WHY hunt crows?

FirstFreedom · October 12, 2004, 01:28 PM

I'm wondering if I should just leave the poor crows alone. I tried to call some in this weekend, and they came in, but I couldn't get a shot - I think they saw me and were smart enough not to land anywhere (damn they're smart!). But I got to thinking - why kill them at all? I don't want to be a "slob"/unethical hunter, so everything I kill, there needs to be a reason for. I ain't gonna eat them, and unlike coyotes and perhaps foxes, they don't depredate my other game, being scavengers. Unlike groundhogs, they don't make holes that the cattle step in, etc. So, yes, there's a legal season on them for some reason. But I think I may just leave them alone. Just for fun ain't a good enough reason fore *me*. Any real reason to whack them?

asinner1979 · October 12, 2004, 01:50 PM

i know its not much help but they are the only animal i kill just because they annoy me and eat my garden, im not gonna starve or loose my mind but i still blast away at them, i also shoot groundhogs (on farms and in my garden) and coyotes (prtoect other game), and raccoons (carry disease), but everything else i eat

User Name · October 12, 2004, 03:16 PM

Sport is pretty much it...
They are a very elusive bird, I rate the challenge up there with turkey and snipe..kinda like hunting a cross between the two. Where as I too eat all that I kill, those being the exception, I don't feel too bad about it as I am thinning out a nuisance.

czmatt · October 12, 2004, 03:31 PM

I hear they carry the west nile virus. Dont quote me on that though.

redneck · October 12, 2004, 03:33 PM

I think you'll find they are one of the main birds suspected of spreading west nile. Mosquitos don't have the lifespan or range to spread the disease like it has, studies seem to say that larger species of birds like crows, blue jays, etc. contract the disease from mosquitos and then carry it to a new area.
Crows can also be destructive to crops, and I think they also prey on smaller birds by eating their eggs.
All in all, there's nothin wrong with thinning em out

FirstFreedom · October 12, 2004, 03:35 PM

OK, they depredate the crops - I see. Not a problem where I hunt cause the ground is too rocky to grow crops, but I can see in fertile areas, why they're a nuisance - hence the ancient scarecrow usage - duh. West Nile too - hmm, maybe I should thin them out a bit.

steveno · October 12, 2004, 06:12 PM

I don't have a problem with shooting crows but they are a smart bird. just make sure they are in season though as I think they are the state bird of Mexico or Canada or some damn reason. a 22-250 sures works good on them but you didn't hear that here.

knightkrawler00 · October 12, 2004, 06:28 PM

There is a season on them because they are a migratory bird. The U.S. made a deal with Mexico that they can only be hunted 90 days out of the year. My family owns a large orchard, its amazing just how much damage they can do to cherry's and apple's, I kill every one that I can.

I start the year with calling them in and shotgunning them until they got too smart for it, which is pretty damn quick. Then I go to the rifles and wait near the roosting spots or congregating areas before they head off to roost. Didn't have too many crows in the orchard this year, they seemed to avoid our land after putting a hurting on them last year, only got to shoot 3 or 4.

By the way, for those that need to eat what they kill, it is possible to find crow recipes. Not that I will ever try it, but I have seen them on the Crowbusters web site.

Quartus · October 12, 2004, 06:52 PM

Way back when I was too small to be aware of such things as hunting crows, we moved to Orange County, California. (south of L.A. county - in fact had only recently become a separate county). Citrus groves were most of the county in those days, and there was a twenty five cent BOUNTY on crows. They behaved MUCH differently from crows here in the east. They flocked in HUGE flocks of hundreds of birds, and destroyed a lot of fruit.

<sigh> Now the groves are gone and the crows are protected.

User Name · October 12, 2004, 09:52 PM

I'm just getting over a round of the west nile virus!

Let me tell ya folks...it aint pretty!!!

Quote:

studies seem to say that larger species of birds like crows, blue jays, etc. contract the disease from mosquitos and then carry it to a new area.

