Are you new to calling Are you new to calling Are you new to calling Are you new to calling crows;crows;crows;crows; but but but but you doyou doyou doyou do not not not not know how? This is a general article on Pied Crows know how? This is a general article on Pied Crows know how? This is a general article on Pied Crows know how? This is a general article on Pied Crows

and facts, click here for the MAIN ARTICLE.and facts, click here for the MAIN ARTICLE.and facts, click here for the MAIN ARTICLE.and facts, click here for the MAIN ARTICLE. http://www.africanpredator.com/crowarticle.htmlhttp://www.africanpredator.com/crowarticle.htmlhttp://www.africanpredator.com/crowarticle.htmlhttp://www.africanpredator.com/crowarticle.html

These 32 crows I called in 2 hours in April 2010, April is a good month

as young lambs are born, and crows are attracted to the lamb’s

afterbirth.

Well to start I suggest you read that above article after you read this small condensed version; to call crow’s means to know them. I have called crows for many years; I kill about 1000 crows a year, and that’s still

too little!

Firstly remember crows see in FFFFUUUULLLLLLLL CCCCOOOOLLLLOOOOUUUURRRR like us so it is vital to use FULL camouflageFULL camouflageFULL camouflageFULL camouflage when calling

them, the digital camo I wear in this photo is amazing, at a distance it appears to be blurred to the vision, so

it isn’t easy to figure out it’s actually a human.

The best time to call them is April and Nov – December. April is lambing season and you find a lot of after birth around so crows are a plenty. Why we kill them is easy, they bring diseases and cause harm to some new born lambs, as well as crows kill 6-8 dozen or more new born chicks of birds or whatever they can

kill, they cause a lot of conservation damage.

Ok, by watching fly zones crows make will tell you a good place to set up, get cover and watch the

downwind side, crows will approach from downwind, as then the wind is under their wings and they get lift easily, they won’t approach from another side.

Use a decoy for a visual thing, use good sounds to get attention, they hear the sounds, come closer and see the decoy and approach as long as they don’t see you.

Often a crow or two that fly high above your set up will be seen by others and then within a few seconds you have more crows above you than you can handle.

LAYOUT IN GENERALLAYOUT IN GENERALLAYOUT IN GENERALLAYOUT IN GENERAL Here is typical set up that I have at one of the farms, and when they come in and clear the trees they are 5-

10 m from me and they die!die!die!die!

TREES

ME (Facing dow(Facing dow(Facing dow(Facing downwind)nwind)nwind)nwind) XXXX

DECOY

WIND

CALLER *

In this sketch, note that I am facing downwind, I am 10m from the fence line with a decoy on the fence. I am standing on the right and watching the left for approaching crows. If it is late afternoon, if the sun is behind you watch for If it is late afternoon, if the sun is behind you watch for If it is late afternoon, if the sun is behind you watch for If it is late afternoon, if the sun is behind you watch for shadows on the ground for birds coming in to you from shadows on the ground for birds coming in to you from shadows on the ground for birds coming in to you from shadows on the ground for birds coming in to you from behind the trees.behind the trees.behind the trees.behind the trees. You will need a good decoy; I carved mine from foam and made it a little bigger than normal, so crows can see it easily at a longer distance.

They hear the sound and then see the decoy; they fly in with eyes fixed on the decoy. You will need to position yourself well and aim shotgun skywards, then on the crow’s arrival you don’t need to move much.

Just like jackJust like jackJust like jackJust like jackal hunting we learn as we go along, same here al hunting we learn as we go along, same here al hunting we learn as we go along, same here al hunting we learn as we go along, same here with crowswith crowswith crowswith crows---- you don’t need many decoys you don’t need many decoys you don’t need many decoys you don’t need many decoys –––– just one good one!just one good one!just one good one!just one good one!

