Hi, new member here and I've always wanted to try to shoot some crows. I have bought a low cost caller so far and I would like to get some decoys. The only ones available in my area are the Flambeau Hard Crow Decoy #5900cr. They are normally $14.99 and are on sale for $7.99. Will these work and how many will I need? The more reading I do, the more it sounds like it's not that easy but I want to give it a shot anyway. Any advice will be appreciated. (Northern Ohio) thanks
Welcome to the Crowbusters , I’m relatively new myself, I have 12 decoys. That is plenty to lug around in the field. Research as much as possible, keep records of each hunt. Date, time, location, wind direction, wind speed, bird activity, bird flight directions. Camo, blind, calling, shot size, gun patterns. Scouting the day before the hunt helps, but weather plays a major roll. What is good today may not be tomorrow. I still have Crow fever regardless of the weather, I work in it and therefore I hunt in it. Have fun keep us all posted. This is a great place to learn, the folks here have taught me so much, but there is a learning curve.
Thanks for the reply. I had the new caller out today just for a test run. Within a minute or so, there were 15-20 crows flying around. At least I know it works:) Our season ends tomorrow but starts back up June 1st. I've got a few months to round stuff up. What kind of decoys do you have if I may ask?
I went with the Boondockers, light weight, compact, You Can stack them. Very nice decoys, they look real with the fletching. Only thing is they are half body’s. I don’t know if the Crows can tell. I use a backpack to carry them with my callers. A 5 gallon bucket with plastic amo tin for my shells. Coffee, snacks, bull horn. Blind materials, I attached a 3/4 inch rope with nots to throw over my shoulder. Then lug my shotgun, I could run it through my backpack like we did in the military.
Hi, new member here and I've always wanted to try to shoot some crows. I have bought a low cost caller so far and I would like to get some decoys. The only ones available in my area are the Flambeau Hard Crow Decoy #5900cr. They are normally $14.99 and are on sale for $7.99. Will these work and how many will I need? The more reading I do, the more it sounds like it's not that easy but I want to give it a shot anyway. Any advice will be appreciated. (Northern Ohio) thanks
Mach1,
Not sure of the model #, but if those Flambeau's have a molded plastic spike for sticking in the ground and loop on their back for hanging, they'll work. I doubt you'll find them much cheaper. The Boondocker's Terrell referenced are very portable, but the wind can raise heck with them. The Flambeau's take up way more space and are heavier. Tie two together and a guy can pitch them quite a ways up a in a tree. Both have advantages over the other and I'm glad to have some of each. Good luck.
Granite, yes the ones I looked at had the spike and looked pretty good. They also had the foam ones for $5.00 but they looked pretty flimsy...they had a clothes pin on the bottom. I liked the hard bodied ones better for a few bucks more, but I can see they'd be harder to carry. I better grab some while there on sale. thanks
The Boondockers are difficult to use as tree decoys. They are so light weight the slightest breeze and they are dancing in the trees. Worse yet they will spin while dancing. Also regardless of how I attempted to apply them to branch’s I’ll always have 1 upside down? On the ground they are the BOMB! A blade of dry grass can hold them up, as long as there is not a breeze. Corn stubble works the best. I carry an old long shank screwdriver to pre tap a hole for the spike attachment. As anything in life if you don’t have a professional show you everything to get started with your best bet is try something affordable first then upgrade. Good luck and keep us posted.