Ok I am new to crow hunting but I already have some of the gear.
E-caller= FoxPro shockwave
Gun= Benelli super black eagle II factory real tree camo.
Hand calls= Going to buy Bob Aronsohn's Hand Calling Crows / Jack Mincey Call Combo, and a Gibson short magnum call
If money was no issue how many decoys would you buy for your spread 12,24,36?
I have read that most people like the flocked decoys, and most of the same people like the green head flocked decoys which I plan on buying some of them, but what about the flocked boondock decoys?
How many motion decoys would you have in your spread?
Lastly I would like to have a portable blind, but I haven't really seen any portable blinds that people really like on here since they all seem to be to shiny which makes since. Is there a portable blind out there that is a killer on crows?
Is there anything else I need besides ammo and a chair lol?
Here is some info on building your own blind for fairly cheap. I built one very similar to this one only without the expandable paint poles. Its pretty light and can be set up pretty quickly with some practice.
As far as decoys go, you don't need a ton. Just get a few high up into trees to draw the attention of incoming and faraway crows. I use 4 total. Motion decoys are said to work well, the Buster II being a popular choice. Can't tell you much more on motion decoys.
I just bought Bob's CD and the JM call. The CD is very helpful in actually learning the calls instead of trying to mimic calls you've heard without knowing what they mean. The JM call sounds amazing and is really easy to manipulate in both hard and soft calling compared to any of the cheaper calls I own.
Keep it simple to start. 36 decoys is a lot to carry and set up, but if you have some of those boondocks, they nest and are easy to carry. 24 sounds good, but no matter what the number, make sure you have as many as you can as high up in nearby trees as you can get them.
On motion decoys, I have an Edge Triple Play, a modified Mojo Dove (covered with stick-on black felt), and had a Buster II until it died. I can't really say that I've noticed a big difference, but I like gadgets. Down side is that they add to your set up time and chew up batteries. I did modify my Buster II with the instructions on this site to wire it up for remote activation. I also fashioned a remote for my Mojo with a couple 9 volt connectors from Radio Shack and speaker wire on a roll. The spinning wings seem to be less effective than the flappers for crows, but I recently added a potentiometer from Radio Shack for variable speed on the Mojo. I think slowing down the spinning wings is better.
As you will read on this forum and the website articles, completely brushed in blinds and full camo are critical. Concealment is #1. Period. Just ask the very experienced guys. You will not find god portable blinds really. Some guys like layouts, but for me expense is an issue and I don't hunt geese. That's a lot to carry, and I personally, think that the movement to shoot is just too much. Some guys who use them probably disagree. I'm also not big on sit ups -- hahahaha!
No matter what blinds you use, I like camo leafy material on tall furring strips to start, but then I really try to brush in with surrounding natural materials they best I can -- the more the better. I consider my best blinds to be semi-portable and I leave them in a few of my best locations tied down with guy ropes. Pictures below - I have "pre-bushed " them in with garden grasses, but that definitely is not enough. You should look at Bob's photos of brushed-in blinds. Completely concealed!
I like my 5-gallon bucket with the spinning lid seat. A chair would be too limiting for me -- birds come from every direction and I like to be able to gently and quietly turn if I need to, plus I can carry ammo and my e-caller in it, etc.
Welcome and good luck! It's a lot of fun and all of our wives (and many friends) think that we are completely off our rockers!
-- Edited by Rook-ie on Friday 3rd of January 2014 02:17:30 PM
Hey guys thanks so much for all the info!! Rookie that blind is really nice!! I can already tell I am going to get seriously hooked on this lol!Rookie you were talking about the boondock decoys how hard are they to hang in trees? Do they blow around in trees more since they are open on the bottom?
There are also posts on here about modifying decoys to make them easier to hang. Some guys put hooks on the top of them (coat hanger hooks work well) and use expandable paint poles to hang them over branches, others attach fishing line and weights to hoist them over branches. I've always had problems with fishing line tangling, so I use hooks on mine and then use poles from my blind to hang them as high as I can in trees, usually 15 to 20 feet up.
Nate - I don't actually have any boondock decoys. Anything will blow around if it's real windy, even the full bodied Flambeaus. Just have to try it out. Good luck!