This photo was taken in 2003200320032003, see the decoy Mildred in the

centre between us, I would assume in 10 years with using this decoy, about 4000- 6000 crows have been killed so far till

today (2010). Here the crows are lying on top of each other in lines, I can’t recall this hunt well, but I think here we called for 3 hours abouts, killed approx 25 this morning, was pretty quiet. This is the same decoy I usThis is the same decoy I usThis is the same decoy I usThis is the same decoy I used this past weekend ined this past weekend ined this past weekend ined this past weekend in the the the the top phototop phototop phototop photo, I swop decoys, and don’t use the same one on , I swop decoys, and don’t use the same one on , I swop decoys, and don’t use the same one on , I swop decoys, and don’t use the same one on

every hunt every hunt every hunt every hunt ---- this stops you from educating crows this stops you from educating crows this stops you from educating crows this stops you from educating crows…………....

These are plastic pop up crows These are plastic pop up crows These are plastic pop up crows These are plastic pop up crows on the fence; the ones on on the fence; the ones on on the fence; the ones on on the fence; the ones on the the the the

ground are dead crows.ground are dead crows.ground are dead crows.ground are dead crows.

Never leave dead Pied crows on the ground after you drop

them, it will scare others away.

Use a good accurate shotgun with a good load, you can pattern your shotgun at 10-20-30m to see the splatter you get on a piece of paper and keep that in

mind when calling crows, my shotgun is good to 30m for crows. I judge range in

my mind on a crows approach.

Crows hate owls, they go ballistic if they see an owl, so put an owl on a fence and

you will run out of ammunition in 5 minutes! These are tips I can offer as a professional at what I do. Try these tips! Pick your shots and don’t waste ammo.Pick your shots and don’t waste ammo.Pick your shots and don’t waste ammo.Pick your shots and don’t waste ammo.

Use hand calls with the electronic caller, the more variety the better, just learn how to blow them well (get(get(get(get my double my double my double my double crow calling crow calling crow calling crow calling DVDDVDDVDDVD for better instruction). for better instruction). for better instruction). for better instruction).

GET OUT CROW CALLING GET OUT CROW CALLING GET OUT CROW CALLING GET OUT CROW CALLING –––– IT IS F IT IS F IT IS F IT IS FUN UN UN UN TO ERADICATE THE VERMIN!TO ERADICATE THE VERMIN!TO ERADICATE THE VERMIN!TO ERADICATE THE VERMIN!

TYPICALTYPICALTYPICALTYPICAL HUNTHUNTHUNTHUNT

Ok, I arrive at the spot, take note of the wind direction, (I walk to my spot with the decoy in a bag so crows cannot see it). I put batteries in my caller and place it next to the spot my decoy will be on the ground or very close by. I place shotgun shells at 3 spots I will soon stand at. I use about 2 and half boxes in 2 hours typically. I put full camo on, and look over the place for any sheep etc that would be in the line of fire or other stuff. I then at the last moment look in the sky for any crows, if none can see me I then quickly place the crow decoy on the fence and get back in cover, then push play on the remote and lastly close the shotgun and stand at the ready, the first crows fall within a minute or two.

COSTSCOSTSCOSTSCOSTS OVEROVEROVEROVER TIMETIMETIMETIME

Here we get into the costs of crow hunting; it is actually more expensive than jackal hunting because you shoot far more rounds of ammo at a single stand.

As exampleAs exampleAs exampleAs example, one farm I go to, I have been killing crows on it since 2002. Lets say (and I will try be very realistic here) that I go to the farm every 2nd Saturday, I hunt and kill 25 crows (actually it is a lot more) now, I drive 80 kilos both ways to farm, with my wear and tear on the bakkie I as example say I use R70-00 fuel including wear and tear ( again its actually far more), so – lets say I hunt twice a month, I kill 50 crows a month at this one farm ( again it is a heck of a lot more than 50 crows a month).so, - for 50 rounds of 12gauge shotgun shells, No3 or 5’s costs me R125-00 x 25 so 50 will cost me R250-00 ( if you don’t believe that price call and ask a gun ( if you don’t believe that price call and ask a gun ( if you don’t believe that price call and ask a gun ( if you don’t believe that price call and ask a gun shop yourself).shop yourself).shop yourself).shop yourself).

So it costs me for two hunts a month will cost me R500-00 a month on ammo alone, (this isn’t the fuel or fuel to fetch ammo at the shop).

