Well set up in the pre-dawn on the same sunflower field I had hunted a couple moons ago. Two shotguns and plenty of feed for the guns. Only extenuating circumstance was that the crows had a brand new plan and decided to feed several miles to the west. Guess I hazed them good the other morning because only 5 bandits attempted suicide...three succeeded in front of my M12 trap gun
Ted
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Life's tough... It's even tougher if you're stupid. John Wayne
In regard to the no show in the sunflower field, this is why I look one day and hunt the next so this does not happen. They will not change in one day (or at least 90% of the time they don't) so the odds are with you taking a look the day before. As you already know, it takes plenty of time getting consistent shooting.
Bob A.
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To listen to this radio talk show go to episode 12, Bob Aronsohn
Bob, the last couple flats of target loads I picked up were 58 bucks per. With out Provincial and Federal taxes combined at 12 percent that pushed the cost/flat up to almost 70 bucks. These were Federal Top Gun promo loads which at the bottom end of the quality scale IMO. But, I do kill crows easily with the 3 dram variety well out to 50 yard if I do my part.
This past summer I got my hands on a flat of Fiocchi Crusher Loads loaded with an ounce of hard 7 1/2 shot and pushed at 1300 fps. These were great on the crows the other day. Remington Gun Clubs fodder has not been available up in my region for many years now. I liked those and the hulls reloaded well too.
Further, in regard to shooting the same field, you are certainly right about the crows smartening up. I was called there by a sunflower grower that was concerned about bird damage as this crop is usually combined later in October. Bird damage from crows and blackbirds can be significant at times. He wanted them haze out...but I kind of want them to return!
However, crows are often quite dumb up here in the fall. Nobody hunts them and I'm sure the lions share are made up of young of the year which have likely never encountered shotguns. I often get sustained shooting over a few weeks from the same locations as crow numbers are bolstered by new recruits. Things seem to be 1-2 weeks behind this fall. Numbers are not what they should be yet.
Ted
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Life's tough... It's even tougher if you're stupid. John Wayne