# Crow hunting



## All-Around-Outdoorsman (Feb 7, 2012)

I have tried crow calling and i have had a shotgun and the crow come, circle, and leave never to come back. Any tips to make them come in closer and/or land? Any help is appreciated!Thanks in advance


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

I think we just did a thread on this if you want to search for it ! Just put "crows" in the search bar (top right) Decoys seem to help.


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## HowlinRed (Feb 3, 2011)

I think you must kill that crow at all cost. When we missed the scout crows, we didn't have very good hunts.


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## All-Around-Outdoorsman (Feb 7, 2012)

So decoys are a good idea? And should i hunt in woodland or open feild?


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## HowlinRed (Feb 3, 2011)

I like to get in the cover and put the decoys in the field. We try to stay hidden as much as we can. We are not serious crow hunters, just having fun getting out, but we do kill a few.


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## Mattuk (Oct 16, 2010)

A crow decoy is a must, I've found the mojo critter pulls them in well too. But the biggest thing you need to fool is the crows eyes! They are awesome, some good camo, face paint is great too as a white face will frighten the crap out of them but above all sit as still as possible until the last moment, they see everything!! Are you using a Ecaller or hand calls?


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## bones44 (Jan 7, 2011)

I place decoys around my caller to make it look more realistic. Years past we used to use a clump of rabbit fur and that was usually enough for their interest. I have an old P.S. Olt call I still use. Haven't gone out this year yet but plan on it. Good luck and welcome to PT !


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## HowlinRed (Feb 3, 2011)

If you can mix in an owl decoy with the crow decoys it also helps.


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## Mattuk (Oct 16, 2010)

Spot on Tony, I've been thinking of getting one myself.


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## Mick105 (Jan 6, 2012)

I found that when they get educated to the crow call switching to a crow and owl call helps a lot (even without an owl decoy). I like to set up in the trees and place the call and decoys out in small clearings. Stay hidden and they will keep coming back.


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## All-Around-Outdoorsman (Feb 7, 2012)

I was thinking about getting some still crow decoys and topping it off with a mojo owl. I am using a flextone mimic call. i also recently bought a hand call


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## HeadShot80 (Feb 10, 2012)

Reading ya'lls posts I new here but thought I would share some of my knowledge. I use roughly 4 crow decoys and put an owl on a post or in a tree along with a couple of my decoys using some fishing string. Hit the e caller with the fighting crow. I called in roughly 15 crows this afternoon and had a ball.


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Welcome to the forum HeadShot80.

Thanks for the good information.


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## bones44 (Jan 7, 2011)

Welcome headshot80 and great info. You guys have all given me some great ideas ! Can't wait to try them out.


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## All-Around-Outdoorsman (Feb 7, 2012)

Thanks for all this helpfull info!!


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## Mick105 (Jan 6, 2012)

Welcome to the site Headshot but dont just share some of your knowledge, we want to hear it all!


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## All-Around-Outdoorsman (Feb 7, 2012)

Mick 105 said it all


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## HowlinRed (Feb 3, 2011)

Welcome HeadShot80!


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## All-Around-Outdoorsman (Feb 7, 2012)

Headshot80, Welcome!


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## Mattuk (Oct 16, 2010)

Welcome to PT HeadShot80.


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## All-Around-Outdoorsman (Feb 7, 2012)

I just cut 18 or so cardboard crow shaped decoys and plan on painting em black and picketing them in the feild.....i know crows are smart but will these work??


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## Mick105 (Jan 6, 2012)

Try it and see.... I wouldn't see why not, geese are just as smart and cutouts work for them.


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## Mattuk (Oct 16, 2010)

Sorry Mick buddy but my moneys on the crows seeing through this!


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## bones44 (Jan 7, 2011)

I have several of the cheap plastic crow decoys. Never tried silhouettes. Let us know if they work. You may be onto something !


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

I have made such decoys myself and cannot swear to their effectiveness. With a feeding or gathering call/set-up, larger spreads may bring them in and you'll probably get off a few shots, but that's about it. 

I have simplified my crow tricks by simply carrying one motion decoy (www.crowbusters.com) with flapping wings hung on a tree branch or on the ground. Using a crow distress call, loud at first and then softened, will make them search for their anonymous friend. Getting a closer look at this set-up brings them in within shotgun range, if you stay away from the tall trees. Tall trees make them fly too high for good shooting success.


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## bones44 (Jan 7, 2011)

Great site Glen. Like the idea of the motion decoy for sure.


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

bones44 said:


> Great site Glen. Like the idea of the motion decoy for sure.