Right is why we have so many crows now, Right is why we have so many crows now, Right is why we have so many crows now, Right is why we have so many crows now, society is over developing the land and society is over developing the land and society is over developing the land and society is over developing the land and because of more and more houses being because of more and more houses being because of more and more houses being because of more and more houses being built the more influx of crows we are built the more influx of crows we are built the more influx of crows we are built the more influx of crows we are getting as it is easy to find food in all the getting as it is easy to find food in all the getting as it is easy to find food in all the getting as it is easy to find food in all the new rubbish around.new rubbish around.new rubbish around.new rubbish around. (FACTS)(FACTS)(FACTS)(FACTS)

So, R500-00 times 12 months in a year will cost me R 6000-00 a year! Now, I have hunted this farm for 8 years till today (2010) so it has cost me R48, 000 to shoot crows. (8 years times R6000-00 a year).

This is not accurate as it is actually much more than this figure a year to shoot crows, I am presently killing over a 1000 crows a year, and drive different distances, also the figures vary, sometimes I killed 80-95 crows at one spot. We talk big money in ammo!

Bottom line, you go hunt twice a month, shoot 50 shells on every hunt, it will cost you R6000-00 a year. Now, you must pick your shots carefully so you don’t miss, as missing it very expensive, a box of 25 shells is R125-00 generally, divided by 25 will make it R5-00 a shell, so every miss will cost you R5-00, it is expensive to miss.

Work out a hunt when you blow away 100 shells and you only kill 20 crows, work out that factor! I am only mentioning that as an idea. I am pretty good with a shotgun, as example, I went out the last time quickly on the spur of the moment, I took 43 shells with me, I came home with 6 shells after 2 hours, so I had blasted away 37 shells, I killed 32 crows with those 37 shells. This is a very high rate of success, so I missed 5 crows and I killed 32. The results and stats speak for themselves. My first fly over if I remember correctly I killed 12 without missing any, But I pick my shots, if in doubt I don’t shoot. Read the above article on crow hunting, it is a lot of sports to kill them, But it is costly so a farmer must pay for that service, charity with me is finished a long time ago, the farmer pays or I don’t go and hunt, that’s pretty simple, far to many of these farmers want you to go shoot “because its nice” wat kak! Hulle betaal of ek bly by die huis! DIS DUUR!!!

I use No3 or No5 shotgun shells; latest price is R120-00 for 25 shells! Very expensive, ($16-92 at R7-80 to 1 Dollar) this is why you need to be paid to shoot crows, just like jackal hunting to kill crows is expensive. The one shop here quotes me R132-00 per 25.

For the shotgun, I mostly use a very simple double barrel 12 gauge, this double has killed between 4000 and 6000 crows, it is still rock solid with a tight lock up. The make – a Boito, so don’t think cheap shotguns cannot work, this has done its fair share in its life, and till today I have had no problems with it.

At this very spot I have killed over 4000 crows, many died after hearing my crow sound and then seeing my decoy

“Mildred” “Mildred” “Mildred” “Mildred” here on the post, I also stick dead ones to resemble live crows, (see the other crow). I make a bracket that I tie the dead crow to, and it looks real. DON’T THROW THEM ON THE DON’T THROW THEM ON THE DON’T THROW THEM ON THE DON’T THROW THEM ON THE GROUND! GROUND! GROUND! GROUND! Crows Crows Crows Crows will get very uneasy, take them away or prop will get very uneasy, take them away or prop will get very uneasy, take them away or prop will get very uneasy, take them away or prop

them up them up them up them up oooon stakes so they look alive.n stakes so they look alive.n stakes so they look alive.n stakes so they look alive.

The ones that are not educated fly straight in, and are killed 5-10m from me, I sit back in cover – See my DVD for all the

action. Crow hunting is fun; I think I still have another 10,000 to shoot in my life, - why not, the vermin needs thinning out!the vermin needs thinning out!the vermin needs thinning out!the vermin needs thinning out!

TO THE BUNNY HUGGERS; if you are reading this in utter disgust don’t bother to complain,

you should not be here anyway.

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