We got out this past weekend to a good old spot in a low hedge row. Deeks in the trees, deeks on the ground, caller out and running out of darkness building the blind. Birds were starting to wake up so we settled for good 3 to 3 1/2 foot hide. Buried in well, but shooting from a seated position about 8 feet apart. Birds came in groups of five to just singles on and off for couple hours plus. After about an hour and a half of shooting we saw a bird sitting still about 60 yds in front of us. Gave it a little time, still did not move so I went to retrieve it. Put it on the ground 6 yrds. in front of us. It just stayed there like the most perfect deek for a good half hour, while calling and shooting periodically. Now the caller is on playing I think the gathering call and 300 yds crossing in front our 2 birds with no interest. Trailing behind about 80 yds. our 7 more birds, also no interest in the calls or deeks. I flip over to Dying sound and all nine put on the breaks, dropped down from an altitude from 100 to 10 and screamed all the way across the field, loud as can be into our spread. Dropped the first 2, missed the third. While I'm reloading my buddy says look left, now down. There stands the crow I left out in front earlier, 2 1/2 feet from me just staring at me. Now remember, I was sitting on the ground. I did'nt know if it wanted to peck my eyes out or become my pet. As the other birds are flying away, I switched the call again to struggling and 2 turned around and I dropped another. Meanwhile my new best friend is just hanging loose. I never realised when it started to walk out of the deeks into the blind. I think when those crazy 9 where bearing down at mach 3 and as loud as can be, hell bent on destruction, it felt safer with the one that shot him over menacing wrath of it's own kind.
All and all it was a fun mourning. There was other hunters about 5 to 6 hundred yds. from us altering our sucess and my buddy trying out a new purchase that malfuntioned three times, we did O.K. About my new best friend, I'll never know if it realised how tough it is out there living with crows or he just wanted to become a pet in a nice warm home. Well, I let him hang out for 5 minutes or so and sent him back to the deeks wishing him well. We manage a total of 20 including my new best friend who thought he could just start to walk away without cawing permission from the master 12 ga.
Mike
-- Edited by Mike27 on Tuesday 12th of March 2013 11:05:29 PM
We had a live one once that just sat there. During some shooting, I looked back out and he was gone. I don't know if he flew away or walked away, but never saw him again.
I've called in crows to within an arms reach by hand calling as well. Kind of neat and always in the wind as this forces them down low. I love the look in their beady eyes when they realize they're about to get poked with a shotgun barrel. Further, in windy conditions if you shots are past 30 yards you would best be shooting heavy 5's or 6's as we all know 7 1/2 or 8 shot won't kill a crow or break a clay past 30 yards
Ted
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Life's tough... It's even tougher if you're stupid. John Wayne
There was no wind that mourning. Birds either stayed high or out of range; the ones that committed dropped low. We had three or four inside 3 yds. I think they wanted to land on the muzzle. At that range it's like shooting slugs, they become see through birds. That close and they still did'nt see it coming.
I glad my new best friend did'nt witness the meat fest.
