Crows in our sweet corn....

[heckinohio]

We have a corn/tomato/crow problem in our house garden.......located at our farm property, 10 miles west. Anyway.....I see and hear them in a tree about 100 yds SW of the driveway where I have to get out of the truck to unlock the gates. They continue to sit in the tree while I am moving around in the driveway, plenty of time to get a shot at them with an appropriate rifle, which I think I have.

Does anyone remember S&Ws line of heavy barrel hunting rifles from about 1986??? Seems they offered these in four calibers. I have one in .223. I have fired it, but been many years ago.

Anyone have any experience with these rifles?? I was told at that time they were SAKO's.......from Finland??? But the gun says "Made in Japan"....

PJH

[s&wchad]

Sounds like you're talking about the S&W 1500's. I'm pretty sure they were made by Howa. I picked up a 1500 (.270 Win) for my older brother and a father/son team at our deer camp used them too. Howa also made Weatherby Vanguards. They're excellent rifles and quite accurate!

It's probably not a good idea to shoot a .223 at a 30 or 45 degree angle into the air. They can travel a long way and have to come down somewhere. Even rimfires can go up to 1-1/2 miles.

[Bullet Bob]

Made by Howa of Japan, fine rifles. Earlier S&W rifles were made by Husqvarna of Sweden.

Crows are pretty smart, they know the difference between you putzing around in the truck, and pointing a rifle at them.

Also, you should consider how far those bullets can fly if you miss, and what damage they can cause to people and property.

[THE PILGRIM]

Any way to get within Shotgun range?

[gwpercle]

In Louisiana crows are considered "Pest" and may be taken from Sept. 1 through Jan. 1 , with no limit ...
If crows are depredating or about to depredate ... any crops , ornamental plants , shade trees , agricultural trees or plants , livestock . wildlife , or when concentrated in such numbers as to be a nusiance and/ or the spread of West Nile Virus ... may be taken year round , no limit .
You can bait crows and use crow calls to lure in crows for hunting .
I like to get set up and shoot them over bait or a call with a shotgun as they fly in . But I have anbushed a few when they alighted in trees and didn't see me .
Gary

[Rich Richardson]

To avoid endangering neighbors I use a Daisey 880 BB rifle.

[diyj98]

Yes Howas. Nice rifles. Not quite Sako level, but great guns for the money.

[weatherby]

Crows are very smart.
You may get one or two with the rifle the first time if your aim is true.
One the second time.
Then pretty much forget about it.

I'm with the if you can use a shotgun and get a bunch the first time do it.
Stake them near your crop as a warning.
They'll get it.

[Breakaway500]

When my Dad had a crow problem I used a suppressed .22. When the first crow fell..the others could not figure it out and flew over to the dead body. I got three more before they decided to get the #ell outta there and never returned. Dad was happy.

[heckinohio]

10-4..... Since we don't live there, it is difficult to get set up with a shotgun. I have to drive in a 1200 ft driveway on top a hill. They usually see the red truck, then I see them about 500 yds out.

The little tree I am talking about is below the crest of a hill, any missed shot would imbed itself below the crown of the hill. I really don't care about killing a bunch of them, just need one or two to hang near the garden.

We are putting fruit tree netting over things now. Real pain to use and then later something to store.

PJH

[Fishinfool]

I've heard a realistic hawk decoy will keep them away?

I know an owl decoy will attract them, and drive them wild. I shot a few that way years ago. An owl will take a crow at night, when they are vulnerable, and the crows don't forget.

Larry

[gwpercle]

It doesn't take a crow long to figure out a Hawk decoy isn't going to hurt him ... I had a nice crop of LSU Purple Figs getting ripe when the crows came ... the Hawk decoy worked for maybe an hour ... as did the fake Snakes i I put in the tree limbs ... in the end the crows ate the figs and flew away ... the tree still has the Hawk decoy and rubber snakes ...
They ain't fooling noboby !
This middle of the city ... BB Gun territory at best ...
but them crows ate all the figs and were gone before I could find any BB's !
Gary

[Mike, SC Hunter]

I use an electronic caller and a 12 ga..........Much fun.

