Well, got one a couple of days ago and got rained on. Much nicer today, so I went a bit farther out and set up again, in an effort to follow the doctor’s orders to mess up my back to see how well his steroid shots worked. Hey, going to get another shot next Wed. anyway…he instructed me to “resume normal activities.”
Set the blind up last night. Upon arrival this a.m., I found myself asking, “WWBHD?” (What Would Big Honkers Do? ). So I had a few extra minutes and lopped off some sumac branches to brush up the camo a bit (photo 1). Worked nicely (for me—BH carries a small forest around to brush up with). The “view from the blind wasn’t all that exciting (photo 2) but there was a small opening along the road (3 & 4) large enough for a few decoys, the sentinel, and a few “crows on a stick.” (one circled). Started off with owl/crow fight which begins with more hoot(er)s than the restaurant. Just before sunup at about 0700 lots of action. Took several shots and downed three in about 20 minutes. Nice to feel a hot barrel again. I was not paying attention at one point and failed to react properly to two coming straight in, low and slow. I could not get turned around fast enough and they flared out when they saw me move. That was very bad and ticked me off, big time. Anyhow, the birds by then were staying in the distance except for one that kept checking back in and hiding above and behind the tree line, while making a racket. Smart a**. However, as I was tearing down the setup, I carried the ol’ Model 12 and when Mr. Smart A came back one time I nailed him and with a nice puff of “crow snow,” he dropped into the forest. Very satisfying, as that made up for the two that I flubbed up on. Lost two in the corn, but all hits were with excellent feather clouds and instant drops (photo 5).
Equipment upgrade report (photo 6). I noticed when I set up the blind last night, that it was Mosquito City in this cornfield. My wife gave me a Therma-Cell Repeller as a birthday gift, and it worked as advertised, keeping all the little buggers away. I suppose that it worked well because there was zero wind--but it did work. It should come in handy hunting turkey next week, enclosed in a doghouse blind. Therapy continues.
And as I was packing up to go have coffee and blueberry roll with the property owners, I got some extra help from this guy (last photo). Hope all y’all had a fine weekend!
-- Edited by Old Artilleryman on Monday 7th of September 2015 05:58:43 PM
Do the crows ever alight on the corn stalks ? They'd do that around here when food got tight..I saw it and couldn't believe my eyes..some had those hungry crow streaks on them making them look pie bald!
This happened when for some reason the farmer didn't cut that field but there sure were tons of crows around!*
Do the crows ever alight on the corn stalks ? They'd do that around here when food got tight..I saw it and couldn't believe my eyes..some had those hungry crow streaks on them making them look pie bald!
This happened when for some reason the farmer didn't cut that field but there sure were tons of crows around!*
*Couple hundred actually!
Can't say that I've ever see one land on a stalk. However, some were curious enough to check out how my decoys were able to do so. For three at least, that was a mistake.
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"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
Well done!
Looking at your pics how green things are, same here we've had a good bit of rain and I was just telling my son my yard looks like the 1st of May, said all that to say that the corn we hunted was harvested over 2 weeks ago and the new growth in the field was unreal. Usually drier hear this time of year and plants are browning out due to this and the end of there growth due to the season changing. Anyway going to check back with the Farmers and see what they are cutting and keep a check on these fields maybe catch a break and get on a few more. Oh and another good thing from this am hunt NO Chiggers,ticks or snakes which was very nice.
Pigeons will "alight" on corn stalks here, but they don't like it. Seems some fields draw them like a magnet, and they will settle on corn stalks rather than go to a freshly cut field next door. But they are always agitated on them, frightened to fall in between where a fox might get them due to not being able to fly off
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If it moves and is legal but also moral, SHOOT IT !!
Pigeons will "alight" on corn stalks here, but they don't like it. Seems some fields draw them like a magnet, and they will settle on corn stalks rather than go to a freshly cut field next door. But they are always agitated on them, frightened to fall in between where a fox might get them due to not being able to fly off
Dunno. Our corn stalks are pretty flimsy on top. I can't see how a pigeon or crow could actually land on one without it flopping over due to its weight. I'd be worried also, were I a big fat pigeon.
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"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
Good to see you out again! Good shooting percentage too.
Its been hot here and you still set up the blind. Good work. I would have taken the lazy mans way out and stood about 3 rows deep in the standing corn. Actually, standing corn makes a great blind.
When I heard you guys talk about crows lighting on standing corn it reminded me of Holdridge, Nebraska back in the 1980's. When the crows would arrive in Nebraska back then they would roost 6 miles east of Holdridge just south of Funk, Nebraska. They roosted on the standing corn before it got picked. When one quarter section was done they just moved over to the next field until all the corn got harvested, then they moved in to the town of Holdridge! That was a decent sized roost of 100,000 plus crows in those days. I used to hunt up there before the crows got to Kansas in those days, Holdridge was 4 hours from my home in Hutchinson, Boyd & I would go up there and it made a nice 3 day trip.