Thats what the doc told me the birds are the main carriers and the mosquitos get it from the birds and pass it along. Just for FYI while we're on the subject, Humans and Horses are the main ones affected by it with cats folowing a close third. It's like the flu....on steroids...that did PCP right before it hit ya! Nasty, Nasty, Nasty!

Ohio Annie · October 13, 2004, 10:34 AM

There is a crow season because of the damage they do to crops. The length of the season depends on what state you are in. In Ohio the season lasts most of the year but only Friday-Sunday. They don't want to wipe them out completely because they do eat carrion also.

The West Nile thing is too recent to be a reason for hunting crows since they have been hunted here as long as there have been farmers. But it is true, the reservoir for the West Nile virus is birds and the vector is the mosquito.

A good use for a dead crow is to enclose it in a cage over your favorite fishing hole and the maggots will drop into the water and feed the panfish. Eeuuww.

jtkwon · October 13, 2004, 03:55 PM

Obviously, you've never shot a crow in a soybean field with a 75gr 25-06.

Once you've seen the small scale version of a nuclear detonation, complete with flying black feathers, you won't ask yourself for another reason.

Mannlicher · October 17, 2004, 03:10 PM

Its always hard to discuss reasons for hunting a particular animal, or in a particular manner, with someone that just does not understand. I suppose the best way for me, is to just say you do your thing, and I promise not to bother ya, and you let me do mine, with the same caveat.

FirstFreedom · October 18, 2004, 11:43 AM

Well, there's a clear answer to my rather dumb question, as I stated above and as Annie said:

Quote:

There is a crow season because of the damage they do to crops.

So, jtkwon, I know what you're saying, but yes I would still need another reason (just me personally - I don't bother no one else, but I need to establish my OWN ethics, that may or may not be more stringent than what the law allows). There aren't many crops in the area I hunt - almost none, so I'm trying to determine if my own ethics give me an reason to whack them. As for you, since they're in a *soybean* field, that's plenty enough reason to make the small-scale nuke, so more power to ya.

fraz1112 · October 18, 2004, 12:06 PM

They are loud and annoying...kill em all..

wymanwinn · October 18, 2004, 12:25 PM

I would love to shot crows, but being in the city (rural as it might be) and discharging a firearm would bring out the uniforms in force...besides, we have a mated pair of Great Horned Owls living in one of our oak trees...it's really fun watching them harass and on the odd occasion kill the nasty black beasts...

BTW...a 22-250 would do wonders, IMHO

knightkrawler00 · October 18, 2004, 02:17 PM

How about practice for duck of goose season, for a reason? They are a much smaller target than they appear, and they don't always fly straight in. Wingshooting a crow is a lot harder than duck or geese.

BTW, the sound of the bullet impact from a 50gr VMAX at 3200 fps is quite impressive.

Brick · October 18, 2004, 02:56 PM

Thanks for the crowbusters.com website knight.

If one is too hard, how about approx. 285? (in one day)

Quote:

They are loud and annoying...kill em all..

Welcome.

Of course. Of the few things my mom speaks about rifles it's about sending teens with rifles to gun them down. We've had roof leaks from them.

EDIT:

Or...

bearkiller · October 18, 2004, 10:44 PM

Crows are smart and therefore a challange. Seems to me they are also a nuisance in many ways. They reproduce fast and therefore need to be kept in check. I casually hunt them when they fly over my wooded lot in the country. I dont spend alot of time at it, but occasionally I get a close passing shot with my 12ga pump. Nothing better than downing them with an oz of 7 1/2 shot. I'd love to get in position for a few long shots with my .22 when they are on the ground, but time hasnt allowed...

gudel · October 19, 2004, 07:08 PM

Has anyone use 22LR Colibri round? I'd like to try this on my 4" Ruger 22 pistol.

keens · October 29, 2004, 03:44 PM

Why? To watch them go "poof" when struck with a high velocity rifle bullet of course...I only shoot them on the ground this way though for safety reasons.