Just ordered one of Crow Busters' motion cripple crow decoys this morning. This one runs on an intermittent basis and should be perfect for the distress call. The other ones I got from them are either very tattered or already broken. One has a real feather attached at the tail, because I wore the origninal one out. The plastic-body decoys are cheaply made but are very effective. The wings fold up for transport, which is nice. Another issue I have with these decoys is the on/off button: it is easy to click on without knowing about it.

If someone were to make a better quality one, they'd have the market!


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## ScopinYotes (Jan 31, 2012)

There's a pretty good looking decoy out by Edge By Expedite. It's called the "Triple Play Motion Crows." I know it really wouldn't suit a crow distress call, but I really like the way this thing looks. I would think it would definitely fool those crows.


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## All-Around-Outdoorsman (Feb 7, 2012)

Ill let you all know how the cut-out decoys work.....here in PA we have a season that ends in the next month or two....but i have a spot and the crows travel it every morning, ill use them and let you all know, You are right if they do work its very cheap and they are easy to make, i could be onto something, nothing new i bet but its new for me


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## bones44 (Jan 7, 2011)

I called in several this afternoon. Shot two but they landed on the ice in the middle of the swamp. No way to get to them. The foxes can eat hearty tonight. Going back out in the A.M. with a couple more decoys on a farm down the road after a couple of coyote sets.


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

bones44 said:


> I called in several this afternoon. Shot two but they landed on the ice in the middle of the swamp. No way to get to them. The foxes can eat hearty tonight. Going back out in the A.M. with a couple more decoys on a farm down the road after a couple of coyote sets.


 What? No crow-quettes tonighnt? So, what was your set up? Shotgun choke, shot size, decoys, calls, hideout?


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## bones44 (Jan 7, 2011)

I used my new NEF Turkey gun with an improved cylinder #5 federal 2 3/4" loads. I actually went into the switchgrass and used that like the snipers of old and covered myself with it. Theres a small swale in the middle of all this and it's the only time of year you can even get near there. Turned on the Foxpro with the crowfight sounds and within 2 minutes had them all over me. I let 2 of them come in and circle several times and waited for their OK to the rest of the flock. Had 7 of them come in at once. Got 2 and the rest blew out quick ! The funny thing is I've hunted them years past and this was nothing new but it still gets the heart racing trying to outwit them.


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## All-Around-Outdoorsman (Feb 7, 2012)

I had them out yesterday, and i didnt use a gun but i set them up and called and i had a group of 5-10 that came in and flew like they were going to land but then they flew away before they landed, if i had a gun this would have been a bad day for them but they seem to know when they come in closer, that they are fake, ut it got them well within shotgun range, for the time you would need


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## bones44 (Jan 7, 2011)

If you're a good pass shooter sounds like they would work just fine to me. Thanks for the update and don't forget your gun ! LOL


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## Mattuk (Oct 16, 2010)

I went out this morning for an hour, the crows didn't wan't to play but a bloody fox came in to 60yards! Only had 36gm of 3's in so nothing I could do! Bloody typical!!


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## All-Around-Outdoorsman (Feb 7, 2012)

No problem bones, and yea it was an experimental run i guess i should have taken a gun i could have bagged a few.
And that seems to be all of our luck when we are in the feild, i see deer when im yote hunting, and yote when im deer hunting, and a slur of other bad luck combos....bummer huh


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

Mattuk said:


> I went out this morning for an hour, the crows didn't wan't to play but a bloody fox came in to 60yards! Only had 36gm of 3's in so nothing I could do! Bloody typical!!


Just wondering what you were attempting to call and what "3s" are. Are the shot size numbers the same as our in the U.S? Just never have seen 3s. And a "bloody" fox? Too bad someone must have shot it before you saw it.


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## Mattuk (Oct 16, 2010)

glenway said:


> Just wondering what you were attempting to call and what "3s" are. Are the shot size numbers the same as our in the U.S? Just never have seen 3s. And a "bloody" fox? Too bad someone must have shot it before you saw it.


This is a thread about shooting crows, so crows. 3's are the shot size, AAA, BB, 1's, 2's, 3's, 4's, 5's 6's etc. Bloody as in that damn fox.


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Mattuk said:


> Only had 36gm of 3's in so nothing I could do! Bloody typical!!


36gm ?

We don't have #3's here that i recall seeing.


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

youngdon said:


> 36gm ?
> 
> We don't have #3's here that i recall seeing


 Same here. I follow the 36 gm, which would equate to approximately 1.25 ounces of shot, but as YD said, never heard of 3s. Seems a bit heavy for crows, however, and I thought maybe the
Brits had a different system of measurement. The "bloody" reference was well understood. Just seemed a bit too tempting.


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Yeah you're right it's grams, Thanks Glen. I think they shoot #7's also not 7 1/2's.


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## Mick105 (Jan 6, 2012)

Don, I am not postive but I thought years ago Winchester made a turkey load in #3's. I could be wrong but for some reason I'm thinkin I saw it before, but its been years now.


