Crow shooting thoughts

[Wolfdog91]

You guys ever look back on how y'all used to do things and how difficult they seemed compared to now that your older? Kinda thought about this the other day when I popped a crow. I remember killing a crow used to be one of the hardest things for me , I remember being 12yr stalking up on my hands and knees through a open cow pasture for about 100yd with my daisy 880 to try and get close enough to put a pellet in one of the ole black birds. 9/10 time I failed but when I did get one it was an accomplishment lol. Then I got my little crack barrel .410 made shooting them on the fly a possibility but again 8/10 times it was a faliure, one shot with some random upland shells from the feed store in the hands of a 14yr can only do so much usually but still fun. Then got the .22lr extended my range a good little bit and moved up to about 5/5 times being a hit but without knowledge of how to properly account for bullet drop and wind I ended up educations them to stay outta regular range and kinda went back to square one , spotting and stalking through the cow fields. Well now I'm 23 got a much better hold on ballistics, marksmanship, better gun and glass and gear. Can pretty easily keep a beer can hopping at 100yd if I do my part. But I've gotten a way from the ever elusive crow. More paper punching and gong slapping than anything.

Well I step out on the porch yesterday and there's a crow out in the pasture. Was asked to shoot crows this time if the year because apparently they harass the new born calves. Well I see ole boy out here be-bopping around and decided he's gotta go.

Walk to my gun room grab a few things walk back out .Check the range finder, 75 yd, not too far , used to could never range like that, 2mph 5 to 11 o clock wind according to my little wind meter , never was good at reading wind till now since I can double check, check my ballistic app +1.3 MOA for elevation .2 MOA for windage. Dial in on my turrets and turn to 10x outta 14.5 , a world of difference from iorns or the little 4x32 scope I had years back. I prop up In a good cross legged marine style position and rack in a thunder bolt. Used to shoot anything but now I only use what the gun likes. Plant the cross hairs on his chest, little on the high side ,check my cant bubble , I'm level and as soon as he stops I let a breath out and squeeze. Shot rips out and 75yd away, what used to be almost a mythical shot for me, a crow flipped kicked once and was dead. Just like that. I looked at my gun and all I could say was " well that was easy". As I walked out to pick him up I couldn't help but just kinda laugh a little bit thinking how less then 4 years ago I would have killed to have some of the gear I have today 6 years ago I wouldn't have even tried that shot and before that I would have probably been out here crawling through cow patties for 10min with a $50 pellet gun just to get busted and see him fly off. Funny how we advance over time and how what used to be a challenge just becomes easy as pie lol.

[versa-06]

Spanked Him! ---Good Shot!---

[CastingFool]

Good story! I've only shot one crow, that was getting into the garden. His buddies got the message real fast.

[45-70 Chevroner]

Crow shooting, yah, well actually Ravin shooting up here in Northern Arizona. Haven't done it in quite a while. My method was hide in a nice big Cedar tree and call them in with a crow call and nail um with a load of any size shot from a 12 gauge pump, at about 30 to 40 feet. At my age I don't think I will be sneaking up on them.

[Winger Ed.]

Surprised the heck out-a him.

One thing that's cool about being a guy--- as time goes on, ya get better, and fancier toys.

[405grain]

Great story, and I can relate. Way back many years ago I'd go varminting for ground squirrels with a 10-22. I'd travel up to the Eel river drainage, the Diablo Mountains, or to Forrest lands in the Sierra's. I'd usually get between 6 and 10 of them on a good trip, but sometimes only 1 or 2. If I was able to pick off a couple of them, I considered that a good trip. A couple of years ago a friend of mine invited me to go up to Cedarville and shoot ground squirrels on cultivated alfalfa fields. I shot over 100 of them the first hour that I was there. That was a watershed event! Since that time I've built several dedicated varmint rifles, and go varminting at farms and ranches. there have been many occasions when I've been able to shoot hundreds of squirrels on a day.
If I didn't have to spend years working for it, things like these wouldn't be appreciated as much. If you win a target match or get a trophy buck first time out of the gate, it doesn't feel as good as it does when you have to put in time and effort to make it come together. You didn't just whack that crow, you earned it.

