Ive never targeted them specifically with a rifle but I have taken shots at them when the opportunity presented itself. Its always been with my 22-250 while coyote hunting or watching an area to take out a groundhog for someone.
My father used to cruise the back roads in Up State New York in the mid to late 1950's with a .220 Swift. He used to love popping them with a sand bag on top of the side view mirror on the drivers side of the car. He once killed two with one shot, he just waited for them to line up before he squeezed off the shot.
I used an old JC HIggins that had a tube with .22 long rifle. I'd wait under a pine bough in the snow (young and crazy-I know 16 yrs.old) and I used this dead frozen crow a friend let me keep and used this old stuffed Barred owl and it worked. The crow would land atop the sapling and I would pop it off the top; I got a couple that way but was never able to duplicate this feat again...anyhow I aquired a n old bolt action 16 ga. mossberg and then moved up to a 12 ga. Mossberg pump (and still couldn't hit a crow at that time-oh well!.....(Hey! Stop laughing-it wasn't that funny! Used to really tick me off!)
Friend of mine has a 300 acre pecan grove that I squirrel hunt a lot, it is lousy with crows in the fall when the pecans are on. I have set up on it with a shotgun and decoys and have done well there but was thinking that just for fun I would try doing some sniper work on them with a .17 HMR this fall.
-- Edited by turtledave on Wednesday 20th of June 2018 05:45:57 AM
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A .17 HMR will do a number on crows. I've used mine out to 125 yds with deadly results. However, do you really want to use a rifle in a pecan orchard?
Unless you are using a call to bring them in and/or back, a rifle (or shotgun) will run them off for good. You may get a shot at one or two, but the rest will flee. A pecan orchard is a great food source that is better hunted with a shotgun as you have in the past.
Don't mess us a great hunting spot just to snipe a couple of birds. Instead I would suggest you bring the .17 HMR into the blind with you and use it only for the wounded "hoppers" you bring down with the shotgun.
Demi
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I have taken quite a few with a .22 LR but not near as many as with a shotgun and caller.
Would love to hit them with my coyote rifle 22-250 (40 grain at almost 4000 FPS!) for the "pink mist" effect but for safety sake its usually not possible due to the angle of fire and no backstop. I have yet to find a technique aside from the "roadkill fake" that can ground the birds for a safe shot.
Two completely different shooting and hunting styles that can be used together VERY effectively. If you hunt your own property or are doing pest control for another rancher you can often clean up on the ones that got away and saw a mate drop when you were wing shooting by using your rifle. If you have hunted the area enough to get a few you will see where the "wise ones" are often hanging back in a evergreen tree line and won't come into the call.
I use this to my advantage by setting up an E-caller in the location I downed their mates and then moving to the treeline 3/4 mile away with my .22 LR where they hang back. With a .22 LR using Elley subsonic ammo I have had great success exterminating the remaining few.
-- Edited by Foonus on Saturday 23rd of June 2018 02:41:12 AM
Shoot crows occasionally with my 222 Rem 22-250 and such a bit too much gun. Just have to be aware of what is downrange if shots above horizon. With the onset of everyone carrying a personal phone, shooting from the truck window has become a thing of the past here...
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