I write the Locker Room column for Cityview Magazine in central Iowa. The column is a sort of "alternative sports" column, covering the sort of athletic events ESPN the Ocho would envy. Anyway, I'd like to feature crow hunting in the column. I was wondering if anyone might be able to tell me a little bit about this particular game to hunt as well as what folks need to do to take part in it.
Additionally, I have a few specific questions as well.
1. These birds can be found as easily downtown as they can out on the open plain so where can/should folks go to hunt crow?
2. How is hunting crow different from say duck hunting or pheasant hunting?
3. What is the purpose of hunting crow? (I don’t know many recipes that call for crow.)
4. Should we continue to hunt and kill an animal that has no real monetary value?
5. How difficult is hunting crow? Why is this the case?
6. What do you see as the direct benefit of hunting crow?
7. What sort of gun would you typically use to hunt crow?
8. Which is more of a nuisance: pigeons or crows? Why? (I’m just curious of your opinion.)
9. Is crow hunting a sport? Why or why not?
If you think of anything else I haven't covered that's worth mentioning please let me know. The more information you can provide the more I can inform the Des Moines audience about this sport.
Hi David... many people on this forum could answer all of your questions, however, in some ways crow hunting is a sensitive topic. You are correct in your observation that there is no real monetary value, and not many people consider crow a culinary delight. Most States view crows as varmints, in a sense, and there are hunting regulations that govern crow hunting. People do also hunt pigeons, as you point out, and other such varmints as woodchucks (or groundhogs, if you prefer), which also have no monetary value or preference as a delicacy.
Here's the rub: while crows can be very destructive to cropland, a nuisance to urban areas, potentially a carrier of disease, and extremely aggressive toward song birds, ducks, and other wildlife, they are also extremely intelligent and some people just love crows. They also tend to be against all forms of hunting and shooting sports, and/or guns in general, and find crow hunting to be particularly appalling. Hence, while we enjoy the sport as an extremely challenging and enjoyable hunting experience, we prefer not to argue with people about its merits as a recreational activity.
The bottom line is it is legal, crows are not in any danger of becoming extinct, and as far as wing shooting goes, it's fun! I, myself, don't care to duck hunt - I don't like to be cold and wet, and there are not many upland bird hunting opportunities where I live (e.g.' pheasant and quail, although there are some ruffed grouse. I also don't care to eat a Canada Goose, so I don't hunt them, even though they abound and are a huge nuisance.
In light of this, okay, I'll take the bait and answer your questions.
1. These birds can be found as easily downtown as they can out on the open plain so where can/should folks go to hunt crow?
Generally, one can hunt crows anywhere one would hunt any other game -- outside of city limits on public or private land. In the winter especially, crows tend to form up into very large roosts (night time sleeping locations) in groups of thousands, if not tens of thousands of bird in or around cities and towns. During the day, they venture out into the countryside or local dumps looking for food and occasional mischief. They like crop land, and in places like Georgia, can do serious damage to pecan orchards. Some of the best spots to hunt are somewhere in between the roost and the feeding locations.
2. How is hunting crow different from say duck hunting or pheasant hunting?
Waterfowl and upland birds are very different, and bot are different from crow hunting. With ducks, often you sit in a blind near the water, place upwards of a few dozen decoys on the water, and use calls to simulate duck noises to entice them within range. Often, a nice Labrador Retriever is used to obediently swim out and bring back the fallen ducks.
Pheasants, on the other hand, are typically roaming the hedgerows and crop lands of the coutry, and are hunted using dogs to find and retrieve them. Pointing breeds, such as German Shorthair, Setters, and Brittany, will sniff out the birds on the ground, lock them down while they are on "point" indicating the birds' location, and when the birds get nervous and flush, the hunter can shoot. Sometimes, Labs are used for upland birds, but they generally just find and flush the birds, rather than point.
Crows are hunted using a very meticulously hidden blind, and various decoys on the ground and in trees, and are also called using hand callers blown with the mouth and/or electronic game callers. Crow have extremely good senses (eyesight and hearing), and combined with their high intelligence and ability to communicate with one another in very complex ways, are very difficult to fool and get into shooting range. Crows will send in scouts that will report back to the group, post sentries while others are feeding or to scope out the situation from a distance, and warn one another of any impending danger.