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

I've also seen 7s in the U.S.


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## Mattuk (Oct 16, 2010)

glenway said:


> Same here. I follow the 36 gm, which would equate to approximately 1.25 ounces of shot, but as YD said, never heard of 3s. Seems a bit heavy for crows, however, and I thought maybe the
> Brits had a different system of measurement. The "bloody" reference was well understood. Just seemed a bit too tempting.


Yes 36 gm's an oz and a 1/4. We go down to 6 1/2's, 7's, 7 1/2's, 8's and I think dust. 3's or 4's perfect for crows, your not eating them and nothing can be to dead!


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Mick105 said:


> Don, I am not postive but I thought years ago Winchester made a turkey load in #3's. I could be wrong but for some reason I'm thinkin I saw it before, but its been years now.


They very well may have, I don't recall ever seeing them though. Same with 7's.


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## Mick105 (Jan 6, 2012)

Matt, in England are crows called rook or are rook a different kind of bird? I know my question has nothing to do with hunting but I am still curious.


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## Mattuk (Oct 16, 2010)

No Mick they are different species. We have 8 species of the Corvidae family in the UK
Crow, Rook, Raven, Jackdaw, Chough, Hooded Crow, Magpie and Jay.


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## Mick105 (Jan 6, 2012)

Very interesting, thanks for teaching me something new.


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## Mattuk (Oct 16, 2010)

LOL I doubt I did that now Mick!


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## Mick105 (Jan 6, 2012)

Dont selI yourself short Matt, I had no idea that the UK had 8 species of the Corvidae family or that their was even a difference between a crow and a rook. I have learned a ton from your posts


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## Mattuk (Oct 16, 2010)

Oh stop it! Silly bugger(thank you).


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

Mattuk said:


> Yes 36 gm's an oz and a 1/4. We go down to 6 1/2's, 7's, 7 1/2's, 8's and I think dust. 3's or 4's perfect for crows, your not eating them and nothing can be to dead!


You mean you have more success with 3s? I've tried the magnum loads including 3 1/2-inch 6s and have found the smaller shot size to work better in lighter 1 1/8-oz loads. I also have loaded some 3-inch, 9-shot loads and found that I get more to drop, but many are not recovered because they're not there when the shooting is finished. The 7 1/2s seem perfect.


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## All-Around-Outdoorsman (Feb 7, 2012)

Wow....shotgun shells are confusing, more so than i thought, i always went on shot size not grams?


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

You don't have to go by grams...Matt speaks in grams because he is from the rest of the world...We still talk, and our boxes label, weight of shot in ounces.


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## Mattuk (Oct 16, 2010)

youngdon said:


> You don't have to go by grams...Matt speaks in grams because he is from the rest of the world...We still talk, and our boxes label, weight of shot in ounces.


I work in ounces but know both.


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## Mattuk (Oct 16, 2010)

glenway said:


> You mean you have more success with 3s?


I like 3's or 4's but to me in a 3in load makes no odds.


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## All-Around-Outdoorsman (Feb 7, 2012)

Ahhh i see now....was confused on terms there for second but i got it now!!


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## ReidRH (Feb 1, 2010)

We normally use an Owl and Crow fight with decoys, try to make them look as natural as possible, also you must be camoed up completely for the best results. We hunt in trees that are no more than 20 ft tall as the crows will only come to treetop level so if your hunting trees that are 75 ft tall you start off with a long shot! We also hunt fence rows in open fields that have a tree or two on it either side of the tree the decoys are in Kill the Scout Bird if you dont You just as well move. we also use the killed birds as decoys we stick a stick in the ground and open the dead crows mouth and put it over the stick... also after you kill a few go to the wounded Crow call it works great!!


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

Good stuff ReidRH. What choke, load, and shot size do you recommend?


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## Wolf Fontaine (Dec 28, 2011)

Welcome HeadShot80, dont hesitate to ask on this site, the guys are great. I also find turkey decoys and or calls to work well, it was just logical to me, where I hunt I watch the two fight all the time.


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## All-Around-Outdoorsman (Feb 7, 2012)

I watched a hawk chase down a crow before, got pretty nasty.....for the crow...


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## Mattuk (Oct 16, 2010)

I will one day have a Goshawk to fly at crows, magpies and squirrels.


