Crow shooting

[jimlad 0]

This season i have been asked to shoot afew drilled fields on the crows as i have not really done this properly before i was just wondering if anyone could give me some pointers as i wouldnt mind getting into it abit more?? best decoys, pattern, callers, field craft, ect that sort of stuff. any help would be most greatful. many thanks Jim.

[SportingShooter 0]

This season i have been asked to shoot afew drilled fields on the crows as i have not really done this properly before i was just wondering if anyone could give me some pointers as i wouldnt mind getting into it abit more?? best decoys, pattern, callers, field craft, ect that sort of stuff. any help would be most greatful. many thanks Jim.

I do an awful lot of Crow shooting and there is no doubt the best decoys are dead crows. The best decoys otherwise are flock coated ones, they can be made to bob or can be bought as flappers, a rotary machine is also good but it will need to be turned down to around 25rpm to work on crows.

A pattern could be in a horseshoe like pigeon but i find a fairly random pattern the best. Crows will see you a mile off, so you will need to keep perfectly still until it is too late for him, your hide will be the same as a pigeon hide, a net set up against a hedgerow.

You can not use electronic callers for shooting crows, it is prohibited in the Wildlife and Countryside Act, you can use a hand call, Acme make one, they will work once or twice but good fieldcraft and decoys are far better.

Regards

ss06

[jimlad 0]

many thanks for that. so whats the best way to start off av got some plastic decoys about half a dozen or so put them out an swap them for the dead ones as i get them?? An when you say random pattern anywhere faceing the wind or is wind direction not that important with crows? an what sort of size pattern is best?

[Stallion 0]

Try........placing a pigeon breast upwards out in the field and pluck a few feathers out to draw your first crows into shot.

Remain still..... as movement will be spotted a mile off by incoming birds.

Use real birds when you can as decoys.........far better results.

 

 

 

Stallion.

[SportingShooter 0]

many thanks for that. so whats the best way to start off av got some plastic decoys about half a dozen or so put them out an swap them for the dead ones as i get them?? An when you say random pattern anywhere faceing the wind or is wind direction not that important with crows? an what sort of size pattern is best?

Just add the crows that you shoot to the pattern at intervals, Face the pattern into the wind as normal, instead if using a shape like a horseshoe, I find that crows prefer a random pattern with the birds scattered within a small area, put the odd bird the other way into the wind so it doesnt look too religious. A dead rabbit with the gut cut open or some other bird with the gullet cut open may help to attract the first ones.

[basil 0]

Im jumping in on a thread here i know, but why can we not use electronic calls for crows?

 

and if so why on earth can we buy them in most gun shops???

[Hunting-top-shots 2]

Im jumping in on a thread here i know, but why can we not use electronic calls for crows?

 

and if so why on earth can we buy them in most gun shops???

 

 

you can buy nearly anything don't mean that you can use it though!!

 

if you read the Inst you will find it says only for photos!! alot of people

use them but they are not leagal for shooting!!

 

HTS

[basil 0]

you can buy nearly anything don't mean that you can use it though!!

 

yeah ok i knew i was going to get an answer similar to that!

 

 

I have looked through the general licence's and no comment is made on the general licence

as to using electronic callers! as usual it seems a pointless legality!

[SportingShooter 0]

you can buy nearly anything don't mean that you can use it though!!

 

yeah ok i knew i was going to get an answer similar to that!

 

 

I have looked through the general licence's and no comment is made on the general licence

as to using electronic callers! as usual it seems a pointless legality!

The legal bit of it is in the Wildlife and Countrside Act 1981, this prohibits the use of electronic calls and other things such as mirrors and dazzling devices for shooting purposes.

[Hunting-top-shots 2]

you can buy nearly anything don't mean that you can use it though!!

 

yeah ok i knew i was going to get an answer similar to that!

 

 

I have looked through the general licence's and no comment is made on the general licence

as to using electronic callers! as usual it seems a pointless legality!

 

 

did not want to get on ya about the caller but that they are banned along with other things such as mirrors or any thing that blinds the birds.

 

check out the wildlife act 1981

 

sos HTS

[basil 0]

I guess the tape recorder part is the electronic callers classification.....

 

cause its all i can find does anyone know why its not a well published piece???

 

sporting shooter you seem to know alot about it got any ideas? and why are calls allowed just not electronic ones... sorry for the continuos questions it just worries me that i have been using an electronic call and had no idea...

[jimlad 0]

An as we are talking about these callers do you no if this law is throughout the whole Uk as i live on the isle of man would the law apply over here???

[SportingShooter 0]

An as we are talking about these callers do you no if this law is throughout the whole Uk as i live on the isle of man would the law apply over here???

I doubt it would apply to you unless there is a clause which says it applies to Crown Dependencies too, as the Isle of Man is not part of the UK(officially).

The Act applies to Great Britain, is the IofM part of GB?

If I were you I would find out via the Tynwald in some form as this is the only way to be sure.

[jimlad 0]

An as we are talking about these callers do you no if this law is throughout the whole Uk as i live on the isle of man would the law apply over here???

I doubt it would apply to you unless there is a clause which says it applies to Crown Dependencies too, as the Isle of Man is not part of the UK(officially).

The Act applies to Great Britain, is the IofM part of GB?

If I were you I would find out via the Tynwald in some form as this is the only way to be sure.

 

Well yeah it is in some ways an not in others hard to say really if we are part of GB. But yes i will take your advice an go see about it many thanks as well for all the good tips!! i will be trying them out tomorrow morning if all is good weather wise. fingers crossed.

[SportingShooter 0]

Better to be safe than sorry with the law, You can still have pistols over there cant you?

Hopefully it wont be too difficult for you to find out some information, the Wildlife and Countryside Act encompasses the EU Birds Directive and seen as the IofM is not part of the EU, it may well be different for you.

Regards

SS