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To listen to this radio talk show go to episode 12, Bob Aronsohn
Well the crows didn't actually alight as in sitting on a tree branch but were actually flapping while pecking at the corn stalk to make things clear...yes I put flambeau feather light decoys on cornstalks before and it was comical watching them trying to land and i too would shoot them...worked on bushes too when the crow would try to land where i set up -at the time-Herters' decoys...pretty comical..
If you use flambeau decoys expect to paint them flat black by the way..they shine wicked in the sun ...!! But some of the newer models coming out are already flocked or something?
Pigeons will "alight" on corn stalks here, but they don't like it. Seems some fields draw them like a magnet, and they will settle on corn stalks rather than go to a freshly cut field next door. But they are always agitated on them, frightened to fall in between where a fox might get them due to not being able to fly off
Dunno. Our corn stalks are pretty flimsy on top. I can't see how a pigeon or crow could actually land on one without it flopping over due to its weight. I'd be worried also, were I a big fat pigeon.
They spread their weight over a few corn stalks, and then flap almost continually (agitated) to remain above.
WHY they decide on a particular field when there is a better cut field just next door is beyond me, and I can only think "bird brain" LOL
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If it moves and is legal but also moral, SHOOT IT !!
Flambeau decoys are not to be used in winds over about 6 mph I estimate...they are so light weight that they will blow off their perch!
We sometimes have decoys blown off their pegs, or even blown over, but this is usually in winds gusting, and then above 25Mph.
most of our decoys we DON'T use with the plastic feet, instead binning the feet and putting spring pegs through a large hole drilled in the bottom (1-1 1/2" dia) and then through a 3/8" hole in the top, where it allows them to rock in the wind, providing a bit of movement, which helps bring the birds in.
If you get the pegs they are often GREY in colour (fine for pigeon) so we then spray them Matt black
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If it moves and is legal but also moral, SHOOT IT !!
Flambeau decoys are not to be used in winds over about 6 mph I estimate...they are so light weight that they will blow off their perch!
We sometimes have decoys blown off their pegs, or even blown over, but this is usually in winds gusting, and then above 25Mph.
most of our decoys we DON'T use with the plastic feet, instead binning the feet and putting spring pegs through a large hole drilled in the bottom (1-1 1/2" dia) and then through a 3/8" hole in the top, where it allows them to rock in the wind, providing a bit of movement, which helps bring the birds in.
If you get the pegs they are often GREY in colour (fine for pigeon) so we then spray them Matt black
I've had good success using these big clips, matte black, of course. The second photo was on a sturdy piece of wood.
OA, good to see your therapy is coming along well, hope for a speedy recovery. Been rained on here as well. 9 inches in the last 10 days...backroads are all but impassable putting a huge damper on my fall hunting. Lets hope things dry up and we have fair weather so we can all resume normal crow killing activities
Ted
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Life's tough... It's even tougher if you're stupid. John Wayne
Some one just checking out the barn they bought found these pretty interesting rubber like decoys...she didn't know what she had but by God I did and bought them! theyt are very effective in wind...I know there are more out there too! people just don't know what they have-I call these the Missouri decoy and they even make a "rubber' owl too but unfortunately this owner knows exactly what he has so he ain't letting that get away that easily.
The draw back? You guessed it-very heavy if you got to hike like I do to get to the place you will set up...I cannot imagine anyone hauling a dozen out anyplace on foot!
). So I had a few extra minutes and lopped off some sumac branches to brush up the camo a bit (photo 1). Worked nicely (for me—BH carries a small forest around to brush up with). The “view from the blind wasn’t all that exciting (photo 2) but there was a small opening along the road (3 & 4) large enough for a few decoys, the sentinel, and a few “crows on a stick.” (one circled). Started off with owl/crow fight which begins with more hoot(er)s than the restaurant. Just before sunup at about 0700 lots of action. Took several shots and downed three in about 20 minutes. Nice to feel a hot barrel again. I was not paying attention at one point and failed to react properly to two coming straight in, low and slow. I could not get turned around fast enough and they flared out when they saw me move. That was very bad and ticked me off, big time. Anyhow, the birds by then were staying in the distance except for one that kept checking back in and hiding above and behind the tree line, while making a racket. Smart a**. However, as I was tearing down the setup, I carried the ol’ Model 12 and when Mr. Smart A came back one time I nailed him and with a nice puff of “crow snow,” he dropped into the forest. Very satisfying, as that made up for the two that I flubbed up on. Lost two in the corn, but all hits were with excellent feather clouds and instant drops (photo 5).
