Crow Busters Forum

Members Login
Username 
 
Password 
    Remember Me  
Go To Crow Busters Website -> Crow Busters Forum -> Crow Hunting -> Need help upping my numbers.
Post Info TOPIC: Need help upping my numbers.
crowcommander


Veteran Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 35
Date:
Need help upping my numbers.
Permalink  
 

Ive been hunting crows now for about 5 years in northwest missouri.  All I have ever done is run and gun. A buddy and I went out for an all day crow hunt Saturday. Heres what we did, please tell me what you would do different.

At daylight we set up on an area where we usually have the most luck. Set out 6 boonedocker deks. We were on top of a hill on conservation ground, near cut food plots and short brush, and a little bit of crp. Put out FoxPro and played crow fight, a couple crows came in. They died. Turned off call about 3 mins. Played crow fight. single came in. Died..... repeated this process over and over. if nothing showed after 2-3 min of crow fight id switch to dying crow.  stayed for about an hour, killed 10 crows. Biggest group that came in was probably 6. most were 2-3 crows.

after that it was... drive to a spot. set up deks, turn on crow fight, they would usually come right away. shoot the first bird that came and immediately switch to dying crow, and would usually get a couple more to come. probably stay 15 min tops and averaged 2-3 birds per set (after the first set)

We ended up with 33 birds that day. We were both shooting very well this day, I say this because I feel like with the number of crows we seen, and had in range, this number was nearly the best outcome we could of had.

I see on here 100+ bird days and im trying to figure out how to do it. I have been looking for flyways and roosts around my area for years and have never been able to find anything.

Do we just not have the numbers here in nw mo or am I just a piss poor crow hunter.

Any advice would be appreciated!!

 

 

 



__________________
Butch


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 822
Date:
Permalink  
 


Crowcommander,

Our style of hunting involves food sources that concentrates them, pecans,agriculture (peanuts,corn,soybeans,etc) feed lots and fruit orchards and with that said it still takes a lot of Scouting to find them in good numbers that are not hunted hard. We do gathering calls and use the fighting and distress calls rarely. Of course this is down South and large roosts and flyways are rare ( I have not personally saw either down here ), in this area I have no experience. All that I can help you with is the Scouting and that as you know takes a lot of time, money and effort. I was fortunate this past summer and picked up some good properties on all day trips, but I had some days that were complete busts which is very frustrating. Talk to as many folks as you can in the areas you want to hunt, if you have family try and make trips in or thru these areas with them if possible. It really helps put land owners at ease when you stop and meet them and you have your Wife with you. Hope this helps some as I am not familiar with your area and by no means am I an expert. But as with any type of hunting Scouting is essential to having results you are looking for.

Sounds to me you're a good Crow hunter and the run an gun is a very challenging way to crowhunt, you might want try a feeding set up on some of your better spots after they have rested a few weeks, blind up good and use soft calls with decoys in trees and some on the ground. Remember I am fairly new to this sport and was fortunate to land on some good hunting areas thru scouting, but this has ben our most productive way to hunt down here.

Congrats on the 33 crow day!


Butch

__________________
Island Shooter


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 854
Date:
Permalink  
 

CC, At least we're we hunt, Butch is spot on. Crows are motivated by food and/or sex. So far, I've never found where they sneak off to fornicate. Until I find it, I'm sticking to where they eat. Keep putting out the word that you are a crow hunter and eventually you will get a network of farmers, hunters and landowners who have crow problems. In my case, I often invite these people to hunt with me and soon after they bring in more contacts. Demi

__________________

The man who thinks he can, and the man who thinks he can’t are both right. 
crowcommander


Veteran Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 35
Date:
Permalink  
 

Thanks a lot for the replies guys. Appriciated. I will try to find a good food sorce. I know of a couple feed lots with corn fields near by. I will try using more feeding calls for sure. Seems like as of latley the wind has been blowing alot and i find myself turning to the dying crow call because it is just louder and carries better. I will try to refrain from it. Thanks again

__________________
Big Honkers


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 1043
Date:
Permalink  
 

CC,

Large shoots you see on here are generally pretty rare. In 99% of the country a 33 bird shoot would be pretty darn good, so congrats!

__________________
motiondecoy


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 750
Date:
Permalink  
 

Write your Fish and Game department or department of natural resources what ever it is called....or call them..or email them...

__________________

The best gun is always the one you have with you!

[spoiler]
Butch


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 822
Date:
Permalink  
 


CC,

I agree with BH, in a 100 mile radius of where I live a 33 bird day is outstanding!
Don't give up on what's working for you on the calls, just on feeding sets use them as conditions dictate, we do use the distress a fair amount on up in the morning and the fight when its about time to pack up.
One last bit of advise, numbers killed are great but don't make a great hunt, as you know these rascals don't play fair !!