3. What is the purpose of hunting crow? (I don’t know many recipes that call for crow.)
The purpose of crow hunting varies, from predator/crop damage control to it's just fun to get out with friends or family to enjoy the outdoors. Some hunters despise the crow, and view it as a no-good, and disgusting pest that needs to be eliminated. Myself, I admire and respect the crow as fascinating creature and worthy adversary, but I do also feel that they are really pretty disgusting based on the things they will eat, the damage they will do, and the innocent wildlife they will maraud and destroy.
Mostly, hunters are doing farmers a favor and enjoying the bonding experience and challenge of a good crow hunt.
4. Should we continue to hunt and kill an animal that has no real monetary value?
Are there not many human activities about which we can ask this question? Is it okay to shoot nasty, stupid pigeons for fun? What about woodchucks and other varmints? They dig holes and break horses' legs. Neither of these even have hunting seasons, while in most States, there are regulations "protecting" crows somewhat. How about squirrels and rabbits? I will eat rabbit, but don't care for squirrel.
Even if there is monetary value, does that make it right? I am not a trapper, but many people are and they still trap furbearing animals. Personally, I do not like the idea of my friend's new full-length mink coat, but I'm not going to throw paint on her. How about other predator hunting? I'm not big on coyote hunting, but I would shoot one if I had the opportunity.
5. How difficult is hunting crow? Why is this the case?
Based on what I have already stated about the extreme intelligence and senses of crow, they are very challenging to hunt. In addition, it requires a great deal of forethought, scouting, befriending farmers, setting up, equipment expense, time and effort, practice shooting, and effective calling. It is challenging, and that may be why it is so much fun.
6. What do you see as the direct benefit of hunting crow?
Primarily, pest control. The amount of damage that crows can do to crops is staggering, and the nuisance and mess they can make in urban areas can cost municipalities a great deal of money.
7. What sort of gun would you typically use to hunt crow?
Typically, crow hunters use a 12-gauge shotgun with an average-sized bird shot. Many people use the cheapest shotgun shells that they can find -- often the same that they would use for skeet or trap shooting at the range. Hunters will engage in debates about which is better 7 1/2 or #6 shot, etc., but generally, we agree that it's best to lure crows somewhere inside thirty-five yards for a good shot opportunity. This would translate into a medium-sized choke for the shotgun, often a "modified" cylinder, giving a moderate shot pattern at that range.
8. Which is more of a nuisance: pigeons or crows? Why? (I’m just curious of your opinion.)
Due to the number crows, I believe that they are a bigger nuisance and actual threat than the lowly pigeon. I have no problem shooting pigeons, either, but crows can be very aggressive, bold, mean, and nasty, and they can do serious damage to a farmer's livelihood.
9. Is crow hunting a sport? Why or why not?
Absolutely! As a shooting sport, it is one of the most challenging that I have ever attempted. Crows, to me, make the whitetail deer and wild turkey seem like child's play. Is carp fishing a sport? While I don't care to catch carp and there is no way I am going to eat carp, it is still fishing and many people enjoy the sport.
As I said earlier, many crow hunters do not care to disclose much about the sport due to some of the potential backlash from others who disagree with it. Hey, you asked, and you seem legitimate in your motives, so I figured that I would oblige your request. I must also add, there are many very experienced crow hunters who know more than I and are true experts in the sport. In my mind, I will always be a "Rook-ie," and "The crows are still winning."
There is a Pod Cast on the right side of the main page under "Crow Buster News" titled "Bob Aronsohn Podcasts". The first podcast posted there has a lot of great information on crow hunting from one of the great crow hunters.
Thanks everyone for your responses and for also pointing me to where I can find more information. Rook-ie, your answers are great and I'm glad to see others feel the same way. Cheers everyone!
One more request if it's not to much to ask. I'd love to run a photo next to my article but I've never actually gone crow hunting so the best crow photo I could probably conjure up would be one in the tree outside my apartment. If anyone happens to have a photo of their crow hunt experiences (spoils of the hunt to simply a crow in the horizon) I'd love to share them with my readers. Feel free to post in here or private message me.
Thanks again!
