Not even three hours after receiving the new Daryal Gosey crow call from Skip yesterday (see my last posting), I got a voicemail from a local farmer with a problem. He has a cornfield just coming up and the crows have started pulling his seedlings to eat them... he was NOT a happy camper! Because of his urgency and also because it will soon return to 85 degree days after this cool spell, I told him I would show up in the morning to see what I could do. Due to late March timing, I told him not to expect any high numbers.
Setting up a single blind (we can't be spreading any virus germs ) this morning, I hadn't even finished unloading the truck when the crows started calling. Rushing to throw everything in the blind and hide my truck, I got back to see if my new call would work... It sure did! The birds came in like they were on a string, low and slow. The first couple were missed due to fogged shooting glasses, but things started settling down and the feathers began to fall.
The hunt didn't last long, but it was fun. I quit at about 10:30 with 32 down. Not bad for a morning of drizzling rain. It sure beat staying home in self-isolation due to Coronavirus!
Good work Demi. Enjoyed the report and photos, especially the double rainbow. Perfect looking blind. Good to hear your new work of art is functional as well as beautiful.
Glad you liked the call Demi. I really like to hear reports on someone using a call I built. Has Skip showed you the last call I built for him a multi-layer of different woods.
LOVE...your blind!!!! There is nothing even slightly wrong with 32 KIA's as a single in the rain no less !! Very glad the call passed muster.. it is not a combat veteran!! Wish our season was still in!! UGGGH...
Our season ended March 1st... but these were crop damaging crows, so NO CLOSED SEASON rules apply!! Just need to send in a Federal form in February showing all my crop depredation dates/counties/totals/disposal methods. This is an underutilized tool available to many of us. Look in to it, guys!
Demi
P.S. Thanks for the words on the blind. Quick & easy with the wire frame and an auger bit to plant the palm leaves.
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The man who thinks he can, and the man who thinks he can’t are both right.
Depredation permits are easily available here in NC too but with a "catch". Crow hunterscannot use any calling devices while hunting with this permit! Ugggh..
Light drizzle is great for crow shooting as is a light snow...remember now the law says or when the crows are in such numbers as to constitute a nuisance as well they can be shot …..legally out of "season"....on another note I know why crows are not being shot enough by crow busters in NH.....they will move even with snow on the ground and this is why I think the regulations are ridiculous here. They will move in spring before the 16th and be long gone by the time my colleagues in the east get rolling. Other times they will arrive in great numbers after the season ends!
The reason I don't chase them in spring here specifically is all the land have buildings on them or they other wise got posted and anyways the crows do come by but you got to be there when a bunch of migrants blow by and that as likely will be all the one or two you might get for that season! (Often too cold for that anyways!)
Fall is different but when they change their migration patterns you are lost period. One year the bulk of the crows came down to one location you couldn't shoot at anyways. But there were several thousand indeed! One day before the fall season ended!! Never saw that before-not in the Granite State a sight I'd guess would be routine in the big crow areas and otherwise a small sighting at that!
) this morning, I hadn't even finished unloading the truck when the crows started calling. Rushing to throw everything in the blind and hide my truck, I got back to see if my new call would work... It sure did! The birds came in like they were on a string, low and slow. The first couple were missed due to fogged shooting glasses, but things started settling down and the feathers began to fall.
