Coming off our victory over the bandits yesterday we where full of confidence that today would be no different. So, we headed for the pecan farm we hunted a month ago, killed 35 that hunt. We had a south, southeast wind this morning, perfect for hunting this particular farm. There aren't very many trees but they are old dudes and loaded with pecans. The trees run east and west. To the south is wide open pasture and some farm ground and the river. Not a whole lot for cover and in a bit of a hurry we decided to use a calf creep feeder for a blind. The feeder is on the southeast corner of the property with the trees about 150 yards to the north. Mistake #1 (not going over yesterday evening and getting the blind up in a better spot). So, we get the decoys out and wait on good light, fully expecting to down no less than 50 victims.
Things started off slow, but good. As the crows started coming into the pecans, (they where flying in about 300 yards to the west of our position, from the south using the highway, I guess) the first 3 crows we seen I hit the Mallardtone with my best rendition of the "come here call", all 3 of them hung a right hand turn and headed right for us. As you can imagine I was shocked and pumped all at the same time. I kept the calling up and popped the first one at about 15 yards. I kept this up for about 30 minutes and got 7 crows in and killed. After they ganged up in the trees it was hard for me to pull the incoming crows to our position, so I hit the fox pro.
This is when things went south, Uncle Bill is having fits with his gun and winged one, Mistake #2 (not bringing a .22 to kill winged birds) The winged crow went down about 80 yards to the north west of us. This was in between us and the pecan trees, which by now had 200 plus crows in them. A little later we got another one in and bill clipped a wing on him also. But, this one would drive the final nail in our coffin. This sucker takes off like a rocket and hops his way over to the pecan trees, where the crows have now turned the pecan trees black. All we could do is set and watch all them.
I killed the call and we decided to pick up and move closer to the trees. We did but by now they where not having any off it. We ended the hunt with the counter saying a miserable 9 (didn't really need the counter haha). But, I learned a good amount today and will whack them next time.
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"If men had wings and bore black feathers, few of them would be wise enough to be crows." Thoreau.
The perfect hunts are those you do while driving home from ones like this one you described. The mistakes will improve future hunts.
A tip on the FoxPro use: When you are hunting one spot from a blind, use the electronic call judiciously. The goal is to pull in small, managible groups to your blind. Those 200 birds were educated by the shooting and none would return.
Thanks for a good report. Hope this helps.
Demi
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The man who thinks he can, and the man who thinks he can’t are both right.
The perfect hunts are those you do while driving home from ones like this one you described. The mistakes will improve future hunts.
A tip on the FoxPro use: When you are hunting one spot from a blind, use the electronic call judiciously. The goal is to pull in small, managible groups to your blind. Those 200 birds were educated by the shooting and none would return.
Thanks for a good report. Hope this helps.
Demi
I have seen this all too often myself in my "early years" so it is entirely true.
I remember this:"Wow-look at all those crows! We are gonna' do real good today!" HAH! Hung around awhiles and only one crow came in-downed then that long walk back to the car....! Yeah, we put out decoys. No good. The most was a few way too high and the rest sat way out looking like fleas on trees.....
Constant returning and eventually the crows altogether would be there until we showed up but would quit the area altogether or that specific acreage. Secondary targets like pigeons and starlings would become very elusive too.
What really rots is when there is a roadside farm,i.e.; a farm where the casual passer by can just look right in and see what's going on. Then any old Joe wants a crack at them but never getting more than 1 or two while the rest well educated stayed far away....sure you could hear and see them but to no avail; until they vacated for better safer feeding areas.
-- Edited by killer Crowalski on Monday 12th of November 2018 05:08:33 PM
-- Edited by killer Crowalski on Monday 12th of November 2018 05:10:07 PM
-- Edited by killer Crowalski on Tuesday 13th of November 2018 05:10:22 AM
A guy gets in a bit of a hurry, cuts some corners and things still work out, he thinks he can do it again. Been there and done that. I remind myself if I'm not going to do it right, it won't be worth doing. Measure twice, cut once. Right Demi?
That being said, nine is better than eight and I'll bet you had some fun.
I learned a heck of a lot from Sunday. On using the fox pro, I try to put off the hard calling as long as possible. This seems to keep them coming a few at a time longer than going right for the fighting or dying crow sounds. I will alter my volume and I generally let the call play a few minutes, turn it off and repeat. Any critiques on this method would be appreciated.
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"If men had wings and bore black feathers, few of them would be wise enough to be crows." Thoreau.
I did get in a hurry and I did cut some corners and it bit me in the but. That being said I did have fun, especially watching crows make a right hand turn to my hand calling.
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"If men had wings and bore black feathers, few of them would be wise enough to be crows." Thoreau.
