Crow shooting

Crows are suspicious birds! They see everything, and it can be difficult to get them close enough to shoot them. Crows are usually hunted in the morning as they fly out to their foraging areas. To be successful at crow hunting, it is important to monitor their flying habits for several days beforehand. It is a good idea to use decoys. Either crow decoys or a plastic owl. Using a crow call is also effective.

Left

DEERHUNTER

Crow callers and camouflage

With a little practice, you can draw the crows’ attention to the decoys using the call. It is necessary to be well camouflaged, and remember that they see the hunter from above, so a hide is not always enough. After being successful in one area, you should expect the local crows to avoid this for some time. You will therefore need to observe the crows’ new flying habits. It is a very exciting and challenging form of hunting, and often quite cheap, as most landowners want their crow populations reduced to protect the other fauna.

Deerhunter’s recommendations for crow hunting

Challenges of crow shooting

The biggest challenge of crow hunting is camouflage. Crows have good vision, and if they see the slightest change in the environment they will choose a different route. Bear in mind that the crows have used this route every day over a very long period, so they know the surroundings better than you do. Crow hunting can also take place over much of the year, so different forms of camouflage will be required depending on the season and temperatures. Only skilled hunters are successful at crow hunting, as it requires insight and persistence. Crow hunting is an exciting and challenging form of hunting, as it isn’t something you can just do. It requires thorough preparation – especially the hide and the clothing.

Right

DEERHUNTER

BLACK BIRDS AND AN ADULT DOG

Crows are a cunning adversary! They are not easy prey that can be outwitted by cheap tricks or a quick walk through a random hedgerow with a shotgun. You shouldn’t feel superior to a worthy crow. It demands a lot from a hunter to bag a crow. You often feel inferior in the battle, but you are also only a poor intrusion into its daily surroundings, where nothing is left to chance! A week before the planned hunt date, I set up a hide made of a camouflage net covered with branches and leaves from nearby trees and bushes. It was at a beautiful old yellow-painted farmhouse, which had been passed on from generation to generation over centuries. The farmer was also a hunter, and wanted to protect his wild partridges. A friend and I were therefore given permission to sit in the meadow behind the farmhouse and try to outwit the crows. It was a rewarding day, we each bagged a good handful of birds.

READ ABOUT OTHER TYPES OF HUNTING

PIGEON SHOOTING
GOOSE HUNTING
STALKING
HUNTING GUIDE FOR DEER STALKING
Bow hunting
WATERFOWLING OPEN WATER
fox hunting
DRIVEN HUNT FOR HARES
Driven hunt
buck hunting
SNIPE SHOOTING
PHEASANT SHOOTING
DUCK SHOOTING
PARTRIDGE SHOOTING