Greybeard · November 9, 2004, 09:30 PM

gudel - Yep, hit a crow COM with colibri from rifle. It flew off. Not enough velocity. CCI CB loads a little louder, but much more effective.

Ledbetter · November 10, 2004, 04:56 PM

Colibri's aren't worth loading in your chamber. the CCI CBs are quite effective.

mikikanazawa · November 10, 2004, 11:18 PM

Crows crap on my car. I always thought it was incidental, but after doing some reading and watching PBS, I've come to the conclusion that they do it on purpose.

I'm not joking. I believe they do it on purpose. Watch any PBS show about birds and you'll agree with me. I'd kill the little bastards if my neighbors wouldn't notice the 12 gauge belch hell fire.

FirstFreedom · November 11, 2004, 10:23 AM

I've killed 2 crows with .177 pellet guns in the backyard over the years - that's about 8 grains at 900-1000 fps. I don't see why a 20 grainer going 500 fps wouldn't kill them pretty easily, but maybe not.... If there's a number one reason not to use colibris, it's because they're inaccurate as all hell.

Now that's interesting - why in the heck would they crap on your car on purpose - that's certainly a great reason to kill them, but I'm skeptical of that.

October 12, 2004, 01:28 PM	#1
FirstFreedom Junior member Join Date: May 31, 2004 Location: The Toll Road State, U.S.A. Posts: 12,451	WHY hunt crows? I'm wondering if I should just leave the poor crows alone. I tried to call some in this weekend, and they came in, but I couldn't get a shot - I think they saw me and were smart enough not to land anywhere (damn they're smart!). But I got to thinking - why kill them at all? I don't want to be a "slob"/unethical hunter, so everything I kill, there needs to be a reason for. I ain't gonna eat them, and unlike coyotes and perhaps foxes, they don't depredate my other game, being scavengers. Unlike groundhogs, they don't make holes that the cattle step in, etc. So, yes, there's a legal season on them for some reason. But I think I may just leave them alone. Just for fun ain't a good enough reason fore me. Any real reason to whack them?

October 12, 2004, 01:50 PM	#2
asinner1979 Member Join Date: June 16, 2004 Location: usa Posts: 35	i shoot em i know its not much help but they are the only animal i kill just because they annoy me and eat my garden, im not gonna starve or loose my mind but i still blast away at them, i also shoot groundhogs (on farms and in my garden) and coyotes (prtoect other game), and raccoons (carry disease), but everything else i eat

October 12, 2004, 03:16 PM	#3
User Name Senior Member Join Date: September 20, 2004 Location: Woodstock , Ga. Posts: 152	Sport is pretty much it... They are a very elusive bird, I rate the challenge up there with turkey and snipe..kinda like hunting a cross between the two. Where as I too eat all that I kill, those being the exception, I don't feel too bad about it as I am thinning out a nuisance. __________________ - Veritas - Aequitas - "Whenever Governments mean to invade the rights and liberties of the people, they always attempt to destroy the militia, in order to raise an army upon their ruins. This was actually done by Great Britain at the commencement of the late revolution." Rep. Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts - 1789 GUN CONTROL....IT'S NOT A NEW IDEA......JUST A BAD ONE!

October 12, 2004, 03:31 PM	#4
czmatt Senior Member Join Date: September 16, 2004 Location: The Great State Of Texas Posts: 122	I hear they carry the west nile virus. Dont quote me on that though. __________________ A gun has never killed anyone. "I think, therefore, I carry"

October 12, 2004, 03:33 PM	#5
redneck Senior Member Join Date: December 20, 2001 Location: Ohio Posts: 364	I think you'll find they are one of the main birds suspected of spreading west nile. Mosquitos don't have the lifespan or range to spread the disease like it has, studies seem to say that larger species of birds like crows, blue jays, etc. contract the disease from mosquitos and then carry it to a new area. Crows can also be destructive to crops, and I think they also prey on smaller birds by eating their eggs. All in all, there's nothin wrong with thinning em out __________________ Fix it right the first time... Use Baling Wire !