-- Edited by thedavidrowley on Wednesday 8th of January 2014 02:47:53 PM
HHHHHMMMMMM!!! Interesting,,, Well if he is a hugger hes a good one!!! Very open and honest I will give him that!!! I miss jonthepain he would have had fun with david, I vote for rookie to be our new spokesman since jonthepain and shanedog seem to have retired,,,, I really miss their threads anyway good job rook
As an addendum to Rookie's comments, i would like to add the not quite the same "sport" of crow sniping, or hunting crows with a rifle, where legal of course into your questions.
2. How is hunting crow different from say duck hunting or pheasant hunting?
As crows are not a game bird, they can also be taken with an air rifle, bow and arrow, or rimfire or centerfire rifle. Bait is usually set out, be it leftovers, pet food, or other attractants, and hunters will sit over the "bait and take shots in a safe direction. They can also be called like they would be via wingshooting, but the animal must first land either on the ground, or in another place with a safe to shoot background. (see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQoHCkwIfjg)
3. What is the purpose of hunting crow? (I don’t know many recipes that call for crow.)
To add to what Rookie said, it's also seen as an off-season sport for keeping up shooting skills.
4. Should we continue to hunt and kill an animal that has no real monetary value?
Let me rephrase your question. Should we continue to hunt an animal than has many monetary "disadvantages". How much money does a single crow cost a farmer? Type crow damage into google and see the pictures of melons, tomatos etc destroyed by crows.
See the video below only if you are ok with dead animals to see what crows do to newborn animals.
Do we kill other animals not because of the monetary value, but because of the monetary disadvantages? Termiites, ants, mice, etc?
5. How difficult is hunting crow? Why is this the case?
If you haven't watched this video, it is well worth the time in understanding a crow's "difficulty" http://video.pbs.org/video/1621910826/
Although I'm not sure it mentions it in this video, I must note that crows in Japan will drop shelled nuts on roadways in the paths of moving cars, and then pick up the "meat" during red lights.
6. What do you see as the direct benefit of hunting crow?
Like mentioned above, keeping skills honed, reduction in the population of a "pest" species, the challenge of outsmarting one of the smartest birds in the world, fun with friends/family. More indirectly, the contacts that you make with farmers for crow hunting permission might also turn into other kinds of permissions if you keep the farmer happy.
7. What sort of gun would you typically use to hunt crow?
If you look around the articles section of the forum, you will see articles on rimfire and centerfire rifle hunting. If you visit youtube, you will see many videos of the same plus air rifle hunting. I know there are several on this site that hunt crows with an air rifle, and most air rifle hunters consider the crow a "big game" species, again, as above stated because of the difficulty in getting one into what is basically shotgun range. Note: some videos, such as the Crow bashing series would be illegal in this country, and is most likely illegal is that country as well.
8. Which is more of a nuisance: pigeons or crows? Why? (I’m just curious of your opinion.)
I would say depending on locations both can be more of a nuisance. Pigeons are dumber and from what I have read are easier to hunt than crows (see soar no more on youtube), but I thnk from the areas that I have been in, pigeons, and their droppings are more prevalent.
9. Is crow hunting a sport? Why or why not?
To get philisophical, we think it is, therefore it is. To get technical, if hunting is a sport, then all subsets of hunting under it's definition should also be considered a sport.
Consider mixing up Rookie's reply to these questions a bit
His three parts to crow hunting were
Blind, decoys, and calls
Blind - same as duck, or goose
Decoys - same as turkey, ungulates(deer, moose, elk, etc) and goose
Calls - same as duck, goose, ungulate, turkey, etc.
If turkey and duck hunting are considered sports, then by definition I see no reason than crow hunting should not be a sport.
I certainly don't want to sound as a smart-ass, but writing an article about crow hunting without having any experience crow hunting, is analogous to learning to swim before you get into the water. As a very experienced crow hunter myself, (over 40 years bustin them) and a free-lance outdoor sports writer, I can highly recommend that you experience the thrills, elation, and euphora of a good day crow hunting! I strongly recommend that you find someone whom is an experienced crow hunter, and go with them a few times. If you have a few successful days afield, you will probably be hooked on a most exciting sport! And that picture that you need for your article, take one of yourself after you have slaughtered a few crows yourself!
The remarks on this website by the other crow hunters, are all very good tips and suggestions.
Best of luck on your crow hunting article, and other writings!