[Bad Ass Wallace]

I used to shoot the odd one as a kid, but living here in retirement on the farm, I have come to realise that "crows. ravens, rooks or whatever name they are called" are part of nature. We have a long term nest not 50 yards from the house and I've watched them through the spotting scope for several seasons feeding young with grasshoppers, catapillars, beetles etc. but never a sheeps eyeball!

I know the call can be anoying buy still no reason to shoot them.

[Winger Ed.]

I know the call can be anoying buy still no reason to shoot them.

They go on and off the protected list here according to their population size, and what sort of local crops are being raised.
When there are too many of them in 'farm country', they'll do a lot of crop damage.

[koger]

I have been a rifle nut my whole life, 58 years now, and have taken over 300 crows, before I quit tallying them up. I have a Savage 12 22-250 that is on its second barrel, and had it since 1990. It is wicked accurate, I have it zeroed 2" high at 100yds and hold pretty well dead center to 300-350 yds with 53 gr BTHP at 3600 fps, they just come undone, only find pieces. I took quite a few year back with a 17 Remington, and man was that explosive. I have a Savage .204 with a Pac Nor custom barrel I put on it, that loves 40g V Max's and is pure poison on crows an chucks. Like You i started out with a Mossberg 22 with single shot so I can relate to you.

[Texas by God]

I've been on them with a 22-250 since 1972 here on the farm. Out to 200 yds on still days I sure like the .17HMR lately. Good on you for dialing in on El Cuervo, Amigo.

Sent from my SM-A716U using Tapatalk

[versa-06]

You keep bust'in them crows. They are hard on anything that lays eggs. Especially tree nesting ducks, & or any other game or song bird. They can destroy freshly sprouting crops in a short order. God put everything here for a reason, as far as I'm concerned & so are others, they are like rats with wings. Do you see anyone protecting Rats?

[farmbif]

not crow, but today it rained almost all day, when the rain quit there were a pair of some kind of very large black buzzards on my roof staring at momma cat and her new litter of kittens. I shooed em off and went and got my old 39a mountie loaded with cci quiets. a flock of about 5 crows were harassing the buzzards which landed atop a tall pine tree across the road. the crows were going crazy flying around and pecking at the buzzards. I took a shot and winged a buzzard. it jumped into flight and I got another real good shot at it in flight and it headed down into the wooded ridge across the way with the crows chasing it down. I betting those crows had a feast.

[veeman]

Shot a crow once with my 1886 45/70. POOF!!! couple feathers floated down.

[Three44s]

You bet those crows and ravines are trouble! Also, they assuredly kill new born calves and lambs by destroying their eyeballs. They do not pluck them out, they eat on them in place!

Keep up the good story telling!

Best regards

Three44s

[richhodg66]

Crows are smart. I keep an old 16 gauge single out in the barn, I can be doing stuff outside and crows will fly around, but if I casually walk in and retrieve that shotgun, they dissappear fast, doesn't even take a shot being fired.

[robg]

i like corvids but have to shoot them as they are a menace to lambs and all the small song birds .usually use a 12bore over decoys .if im rough shooting i will shoot any in range.they soon learn to keep away if you have a gun with you but come real close if you havent .

[Mr_Sheesh]

Wolfdog91, great! Varminting is one of my main passions, I wish I could still shoot now, like I could at age 10, LOL

Enjoy your new fun toys

[bluebird66]

Great story!

[dale2242]

Interesting story.
We have a crow season here in Oregon. It starts Oct.1 with no limit.
Why a season, I have no idea.
I haven`t shot crows in a while.
A predator call playing "crow fight" will bring in every crow within hearing distance.
I shot them on the wing with my 12 gauge.

[Markopolo]

its so nice having Young folks around here!!!

Way to go Wufdog!!!!! i am dang glad your a shooter and loader. gives me hope!

Marko