October 12, 2004, 03:35 PM	#6
FirstFreedom Junior member Join Date: May 31, 2004 Location: The Toll Road State, U.S.A. Posts: 12,451	OK, they depredate the crops - I see. Not a problem where I hunt cause the ground is too rocky to grow crops, but I can see in fertile areas, why they're a nuisance - hence the ancient scarecrow usage - duh. West Nile too - hmm, maybe I should thin them out a bit.

October 12, 2004, 06:12 PM	#7
steveno Senior Member Join Date: June 18, 2004 Location: Minden , Nebraska Posts: 1,407	I don't have a problem with shooting crows but they are a smart bird. just make sure they are in season though as I think they are the state bird of Mexico or Canada or some damn reason. a 22-250 sures works good on them but you didn't hear that here.

October 12, 2004, 06:28 PM	#8
knightkrawler00 Senior Member Join Date: May 28, 2004 Location: Prosser WA Posts: 103	There is a season on them because they are a migratory bird. The U.S. made a deal with Mexico that they can only be hunted 90 days out of the year. My family owns a large orchard, its amazing just how much damage they can do to cherry's and apple's, I kill every one that I can. I start the year with calling them in and shotgunning them until they got too smart for it, which is pretty damn quick. Then I go to the rifles and wait near the roosting spots or congregating areas before they head off to roost. Didn't have too many crows in the orchard this year, they seemed to avoid our land after putting a hurting on them last year, only got to shoot 3 or 4. By the way, for those that need to eat what they kill, it is possible to find crow recipes. Not that I will ever try it, but I have seen them on the Crowbusters web site.

October 12, 2004, 06:52 PM	#9
Quartus Senior Member Join Date: May 8, 2001 Location: Virginia Posts: 3,823	Way back when I was too small to be aware of such things as hunting crows, we moved to Orange County, California. (south of L.A. county - in fact had only recently become a separate county). Citrus groves were most of the county in those days, and there was a twenty five cent BOUNTY on crows. They behaved MUCH differently from crows here in the east. They flocked in HUGE flocks of hundreds of birds, and destroyed a lot of fruit. <sigh> Now the groves are gone and the crows are protected. __________________ . Better to know what you don't know than to think you know what you don't know.

October 13, 2004, 10:34 AM	#11
Ohio Annie Senior Member Join Date: August 10, 2004 Location: Ohio Posts: 351	Crow season reasons There is a crow season because of the damage they do to crops. The length of the season depends on what state you are in. In Ohio the season lasts most of the year but only Friday-Sunday. They don't want to wipe them out completely because they do eat carrion also. The West Nile thing is too recent to be a reason for hunting crows since they have been hunted here as long as there have been farmers. But it is true, the reservoir for the West Nile virus is birds and the vector is the mosquito. A good use for a dead crow is to enclose it in a cage over your favorite fishing hole and the maggots will drop into the water and feed the panfish. Eeuuww. __________________ Annie @8-) Maker of fine GSR since 1998

October 13, 2004, 03:55 PM	#12
jtkwon Member Join Date: June 4, 2004 Posts: 99	Obviously, you've never shot a crow in a soybean field with a 75gr 25-06. Once you've seen the small scale version of a nuclear detonation, complete with flying black feathers, you won't ask yourself for another reason.

October 17, 2004, 03:10 PM	#13
Mannlicher Senior Member Join Date: July 8, 2001 Location: North Central Florida & Miami Posts: 3,209	Its always hard to discuss reasons for hunting a particular animal, or in a particular manner, with someone that just does not understand. I suppose the best way for me, is to just say you do your thing, and I promise not to bother ya, and you let me do mine, with the same caveat. __________________ Nemo Me Impune Lacesset "The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant; it's just that they know so much that isn't so.".........Ronald Reagan

October 18, 2004, 12:06 PM	#15
fraz1112 Junior Member Join Date: October 7, 2004 Posts: 12	They are loud and annoying...kill em all..

