Crow Busters Forum

Old Artilleryman · Guru

Does color matter (yellow hotstick)

Old Artilleryman · Guru

Mainehunt wrote:
Ask your friend if you can paint it........

* D'oh!

OK, when he's in a good mood. He's a really big fellow.

*MH: Have you ever heard the old Army Acronym, "BFO?"

(Blinding Flash of the Obvious." biggrin

-- Edited by Old Artilleryman on Friday 29th of March 2013 08:36:01 PM

Gadget Bob · Guru

Hi OA,

The TCP uses our stick just like Zed does, because we don't have the strength of Big Honkers to swing it around like a toothpick, hanging up multiple crow decoys!

On to your does color matter question. Texas Matt noticed when we were moving around a fine new east Texas hunting property back in October that the local crows seemed to quickly learn that flying by the "big yellow stick" could get you shot.

I then painted my "Hot Stick" with Krylon Fusion Ultra Flat Black, Earth Brown and Forest Green Camo paint. It looks much more natural now and we think that is an improvement.

While we have topped it with GHG Flocked Crows and converted (flat black painted) Edge by Expedite Dove Flappers at various times, we mostly hoist up the Edge by Expedite Cawin' Crow. That's the ticket! (Field Deployment Tip fom the Voice of Experience - put a "safety cord" on your Cawin' Crow so if a hawk or other raptor knocks it down, it won't fall down the 40 feet to its electronic demise.)

Good Luck and Good Hunting,

Mainehunt · Guru

Ask your friend if you can paint it........

Mainehunt · Guru

Get him REALLY drunk, hand him a rattle can of flat black and tell him that only a real man could put a good camo paint job on that there yeller pole. ;)

Lone Star Phil · Senior Member

OA,

Your first challenge is to convince your utility buddy to trust that you won't operate the pole around electrical wires.

Second hurdle is to get him to cede it to you and to accomplish that feat, you'll have to convince him to say, "I'll just let you hold on to it because you've got all those decoys, camo netting, camo clothes and callers in the back of your truck." That will mean some successful crow shoots.

Take him crowing and get him to agree, verbally, that the bright yellow hue just isn't working for you. (Why woudl your utility buddy care what color it is?!) Then, paint it that next weekend. Obviously, it will have lost all "demonstration value" to the utility company but your utility buddy can then creatively think up plasuible deniability explanations in answer to 'what happened to our demonstration pole?' when out with you on your next de-crowing operations. Coach him!

You'll have to make sure that he totes the pole though! I'll volunteer for that task on TCP sorties because I've a strong back and I've seen the pole work its magic and that makes all the difference in the world!!

Good luck!

Phil

Old Artilleryman · Guru

Mainehunt wrote:
Get him REALLY drunk, hand him a rattle can of flat black and tell him that only a real man could put a good camo paint job on that there yeller pole. ;)

LOL! I needed that! biggrin

TCP: The learning never ceases .

Spring short season closes tomorrow. Last outing today. Thanks to all!

Pat B · Senior Member

That means you got a lot of free time to work on your buddy !!!!!

Pat

crazy 4 crows · Veteran Member

i had a yellow hot stick i used for work until the end broke , then i rigged it for hanging crows, i wrap mine in brown duct tape and just throw on the ground behind us until we leave

Old Artilleryman · Guru

Had a talk with my hotstick supplier this a.m. at church. Explained that it worked great and that I would put it in my will to him upon my demise. It is true that he did not want it to fall into someone's hands that might end up killing himself by touching a wire. Seems these devices age and acquire tiny cracks in the fiberglass that permit moisture, dirt, and other crud to accumulate thus "enhancing conductivity" and the possibility of a sudden electronic death. Oh yes, he said "go ahead and paint it." All set to go for next August! smile

Fun story for you old timers from a rookie shotgunner: Yesterday, went out for my final day in the early MI season; a known hot spot from last year and set up just prior to dawn. Sentinel up high on the yellow pole, silhouettes in the trees and 20 3-D decoys on the ground. I was in full leafy suit with veil and situated in a nice natural woodpile blind. Speaker on with "Crow Fight" and they came in lickety-split. Three rounds and three birds--one had set down, perching five feet from the 40' up sentinel and was knocked down as #3. Slight pause, so I decided to top off the three shells, feeling pretty good by now. Wasn'd paying attention and shell #3 got stuck in backwards--caught on the cartridge stopper (Mossberg 500). What the...About that time, all the dead three crows' pals came in and swarmed around directly above my head and the field of decoys really upset at what had happened to them but not half as upset as I, over my error. Wasn't able to dislodge the shell with my fingers, so I switched to my small pocket knife which did not work either. Then I dropped the knife into the leaves and could not find it. furious Things were not going well * and the crows were still swarming. So, I gave up and removed the barrel. Popped out the shell and put things back together. By this time (5 minutes) things were quiet. So, took a deep breath and started over.

BTW, it was another great clear frosty spring day. I got three more for a grand total of six, including one with some form of eye disease (photo). Excellent for me. So, had some fun, learned a new skill, and later, my friend who owns a farm about 20 minutes north called me to come up. He had been baiting for coyotes with roadkill deer and had seen crows in orbit over the carcasses (photo). I operated the sound and he got one (crows must have been pretty well-trained around there) because they stayed away the rest of our time. So, that upped it to six plus one "assist." A good day made even better!

(*Note: This operation reminded me of a generic military expression dealing with a monkey and a football)

-- Edited by Old Artilleryman on Monday 1st of April 2013 12:10:54 AM

Mainehunt · Guru

That crow's eye is gross, I think you did him a favor.

Lone Star Phil · Senior Member

OA:

Ha! Been there. done that!! Most gunners won't admit they've ever FUBARed a load and I acknowledge you for your self-effacing perspective. And after it's all said and done, it's better to expect a "BOOM" and get a "click" than to expect a "click" and get a "BOOM".

Phil

Big Honkers · Guru

OA,

Good shooting! I know all too well how frantic a hunters hands move when game is in range but the gun is not ready. Its stressful! lol.

BH

Mark · Guru

OA, I painted the one I have.. I only painted the last 3 sections.. Use some 120 grit sandpaper to "scuff" up the fiberglass. Wipe clean / Prime and paint with cammo paint... Crows don't care about the color.. "only reflections" will get their attention..

Old Artilleryman · Guru

BH: Advice taken. Since we are in the non-crow season, plenty of time to do a nice flat camo paint job when it becomes nicer outside.

I was puzzled a bit, that the crows were not apparently bothered by the bright yellow stick during my last two setups. I mentioned that one even landed a few feet away from my Dunham's plastic full-size decoy "sentinel," perhaps to discuss with him why he had a 40' yellow pole up his behind biggrin . He did not get an answer, as I managed to shoot him out of the tree as he was kind enough to sit still. The answer as someone earlier pointed out, is likely that even though they can see the bright yellow stick, they had not yet made the association between it and all the carnage.

Maybe the nice folks at crows.net can help us out? confuse

Gadget Bob · Guru

Hi Mark,

Good idea on the scuffing process. The TCP needs a little do-over, since our Hot Stick needs frequent touching up due to lack of paint adhesion.

Regards,