We shot my second cousins, mother's 17 pecan tree orchard this morning.. picked up 52.. SHOULD have killed 75+.. Found out my cousin was shooting #4's after the first 10 or so groups had come. He is a very good shot on doves.. We dropped one on the roof of the house we set up against and that screwed us up all morning as crows were decoying to the dead bird. We also had one bleed out and fall in the neighbors yard and crows decoyed to him.. we didn't discover that one untill we packed up.. All in all a great morning..
-- Edited by Mark on Sunday 8th of November 2015 06:52:21 PM
Yes, setting up against a house is unique... but is the only spot on the property.. a few of the trees are paper shells and that's where they want to be.. We shot it back in 2011 twice and killed 68 first shoot and 52 on second shoot..
Skip, my cousins mom. ( actually my 2nd cousin) that lives there is somewhat like your "pecan lady." on Saturday when I went by to bring in the brush for the blind and hang decoys she said "I've got crows" and they are just destroying the pecans. I said we'll shoot 'em tomorrow. She said do you want to see my gun? Well my heart just sank because we all know what pressure does to crows.. She walked over and picked up two cooking pot lids and said I walk out and slam these together to run them out of here.. I just smiled..
Like you we utilize what we can and sometimes you don't have a choice like in your situation, but from the looks of it I don't think you could have a better spot for a blind. I bet she smiles at every bang of the gun!
Butch, she thanked me over and over and said come again anytime... we had a lot of birds approach from the "left side" and over the gable roof line.. I couldn't keep my cousin still. He would have his muzzle moving setting up for a shot and wouldn't let the birds come in over the decoys.. ( rookie mistake) I had to constantly remind him to keep still and had to pick up birds out of the decoy spread..( trust me I used to do it) I'm thinking we may try and set up on the roof for the next hunt..left and right of the chimney.. ( seriously) that way, we see the birds coming and have a almost 360 kill zone.. I will do a Internet search and see if any cammo mfg's have a black, 3 tab cammo available...
We crow hunters think alike, always looking for an edge on these bandits. You have got to do some video if you hunt the roof, don't know if anybody has done that before but I do know a bunch of us would.
I had a 15 minute drive.. I arrived ~30 mins before sunrise..and set up and brushed in the blind and unloaded my gear.. It was dazzling rain.. I drove my vehicle ~400 yds up the road to park in hopes as not to give the birds anything different to see..I was walking back to the house down the middle of the road ( still dark) and a neighbor was picking up his news paper.. as I approached him I knew he didn't see me..when I got about 20 yards from him, I yelled "how bout them tigers." ( huge Clemson fans).. I wish I had it on video.. OMG..
When I got back to the house I could see thru the garage window that the TV was on. I could see in and my cousin was in the recliner watching the weather. I knocked on the door and HE walked to the blind..
Demi, the deck has been there for years.. When I was setting up the blind Sat evening..I glanced over a saw a snake on the gaurd rail.. almost soiled my pants.. turns out, Owner put rubber snakes on top to keep birds off..
They have a "brick grill" AKA "barbecue" in the back yard for grilling steaks, etc.. has a nice 5' brick chimney and solid steel griddle.. Anywho, we shot a crow and I heard a low thud.. couldn't figure out what it fell on..I ended up finding it right on top of the griddle.. should have taken a pic. Fun stuff right there..
Yes we are very fortunate.. about the neighbors.. Home owner called everybody and let them know what was going on prior.. And, most folks I talk with are hunter friendly in my areas.. I am ALWAYS, very humble, friendly, courteous, hold doors, pick up trash, drive safely, etc.. where ever I travel for hunting.. We don't need bad press / image.. Most small towns, everybody knows everybody and word travels fast..
...and those are some mighty stiff loads for crow dispatching! Thanks for sharing.