Crow/magpie decoying

[Michael5 2]

Hey there I recently got myself two full bodied crow decoys and a magpie decoy and have been decoying over grass fields with little success , I have also got an owl decoy but have had no success with it , I was just wondering if you could share some of your ideas and techniques on decoying these birds

Thanks , Michael

[Phantom 631]

Did the same here buddy!

Even got me an ACME Crow call, the b@sturds argue like feck with the call but don't land

The only thing I've managed to get em with was a split dead bunny!

 

The Corvid family are very wiley and extreamly smart arse little buggers too

They are the only avian species to be able to craft and use tools to help them obtain food!

Clever and infuriating lil b's

 

Tony

[Phantom 631]

I even tried the "Cracked Egg" approach, with no joy!

[The Duncan 802]

I've had success with shaping a nest out of grass and putting a couple of eggs in it like a ground nesting birds nest. They are indeed very wily and it makes me laugh when you see people claiming to have shot loads of crows (they usually turn out to be rooks!).

TBH most of my magpie victims these days are at 100 yards plus with the .17 hmr

[Phantom 631]

Sounds about right bud

 

I only know two airgunners who could drop more than a couple in one sitting!

And NO I aint one of them the lil beggers always get the better of me

[Michael5 2]

I'm just gonna keep on trying , yesterday I had a greyback crow that landed in the tree behind my decoys but he was out of range , maybe some bait would be more effective , has anyone ever tried setting an owl decoy with a dead crow at its feet ?

[Skot Ruthless Teale 1,701]

I'm just gonna keep on trying , yesterday I had a greyback crow that landed in the tree behind my decoys but he was out of range , maybe some bait would be more effective , has anyone ever tried setting an owl decoy with a dead crow at its feet ?

 

i havent ever tried decoying myself, but im guessing its like fishing for carp. keep trying diffrent things and see how they want it at any given time.. one day could be totally diffrent from the next...im guessing!

 

it is something i want to try as i have a permission close to me where there are plenty of crows and maggies in some woods next to 'my' field, but obviously i cant shoot them whilst there not in my field because its not my permission. so i need them to land in the field.

im going to try a few diffrent things. id say keep trying and have patience and you should pop a few sooner or later.

 

so far i only have 1 crow decoy but im thinking of getting another and maybe a couple of magpies aswel.

[tegater 789]

I have tried with little owl decoys with no success, but now I use the large owl decoy (eagle owl) and the crows go mad for it.

 

Where I decoy, there are no sitty trees and I shoot all mine with shotty close up from a hide, or with rifle from 100-200 yards. I am not sure how useful this would be with an air rifle, I suppose it depends on your environment and fieldcraft skills. ATB

[Phantom 631]

Often wondered if the size of the di... OWL made much differance!

 

Seems the bigger the better!

Edited March 29, 2012 by Phantom

[tegater 789]

Often wondered if the size of the di... OWL made much differance!

 

Seems the bigger the better!

My little owl decoy now sits nailed the shed roof, and is a perch for the early morning, and late evening blackbird!! They are not bothered at all!!!

[Skot Ruthless Teale 1,701]

i dont think im going to have much luck to be honest. these crows are very erm whats the word im looking for... confident, daring?? when i walk past the same birds on my way to work they jump around like ferals do in town centres.. you can nearly kick them!! thats how close i can get to them....

 

but i know its going to be different story when im sat virtualy underneath there roosting trees

, i plan on sitting with my back against the wall and get my advantage timber coat on and just sit as still as i can. and put the decoys about 25-30 yards into the field

lets see if they dare then ey!! i was thinking about getting some camo netting and a couple of fishing poles to try a make-shift temporary hide...

 

even if its just sitting there looking at my decoy through the scope for an hour.......

[tegater 789]

The other one that works for me, is the previous nights fish and chip wrappers, or the paper wrap from a kebab. Put a stick through it at a suitable location to stop it blowing away, and this also brings them in. I think this must depend on whether they are used to finding these early saturday and sunday mornings, after being dropped the night before!!

 

Hope this helps.

[Skot Ruthless Teale 1,701]

ive seen these crows picking there way through all sorts of rubbish. and there is a chippy just down the road from my permission, also there is an estate with a lot of D :censored:head kids so theres always plenty of rubbish laying around for them to scrounge.

 

so i rekon the dead rabbit half gutted type bait isnt going to be as good as good old fish an chips lol

but it could swing the other way and be the best choice, as if it was a rare treat for them!

[Phantom 631]

First time I tried a slit bunny, they just wouldn't entertain it at all in the middle of the paddock. Put it near the road however!

They flocked to it but I made the mistake of positioning myself without a fence post for a backstop behind the bunny!

 

So the whiley feckers got a feast and I couldnt get a shot off!

[The Duncan 802]

First time I tried a slit bunny, they just wouldn't entertain it at all in the middle of the paddock. Put it near the road however!

They flocked to it but I made the mistake of positioning myself without a fence post for a backstop behind the bunny!

 

So the whiley feckers got a feast and I couldnt get a shot off!

haha! live and learn eh?

Been there, done similar lol!

 

I've noticed they follow hedgerows a lot and now of course they are more interested in chocks/eggs in hedgerow nests, or building nests to attract the females. Magpie males can build up to 4 nests and the female will select them based on their nests and then choose which one to occupy.

 

Hedgerows mate - put your bait and deek near a hedgerow.