Crow Hunting - Bounty Hunters

By Walter Scott

One day last week, my son, Damon, called me at work and asked if I would get an owl decoy for him while I was in town. “Sure,” I said just assuming every store in town carried plastic owls. The search was not as easy as I expected. The sporting goods store was fresh out. The hardware store would not be getting more until spring. By the time I got to the last farm supply store I asked, “Do you have any owls?” By this time I was thinking they would know exactly what I was talking about, since I had already discussed it with everyone else in town. The clerk gave me a rather quizzical look while glancing about for an escape route in case I became violent. I quickly clarified my request explaining I wanted a plastic owl decoy. She seemed relieved and I bought what I think is the last owl in town.

When I met up with Damon that evening, he explained he had discovered a new sport, crow hunting. I hated to break it to him, though crow hunting was new to him, it was by far from a new shooting sport.

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Crow Shooting with raptor decoys Video

Raptor decoys are the most common predator decoys on the UK market, they come in a variety of different sizes and species, the most common being eagle owls, peregrines and little owls. These all produce the same effect when used in the right situation. My eagle owl decoy in this video relies on their natural instinct, as crows will still see it as a threat, despite no eagle owls being present in the local area.

There are numerous ways to deploy raptor decoys in the field. Although I have used them in fields, I find they are better when elevated off the ground as they are visible from a greater distance and will naturally sit on fence posts or in trees. A common trick I have used with my owl decoy is to set up on the crows' flightline early in the morning before they have left the roost.

Extreme Crow Hunting Video - Wisconsin

Winter crow hunting in wisconsin, a fun way to keep up your shooting in the off season.

Crow hunt approved in Utah

Blair Stringham, migratory game bird coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR), said crow populations, especially along much of the Wasatch Front, have grown steadily since 1990.

For example, every winter, a Christmas Bird Count survey is conducted in Utah. During the survey, the number of crows spotted between Logan and Salt Lake City increased from about 400 in 1990 to more than 2,400 in 2011.

While it’s not a statewide problem, Stringham said crows are damaging fruit, corn and grain crops in some parts of Utah. Crows also raid nests and steal eggs from other birds. And crows carry avian cholera and other diseases that affect birds. “And they damage trees and cause lots of other disturbances in urban areas,” he said.

The 2014 crow hunt runs Sept. 1 – 30 and Dec. 1 – Feb. 28.

More information about the hunt will be available in the 2014-15 Utah Upland Game and Turkey Guidebook. The free guidebook should be available at www.wildlife.utah.gov/guidebooks by mid July.

Read the complete HeraldExtra article 

Utah wildlife officials: Want to shoot (and eat) crow?

By Brett Prettyman

A proposal to open the state’s first crow-hunting season, likely this fall, will be presented at a series of public meetings leading up to a final decision by the Utah Wildlife Board.

A proposal to open the state’s first crow-hunting season, likely this fall, will be presented at a series of public meetings leading up to a final decision by the Utah Wildlife Board.

If passed by the Wildlife Board on June 5 as presented by the state wildlife agency, the 2014-15 crow season would run Sept. 1-30 and again from Dec. 1-Feb. 28, 2015. Licensed hunters would be allowed to take 10 crows a day and have 30 in possession.

"Over the years we have seen a dramatic expansion of crows in Utah," said Bill Fenimore, an avid birder and hunter who also serves on the Utah Wildlife Board. "They are tremendously smart birds and can be very challenging to hunt."

Wildlife officials say that increase has led to crop depredation and the hunt may help curtail agricultural losses.

Read the complete Salt Lake Tribune article

Shooting crows and pigeons over decoys, 2013 - Pigeon and Crow Hunting Video

My Breda developed a fault and I had to replace it with my antique Manufrance shotgun. A great gun but it doesn't fit as well. Added to that a random bag of cartridges that I inherited from my friend Fergie and let the fun begin.