Friday morning my good friend Clint, Colt and I done some morning scouting. At good light we made our way to an area I suspected of being pretty close to the roost. As the crows rolled over our heads my suspicions where confirmed. We made our way north about 6 miles to set up and hunt. We set up on a spot where the crows where coming from multiple directions in between feeding areas. We where set up and shooting by 9:30 and the action was pretty steady till about 1 o'clock when the counter stalled out in the mid 80's. At this point the century hunt wasn't looking good but at around 3 o'clock Colt knocked number 100 down and we ended the hunt with 104.
We packed up at 3:30 and went back to scouting hoping to nail down the exact roost location and good confirmation on the flyways. This turned out to be a smart move and learned a ton about the crows movement in the evening and where we would like to hunt. In talking with a farmer we got a name to the main landowner to the best hunting location and we gave him a call on Saturday morning. Turns out he doesn't like crows and gave me permission to take as many of their lives as possible. Clint had to leave early on Saturday so we set up and called for a couple hours with a feeding set up and whacked 24 while waiting on the evening flyway shoot.
At 2:00 Colt and I where set up and waiting on the flyway to appear. I turned the call on at 2:30 and from then to 4:40 we killed 65. I killed the call early against Colts wishes (he is still mad haha) in an effort not to wise up to many crows, the conditions just where not right. Turns out the scouting was pretty spot on and we where right on a main flyway. We got one hell of a show. We will get them when the conditions are in our favor.
Sunday: Colt and I got home late Saturday night and on the way home uncle Bill called and wanted to know how the trip went. Bill took me as a kid and loves to crow hunt so, every chance I get to take him I do. He isn't big on traveling so, this morning Colt and I picked up Bill and we made a pretty good circle around home and killed 23.
Let's see. You became a member of crowbusters on October 22nd asking for help with mouth calls & since then you've been cleaning house ! Hitting the century mark in no time. Hunting the flyways & finding a good roost , Tearing em up on the run & gun. I think you better keep count of your KIA because i have a feeling it's going into the thousand's ! Does crowbusters give awards for like up & coming star crowbuster ? If so you got my vote. Good job Dale, very impressive. Leave a few for me !
Thanks for kind words. I have kept count of the my TBC for the season and I am setting at 655 for the season. The goal is a thousand for the season. We’ll see if I can get it done.
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"If men had wings and bore black feathers, few of them would be wise enough to be crows." Thoreau.
Friday morning my good friend Clint, Colt and I done some morning scouting. At good light we made our way to an area I suspected of being pretty close to the roost. As the crows rolled over our heads my suspicions where confirmed. We made our way north about 6 miles to set up and hunt. We set up on a spot where the crows where coming from multiple directions in between feeding areas. We where set up and shooting by 9:30 and the action was pretty steady till about 1 o'clock when the counter stalled out in the mid 80's. At this point the century hunt wasn't looking good but at around 3 o'clock Colt knocked number 100 down and we ended the hunt with 104.
We packed up at 3:30 and went back to scouting hoping to nail down the exact roost location and good confirmation on the flyways. This turned out to be a smart move and learned a ton about the crows movement in the evening and where we would like to hunt. In talking with a farmer we got a name to the main landowner to the best hunting location and we gave him a call on Saturday morning. Turns out he doesn't like crows and gave me permission to take as many of their lives as possible. Clint had to leave early on Saturday so we set up and called for a couple hours with a feeding set up and whacked 24 while waiting on the evening flyway shoot.
At 2:00 Colt and I where set up and waiting on the flyway to appear. I turned the call on at 2:30 and from then to 4:40 we killed 65. I killed the call early against Colts wishes (he is still mad haha) in an effort not to wise up to many crows, the conditions just where not right. Turns out the scouting was pretty spot on and we where right on a main flyway. We got one hell of a show. We will get them when the conditions are in our favor.
Sunday: Colt and I got home late Saturday night and on the way home uncle Bill called and wanted to know how the trip went. Bill took me as a kid and loves to crow hunt so, every chance I get to take him I do. He isn't big on traveling so, this morning Colt and I picked up Bill and we made a pretty good circle around home and killed 23.
Absolutely incredible crows in the photos...incredible!!
Great shoot otherwise...the sight of crows like that is incredible!!
Like Paul said, it wasn't too long ago you were just trying to find good numbers. Your diligent scouting is paying off. Now find another concentrated area and you'll be kept busy all winter.
I guess if a guy is going to spoil his son there's no better way to do it.
Keep us informed with your great reports and pictures. Congratulations on hitting triple digits and keep after 'em!
Well run operation there. How dd the youngster do with the Mossberg too 410 I would assume?
Ted
410 s are great close range-and I mean close range-shotguns. You can carry twice the amount of ammo otherwise for a 12...recoil is quite minimal, light weight but this is my perspective. Up here the farmers don't want your trucks rolling over the fields. This is why some land got posted. The few crows passing through hardly makes it worthwhile here anyways. This area hosted a thousand or more at one time in the 70s so much so it was mentioned in Field and Stream. You could shoot quite a few. I would run dry although I got hardly any...when I shot 100 rounds to get only 14 you know I really stunk. Today I'd get a hundred each weekend I could go. But that is the good old days. Anyways BobA. said something to the effect they all went to eastern NYS...from the stories of eyewitnesses and video it must be true. But quite a few hang up north and most crow shooters in NH know exactly where but unable to shoot them..posted areas where you otherwise could and too many houses where you otherwise cannot.
He holds his own and it is a mossberg 20 gauge. As long as the crow is within good range for the gun he hits a lot of them. He count for 20 something on that hunt.
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"If men had wings and bore black feathers, few of them would be wise enough to be crows." Thoreau.
He holds his own and it is a mossberg 20 gauge. As long as the crow is within good range for the gun he hits a lot of them. He count for 20 something on that hunt.
Sorry Dale, looked like a 410 tube. Bought my son a 410 when he was 9. He shot dozens of ruff grouse with it, usually shooting the heads off from 20 feet or so as they're really stupid up here. He did quite well on crows with the 410 bore too, surprisingly well. 410 is a terrible shotgun to teach young shooters in my opinion. Small shot charge and tight choke make for lots of frustration. Wasn't 2 years later I was buying him a 20...which I should have in the first place.
Ted
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Life's tough... It's even tougher if you're stupid. John Wayne
Good work turning the caller off when the conditions were against you. I think this is important when roost hunting and not many folks know enough to do this.