[WR Moore]

Originally Posted by heckinohio

The little tree I am talking about is below the crest of a hill, any missed shot would imbed itself below the crown of the hill.
PJH

A very fragile light varmint bullet might stop/fragment against the ground. Something like the Sierra Blitz King. Not necessarily true with bullets of more substantial design, especially if you've been suffering a drought.

[SweetMK]

I have successfully trapped crows in a "Hav-A-Hart" trap,,
This year, I have trapped three, my best year ever.

BUT, the reason to trap them, I have a "coil" made out of barbed wire,,
the coil is just the right size to hold a crow carcass,,

Hang the crow in the garden, near the corn,,

(I use a 6 foot tall "T" post to hold the barbed wire coil)

the other crows are smart enough to know there is danger,,
They will stay out of the garden.

I have done this for several years.

[Krogen]

Once or twice a year I take one out with a pellet gun. The others in the murder go absolutely nuts. When they figure out their pal is not getting up, they disappear and stay gone for a good long time. Sooner or later one of the rogues comes back, hangs out for a while and the murder returns. They're still wary; all I have to do is open the back door and they're gone. Eventually, they lose their wariness and I pop another one. Yeah, I think they're smart, they learn and they don't forget. But I also think they're smart enough to push the envelope. That's why they return.

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Originally Posted by SweetMK

I have successfully trapped crows in a "Hav-A-Hart" trap,,
This year, I have trapped three, my best year ever.

BUT, the reason to trap them, I have a "coil" made out of barbed wire,,
the coil is just the right size to hold a crow carcass,,

Hang the crow in the garden, near the corn,,

(I use a 6 foot tall "T" post to hold the barbed wire coil)

the other crows are smart enough to know there is danger,,
They will stay out of the garden.

I have done this for several years.

Ahh.....the old "Game of Thrones" approach. I like it

[LostintheOzone]

Set up a blind and call them in. Use a shotgun. Once you kill a few they won't come back. Don't ask me how I know.

Stay safe and keep everyone within range safe.

[kbm6893]

Why not just use a .177 caliber pellet rifle? Quiet and cheap. If they’re smart enough to stay away after a few get killed the pellet will do the job.

[LostintheOzone]

Originally Posted by Krogen

Once or twice a year I take one out with a pellet gun. The others in the murder go absolutely nuts. When they figure out their pal is not getting up, they disappear and stay gone for a good long time. Sooner or later one of the rogues comes back, hangs out for a while and the murder returns. They're still wary; all I have to do is open the back door and they're gone. Eventually, they lose their wariness and I pop another one. Yeah, I think they're smart, they learn and they don't forget. But I also think they're smart enough to push the envelope. That's why they return.

I live in a rural area but have neighbors close by. I don't use a shotgun anymore as the neighbors are more sensitive to gunfire than they used to be. All of them are newish from the pavement except one. I use a scoped model 36 RWS now. It kills crows about like a 22 short would (900 fps) but range is +/- 50 yards. Good from cover if you call them in. They know when you drop one and mark the area as hazardous to their health.

I know, buying a $400 air rifle isn't a solution for most but I've had mine since I lived in town which was about 27 years ago. I used to shoot rats and starlings with it in town and nobody knew. Silent and deadly.

[Drm50]

Oh, don’t mention shooting them, the PETA people will have fits. Try putting a few rat traps on top of fence posts. Drill hole and tie them to post with couple feet of slack. No bait needed.

[ussmanlovede36]

Crows are very smart and they recognize people faces. They never forget. We get a few here in the dead tree behind us and I like to watch them communicate with each other. No gardens around us getting robed.

[HarpHack]

Originally Posted by gwpercle

In Louisiana crows are considered "Pest" and may be taken from Sept. 1 through Jan. 1 , with no limit ...
If crows are depredating or about to depredate ... any crops , ornamental plants , shade trees , agricultural trees or plants , livestock . wildlife , or when concentrated in such numbers as to be a nusiance and/ or the spread of West Nile Virus ... may be taken year round , no limit .
Gary

Same language as the Arkansas regs. Presumably we should employ binoculars to study their beady eyes and ascertain whether they are planning to depredate, spread a virus or be a nuisance. If not you have to let them go :Q

[Mike-AK]

Grandma just used to hang a few foil pie pans on beanpoles with bailing twine around her garden. Seems to have worked for her.

