I have an electronic call, but have never used it for decoying crows or magpies. I was wondering if anyone had used them before and whether it was successful or a waste of time.
Anyone ever use electronic calls or decoys for shooting crows and magpies?
- Thread starter Corvid_hunter
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I have used electronic calls for both crows and squirrels. I downloaded them onto my iPhone and play them to attract the squirrels and the crows. Call for the crows is a hawk screeching. The hawk is the arch enemy of crows and they will come from miles around to run the hawk out of their territory. I have used it with great success. The problem with crows is getting them to land in an area near enough for a good shot with an air rifle. They will fly around a lot looking for the hawk but rarely land. The Squirrel Call works excellent it has various distress and anger chatter and will attract a squirrel in a heartbeat.
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I have used a hand/mouth call for crows since I was a kid. I setup about 30 yards from the biggest dead tree around. Set an owl decoy next to a crow decoy on the ground. The crows get smart real quick. But you usually get 2 or 3 chances before they wise up.
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I killed 135 crows over an electronic caller one weekend. I loaned it to someone and it never came back.
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Oh Yes!! Never with an air rifle. But.....have many times used an electronic caller with recording of crow and owl fight and shot them with a 12 ga. It will call them from all over the county.....quick shooting and then it's over. Crows are actually really wary and smart birds. Once you call them from one spot, you might can call them in one more time...maybe. Then you have to pick up and move. They see very well, camouflage is important. Blind of some sort helps a lot. They are also very good to eat believe it or not. You can breast them like you would a dove. It's dark meat like a dove but a bit larger.
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This is either complete bullpoop or you encountered a flock of the dumbest crows in America. I really don’t mean to be insulting, but c’mon man. If there’s any truth to this I’d like to see evidence.
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Have seen roost with thousands of crows. They have flight lines coming and going, you can set up under one and kill hundreds a day. Birds in line see others fall and come right to you. When using a caller, crows always send out scouts. Kill them and the rest will come but if you don't get even one scout, no others will show. In a good area with lots of room because you must constantly move a 1/2 mile or so between sets its no trouble for a good shot to do what he's claiming. We use to use dead crows and a live owl for decoys. Go to North West Texas in the winter and you will see all the evidence you will need to know it's true.
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135 dead crows is a large number for a federally protected bird. Not sure what state he’s talking about, but Georgia has a crow season with no bag limit. Considering these two factors taking that many in a weekend seems questionable. Furthermore, considering that this is an airgun forum, my first thought was that this was accomplished with airguns. With shotguns? Who knows? But the question of legality remains and it doesn’t seem prudent to make that sort of claim. Hey, what do I know? I’ve learned plenty on here. The idea of calling in such troublesome animals with numbers that large strikes me as odd. It seems to make more sense to kill enough of the ones already present in attempt to drive the others away as opposed to calling in more than already in the problem area with hopes of killing a substantial number. Perhaps my logic is flawed.
As for “all the evidence you will need to know it’s true,” that would consist of photos, video, or some sort of verifiable documentation. I’ve seen pretty decent sized groups of active crows, but never a roost with thousands of crows. Ultimately that man’s claim comes across as bombastically incredible to me, but I take little issue with being proven wrong.
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If these calls work I want one. I shot two crows back in the summer. I see them avoid me like the Bubonic Plague. I watch them always keep their distance. Crow
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The OP asked about using an electronic call. Yes they do work and there are different calls including those already mentioned. A dying crow sound will also bring them rather quickly. And, in the winter, there will be roosting sites that are amazing in the number of crows that will roost there. At one time, before tree removal happened, there was an area on I-75 that it was amazing to watch. Late in the evening you could watch them coming for as far as I could see. The immediate area of the trees was lit up from lighting on the interstate, on and off ramps. The trees would literally be black with a "murder" of crows at night. Crows are very intelligent and wary but I have seen results of very successful crow shoots. Decoys are helpful. I prefer to have the sound away from me and as mentioned earlier, a dead tree or snag nearby is helpful because they seem more likely to light there versus just fly around looking. I am sure others have much more experience than I do but I have enjoyed shooting the black devils from time to time. I have not used an air rifle to kill one yet but that's on my to do list!
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I've never used calls for crows but I have often for coyote hunting. Dying rabbit and distressed fawn calls usually bring in the crows though.
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Has anyone had any success in using various squirrels calls (mouth calls, electronic calls, etc.)? I have tried them and talked with others who have. The consensus opinion seems to be the calls scare the squirrels LOL. That is what I have experienced.
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Not trying to prove anyone wrong. No airguns were used just shotguns and 22rf ( to kill scouts sitting out of range of shotguns). I do have photos. But lack the ability to post them or do much more than turn on and off a computer.
And yes you are correct they have federal protection. But that is waived when they are destroying ornamental trees, crops etc and also when their numbers pose a health risk to people, livestock, or other wildlife.
I too often see and hear claims being made here that cause me to question the honesty of those making them. I have no interest and see no benefit in going online and lieing my ass off about anything. But clearly some do and yes most fourms are evidence of that. To those wondering if electronic calls work on crows I say yes they do! My Favorite is crows fighting with hawk or owl. Take care all and have a merry Christmas.
And yes you are correct they have federal protection. But that is waived when they are destroying ornamental trees, crops etc and also when their numbers pose a health risk to people, livestock, or other wildlife.
I too often see and hear claims being made here that cause me to question the honesty of those making them. I have no interest and see no benefit in going online and lieing my ass off about anything. But clearly some do and yes most fourms are evidence of that. To those wondering if electronic calls work on crows I say yes they do! My Favorite is crows fighting with hawk or owl. Take care all and have a merry Christmas.
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I am looking for the picture, I don’t lie. When I locate the picture, I will figure out how to post. Not sure why that is so hard to believe. Killed 35-50 many days with electronic call. I leave them out like decoys and the crows just keep coming in and diving on them.
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The most fun I have with a gun in my hands is calling crows. I take one of those camo burlap blinds to cover myself and find a good hiding spot in the woods. Location is key! You need good mature trees without little limbs going everywhere. Set the call out 30-40 yards and get ready. They’ll land in the trees and don’t stay put long so you have to be quick on the trigger. A good short semi auto that’s whisper quite would be spectacular for this. I’ve gotten through two mags before in a sit before they wised up. It’s an absolute blast!
Beau
Beau
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Also to wildturkey’s point. I spent some time hunting in western Oklahoma as a kid, and guys would rack up numbers way higher than his claims.
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I have used several different electronic calls. The key is to get setup within range of a tree you think they will land in after doing it for 25 years I can usually pick a good one. What I look for is a dead tree amongst the live ones such as a ash . Make sure you can get a rest pointed at that tree before you start to call with minimal movement. Now use a Crow and Owl or Crow and Hawk fight to get them coming,When they start to circle switch to a wounded crow sound and the key is start turning down the volume they will have a hard time hearing it and start making smaller circles when you get it low enough they figure out if they circle away they cant hear it and that's when the get lower and land. I have learned to identify 4 or 5 different calls they make and I usually just use a mouth call now.
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