they are directly above you,,, They hit the ground HARD
I squeezed a little extra blood out of a few of the dead crows saturday onto the snow. Not sure if it helped or not, but we killed more after that......