[mtgianni]

Crows have a sacred nature to some native tribes in Mexico and are protected by treaty if they migrate back and forth from there. This is why State laws vary so much. Even in the treaty areas they can be killed if traveling to or from an area of deprevation, which is legalize for "any time".

[Shibadog]

Originally Posted by LostintheOzone

I live in a rural area but have neighbors close by. I don't use a shotgun anymore as the neighbors are more sensitive to gunfire than they used to be. All of them are newish from the pavement except one. I use a scoped model 36 RWS now. It kills crows about like a 22 short would (900 fps) but range is +/- 50 yards. Good from cover if you call them in. They know when you drop one and mark the area as hazardous to their health.

I know, buying a $400 air rifle isn't a solution for most but I've had mine since I lived in town which was about 27 years ago. I used to shoot rats and starlings with it in town and nobody knew. Silent and deadly.

Model 36 RWS will definitely work. I bought one for my Dad who lived in town and had an issues with Groundhogs. An RWS .177 pointed pellet @1100 fps will kill a whistle pig Right Now with a head shot. Dad took three in the backyard, shot from a bedroom window. That scoped “pellet gun” will break aspirins all day at 30 yards. OP may need to get out early and set up a ground blind near th varmints favorite tree. Taking them with shotgun on the wing is good sport. I shot one with the air rifle a few years ago at home. The whole murder went wild (like a scene from “the birds”😳. Old Browning A5 nailed three more and they vacated they area and stayed gone. I used #6’s.

[IAM Rand]

As was mentioned above, you might want to check out air rifles. These aren't your daddy's air rifles. Granted, as was mentioned, they can be pricey but, you can get combo rifles that shoot pellets and arrows. Not that you would want to shoot a crow with a rifle but, it gives options. I don't think that suppressed air rifles come with the same problems and a regular rifle or pistol. Check out Youtube and see what is out there.

[kbm6893]

My Gamo air rifle shoots .177 pellets at about 1100 fps. Way more than enough to do the job.

[kreuzlover]

I wouldn't want to get caught shooting crows, I believe they now are
a Federally protected bird! Only birds I know of that are NOT protected by
Federal law, are Starlings & English sparrows!

[charlie sherrill]

We used to hang around a large area of government land plinking, and just goofing off. We would see a large murder interested in something. Three of us would walk out there where they are and they would fly off stopping in trees where they could see us and fussing about the situation. Two of us would walk back to the truck leaving one of us hidden behind with a couple of loaded shotguns. After a few minutes the crows would come back to the spot and meet eight or ten rounds of bird shot before they could escape. This only works one time. I had an old eight track tape recording of fighting crows. We would see a few and hide the truck, put the tape on very loud, and wait. They couldn't stand it and would at least send a scout to check it out, sometimes more. I always plant at least twice what I think I'm going to need because the critters are coming. This year I got more corn and peas than I needed and even gave some away. The rest went to mice, deer, raccoons, birds (crow included) and even a mama fox. I was able to pop one coyote who let his guard down. I don't plant watermelons any more because I can't keep the coyotes out.

[jake1945]

When crows are on the ground feeding, there is always a 'lookout' high in a nearby tree to warn the others of danger. Get the 'lookout' first!

[raljr1]

Crows are considered migratory under some regs, that's why there is a defined season for them in PA. Fairly long season, but defined none the less.

And they are smarter than the average critter. Like some have said, you won't get more than a few an outing.

[Drm50]

In the old days a lard can full of broken bottles and jars over 1/4 stick of DuPonts finest - hung in roosts during the day and touched off at night, from a covered position put a world of hurt on the flock. Also kept them big riverbank sycamores pruned. Back in 60s bounty was .25 cent each.
If you did that today the bounty would be on you, the “eco terrorist”.