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## ReidRH (Feb 1, 2010)

_*I usually Like Six shot or High power Seven and a half does pretty good too! I have friends that use turkey shot but I think that is Over Kill (IMO) We enjoy it when we have time and the places to go!!*_


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## All-Around-Outdoorsman (Feb 7, 2012)

I would think that is overkill also


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

When it comes to crow hunting, I've known of no better than Bert Popowski author of _The Varmint and Crow Hunter's Bible._ A bit from his book: _"My own record of somewhere between 80,000 and 90,000 crows is only a drop in the bucket, simply because earning an annual living was a great drawback to doing much better."_

Also, when describing the effects of shot size, Bert had this to say: _"...they must be hit with several pellets, not just one or two." _He then references a pyramiding effect in the book. This pyramiding effect beats far fewer hits scored with the same, or larger, sizes of shot pellets. He says this: _Thus for crow hunting, I would rather use the density of pattern provided by Number 9 shot in regular skeet loads...At short range they may tear up a crow rather badly if it is hit with a centering hold. But, since crows are considered inedible varmint birds, such meat damage is insignificant."_

By now everyone wants to know about long range, however. Popowski continues: _And, at long range, although the density of pattern has thinned considerably, the multiple hits produced by fine-shot loadings are still far superior to the few hits produced by the larger sizes of shot."_

There's no question Bert knew his crow hunting, but he didn't have access to today's electronic calls, battery-operated decoys, and magnum everything. And, I'm guessing he was in an area (Nebraska) that had more crows, back in the 50s and 60s, than we can imagine today. Yet, the principle of smaller shot size in a non-magnum load is worth considering. Improved cylinder works great. You may be pleasantly surprised, as I have been. And, the beauty of 1 1/8-oz. loads is they're cheap.


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## bones44 (Jan 7, 2011)

Great post Glen ! Sounds like a really good book. Thanks for sharing.


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

* Great read, enjoyed it.*


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

bones44 said:


> Great post Glen ! Sounds like a really good book. Thanks for sharing.


Popowski had at least one other book, _Crow Shooting,_ which I have as well, and I found that on CrowBusters.com that they are selling them (In limited quantities for sure) at over $40! The price printed on _The Crow and Varmint Hunter's Bible_ is $1.95. Found copies on Ebay for several dollars.


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## All-Around-Outdoorsman (Feb 7, 2012)

Sounds interesting enough might have to pick one up sometime


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## Wolf Fontaine (Dec 28, 2011)

what do you guys do with the crows when ya shoot em?


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## fr3db3ar (Aug 6, 2011)

Feed them to the skunks and opposums.


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## ReidRH (Feb 1, 2010)

Freeze them and use them for decoys!!! then feed them to varmints!


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## All-Around-Outdoorsman (Feb 7, 2012)

LOL, lifelike decoy, i just throw em into the woods but some people eat em.


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## ScopinYotes (Jan 31, 2012)

I've just left them in the woods where I shot them. They're usually gone within a day or two.


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## bones44 (Jan 7, 2011)

Fox are especially fond of them here. I thinks it's paybacks...LOL


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## Dust (Mar 16, 2010)

Glenway, Bob Arlonson(sp) has said the exact same thing. He doesn't think it takes much to bring them down, and more pellets in the air means you are less likely to shoot around your target.


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## All-Around-Outdoorsman (Feb 7, 2012)

Yup, and the raccoons are fond of em around here, they hog them up like a specialty!!


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

Dust said:


> Glenway, Bob Arlonson(sp) has said the exact same thing. He doesn't think it takes much to bring them down, and more pellets in the air means you are less likely to shoot around your target.


When Bert Popowski is asked why it is so hard to kill crows, he always found that hunters who are having difficulty bringing them down are using shot that is too heavy. I switched to 9s a couple of years ago but loaded 1 7/8 ounces in 3-inch hulls. The load may have lacked enough velocity, however, but I had no good way to chronograph them.

Since then, I met an expert from Pennsylvania that set me straight. Nothing larger than cheap 7 1/2s and only 2 3/4-inch game shells. He also gave me a tip when the birds are coming in. Swing on them and cover the bird with the front sight. He kills them routinely with a .410 and 2 1/2-inch shells and 7 1/2s. They really don't fly fast and it's easy to over-lead them.

I believe some people try to shoot them from the clouds and don' t get them in close enough. Sure, lucky shots can bring them down, but when you look at the total number of rounds fired compared to kills, you'll know how well you are doing. Another thing that will mess with shot/kill ratios is taking shots at escaping birds - those birds fired on by a partner or partners. Sometimes, it just seems natural to bang away after the jig is up, but it doesn't make for good kill ratios - especially when you are shooting at a bird you wouldn't have otherwise.


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## All-Around-Outdoorsman (Feb 7, 2012)

It is easy to overlead, especially if you are someone (this guy) who thought they were speedy and clay bird shot to practice and lead then and missed and messed up my first spread....i will have to pull my 20 guage shells out that i use and check em out for you guys


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## TA99 (Mar 20, 2013)

We usually throw all our old, stale bread out in the yard which brings crows in like crazy! You just sit out on the porch about 6:00, you can shoot 'em all morinng long! :gunshooting:


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