Hello folks, I was just wondering if anyone else has seen behavior like this. I was walking the riverbank on a cold winter day carrying a 20 ga. shotgun. I had a thin growth of trees like a fencerow between me and the crop field that shielded me from view. I heard crows calling loudly and moving in my direction. I got ready for a passover, and sure enough, here came the first one. I hit him with the first shot, and his momentum carried him pass me and into the river. The shot didn't kill him, and he started screaming his butt off. Two other crows flew in low and tried to lower like they were actually going to pick him up! Needless to say, with two crows almost stationary, I dropped them into the drink. Others flew over and saw what was going on, and I believe they warned other would-be rescuers away. I followed down the bank awhile, and the wounded crow finally succumbed. Was this just a one of event or is this relatively common?
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"When you have shot one bird flying, you have shot all bird's flying. ...the sensation is the same, and the last one is as good as the first." E. Hemingway "Fathers and Sons"
Very common behavior indeed. I like having that happen as it often brings MORE of them in. They won't abandon a buddy even when a hawk is pulling their buddy apart and actually as long as the hawk-in my case-is there munching away the crows will attempt to rescue it.
I have many experiences with this: the "death cry of a crow" on the many discs or cassettes out there is very effective and it calls in much more than crows even-another story. I can imitate the "death cry" quite effectively and so long as I remain hidden and the area is untouched-I get some good shooting depending upon the number of crows in the area who are "uneducated".