Butch

__________________
Old Artilleryman


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 1131
Date:
Permalink  
 

Butch wrote:


CC,

I agree with BH, in a 100 mile radius of where I live a 33 bird day is outstanding!
Don't give up on what's working for you on the calls, just on feeding sets use them as conditions dictate, we do use the distress a fair amount on up in the morning and the fight when its about time to pack up.
One last bit of advise, numbers killed are great but don't make a great hunt, as you know these rascals don't play fair !!


Butch

 Agree with Butch and Big Honkers Big Time! I'd have to retire in glory, if I ever had a 30+ day.

It's all relative, I supposeconfuse.



__________________

 "Arms are the only true badges of liberty. The possession of arms is the distinction of a free man from a slave." -- Andrew Fletcher 1698

 

 
crowcommander


Veteran Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 35
Date:
Permalink  
 

Thanks. Guess im just greedy. Not unhappy with 33 but just trying to keep bettering myself. I will be trying your advice. Thanks again

__________________
Old Artilleryman


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 1131
Date:
Permalink  
 

crowcommander wrote:

Thanks. Guess im just greedy. Not unhappy with 33 but just trying to keep bettering myself. I will be trying your advice. Thanks again

It seems everybody here seeks to bop more crows than the last time out--a Noble task. Being humble in trying to do so is a virtue of sorts because the black-feathered (*&%*^%$ are so annoying and they don't follow our planfurious.

Good Huntin'!

Craig



__________________

 "Arms are the only true badges of liberty. The possession of arms is the distinction of a free man from a slave." -- Andrew Fletcher 1698

 

 
nhcrowshooter


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 1420
Date:
Permalink  
 

You can only shoot what crows there are around to shoot. Big kills requires big numbers of available birds. Where I live 100+ birds in a day can happen if everything comes togehter when birds are migrating through the area, without a migration going on shooting is slow, sometimes very slow. Bob A. gave me some advice once on how to up my numbers, he said I should move.

__________________

Professor, NH Crow Hunting Academy

Secret Hunting Spots  


 
BUZZ


Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 219
Date:
Permalink  
 

I agree with the others, 33 crows a day in that type area is a great day.
One thing we have found that can help. Start out with gathering a feed calls. When the crows get sick of that , or if they don't respond, then try the fight calls.

__________________
Arkie


Veteran Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 32
Date:
Permalink  
 

A good buddy, excellent crow hunter (now deceased) always maintained that if the state ever set a bag limit on em they'd go extinct. His reasoning was that if there was a daily limit, folks would think them "worth hunting" and everbody would be hunting em and trying to bag their limit. Don't know that he was right, but he truly did believe it.

Bob

__________________
01-20-17!!!! Obama's Last Day!!!!
Rook-ie


Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 323
Date:
Permalink  
 

Commander -

I agree with these guys. 33 with high percentage shooting is pretty good. Our best day ever was 14 a few weeks ago - probably should have been 20-25 if not for our shooting. A typical day for me is 4-5, which might not seem worth the effort, except it's fun and I get to spend time with my 20-something sons. The chase and quality time is what it's all about for us.

You might use a few more decoys (upwards of 20) in a friendly/feeding set up and calling, and definitely try to get several as high up as possible (many methods discussed on here on past threads -- just search the topic). Fight later when you're wrapping it up or bored. Good blinds are critical if you aren't run and gun.

Have fun!

Jerry
PS -- Edited because everyone likes pictures, and video, too.  Apologies to crow hunters everywhere for poor shooting, and please excuse some language. Link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lY9JIzW5dNo

 

 



-- Edited by Rook-ie on Tuesday 6th of January 2015 11:25:21 PM

Attachments
__________________
Crows are still winning.
Old Artilleryman


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 1131
Date:
Permalink  
 

Rook-ie:

Nice pics! Gotta get me a sled!!!

 



__________________

 "Arms are the only true badges of liberty. The possession of arms is the distinction of a free man from a slave." -- Andrew Fletcher 1698

 

 
Rook-ie


Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 323
Date:
Permalink  
 

Thanks OA... yes, get a sled. By the way, the video is 8 minutes, but that was over a 2 hour period.

__________________
Crows are still winning.
Butch


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 822
Date:
Permalink  
 


Jerry,

Congrats! Very well done.
I can tell by the pics y'all had a blast, pics were great and the video puts you in the blind.
Looks like they ain't winning all the time!


Butch

__________________
crowcommander


Veteran Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 35
Date:
Permalink  
 

Nice work rook-ie. didn't look like too bad of shooting to me. was you using a gopro?

__________________
Rook-ie


Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 323
Date:
Permalink  
 

Thanks... fun morning. It's like a GoPro, but it's a Spypointe Xcel. That is taken with the headband.

__________________
Crows are still winning.
Page 1 of 1  sorted by
 
Quick Reply

Please log in to post quick replies.
Go To Crow Busters Website -> Crow Busters Forum -> Crow Hunting -> Need help upping my numbers.