October 18, 2004, 12:25 PM	#16
wymanwinn Member Join Date: July 9, 2004 Location: Solvang, CA Posts: 21	I live in the City I would love to shot crows, but being in the city (rural as it might be) and discharging a firearm would bring out the uniforms in force...besides, we have a mated pair of Great Horned Owls living in one of our oak trees...it's really fun watching them harass and on the odd occasion kill the nasty black beasts... BTW...a 22-250 would do wonders, IMHO

October 18, 2004, 02:17 PM	#17
knightkrawler00 Senior Member Join Date: May 28, 2004 Location: Prosser WA Posts: 103	How about practice for duck of goose season, for a reason? They are a much smaller target than they appear, and they don't always fly straight in. Wingshooting a crow is a lot harder than duck or geese. BTW, the sound of the bullet impact from a 50gr VMAX at 3200 fps is quite impressive.

October 18, 2004, 10:44 PM	#19
bearkiller Member Join Date: August 12, 2004 Posts: 30	cause' its fun Crows are smart and therefore a challange. Seems to me they are also a nuisance in many ways. They reproduce fast and therefore need to be kept in check. I casually hunt them when they fly over my wooded lot in the country. I dont spend alot of time at it, but occasionally I get a close passing shot with my 12ga pump. Nothing better than downing them with an oz of 7 1/2 shot. I'd love to get in position for a few long shots with my .22 when they are on the ground, but time hasnt allowed...

October 19, 2004, 07:08 PM	#20
gudel Senior Member Join Date: September 15, 2004 Location: Golden State Posts: 589	Has anyone use 22LR Colibri round? I'd like to try this on my 4" Ruger 22 pistol.

October 29, 2004, 03:44 PM	#21
keens Senior Member Join Date: September 23, 2004 Posts: 446	Why? To watch them go "poof" when struck with a high velocity rifle bullet of course...I only shoot them on the ground this way though for safety reasons. __________________ Speak the truth in love, for truth without love is legalism, and love without truth is liberalism. If you count ease and comfort more than character, you will never be who God meant you to be.

November 9, 2004, 09:30 PM	#22
Greybeard Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2002 Location: Denton County Texas Posts: 686	gudel - Yep, hit a crow COM with colibri from rifle. It flew off. Not enough velocity. CCI CB loads a little louder, but much more effective. __________________ www.dentoncountysports.com A Private Palace for Pistol Proficiency

November 10, 2004, 04:56 PM	#23
Ledbetter Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2000 Location: California USA Posts: 4,533	Colibri's aren't worth loading in your chamber. the CCI CBs are quite effective. __________________ Regards, Ledbetter from thefiringline TFL #4573 NRA for Life Winchester Canyon Gun Club for Life

November 10, 2004, 11:18 PM	#24
mikikanazawa Senior Member Join Date: September 26, 2004 Posts: 449	Crows crap on my car. I always thought it was incidental, but after doing some reading and watching PBS, I've come to the conclusion that they do it on purpose. I'm not joking. I believe they do it on purpose. Watch any PBS show about birds and you'll agree with me. I'd kill the little bastards if my neighbors wouldn't notice the 12 gauge belch hell fire.

November 11, 2004, 10:23 AM	#25
FirstFreedom Junior member Join Date: May 31, 2004 Location: The Toll Road State, U.S.A. Posts: 12,451	I've killed 2 crows with .177 pellet guns in the backyard over the years - that's about 8 grains at 900-1000 fps. I don't see why a 20 grainer going 500 fps wouldn't kill them pretty easily, but maybe not.... If there's a number one reason not to use colibris, it's because they're inaccurate as all hell. Now that's interesting - why in the heck would they crap on your car on purpose - that's certainly a great reason to kill them, but I'm skeptical of that.