Run and Gun for Crows Question

R

rickyb

New member
Guys I have hunted crows by this method and need to know a few tricks on getting more crows in. When we run and gun we drive a ways and jump out crank the foxpro up and shoot the first wave of crows that come in and usually that is all. We then have to go on down the road and repeat process. Some people have told me to get a owl and a couple of decoys and that would help get the crows that we missed back into or setup. Seems like when we miss one crow he flies off and lands in a tree and thats it. Help on some tips? Rick
 

I use the same method you do, running and gunning.

Sometimes switching sounds will bring them back in for another round of shooting, but the initial response is going to be the best one.

If the crows won't come back in, then an owl decoy will do no good since they aren't there to see it. I rarely use decoys.

I generally start calling with a crow and owl fight (Johnny Stewart being my favorite sound), then after beating them back a bit, I switch to a young or injured crow sound. Many times that will bring some more in, or maybe just one or two. After shooting at those, the odds go way down of getting more to respond, but I have on occasion had them come in three or four times by just switching back and forth between the between the sounds.
 
I don't often "run and gun", but usually set up with camo and decoys. The following works well in my situation and might be helpful to you.

Start off with a single crow calling, like Dennis Kirk's "Sentinel Crow". This attracts them, but doesn't get them all riled up. usually only one or two will show up. When that doesn't work anymore switch to a more aggressive call, like 'Single Excited Crow", by Johnny Stewart, then finally when nobody shows up switch to a really aggressive call like Johnny Stewart's "Crow Come Here".

This works for me and I often shut off the caller for 5 or 10 minutes and then repeat the above. Good luck.
 
I know my foxpro brings them in from a long way out, but they probably are going to avoid the truck and guys waving some smoke poles. Setting up with decoys has helped bring them a little coser, but I've never had one land in shotgun range when calling. Good luck hope this helps some.
 
I find I kill more if I dont shoot the first wave and let them circle and cut up and bring more in and then start the fun. After shooting I will change calls from fight or death cry to gathering and then switch back and forth and usually get more oppurtunities. I usually run and gun by myself and can sometimes kill as many as 20+ from a single set like this if the wind isnt bad.

Park the truck where its hid and walk a ways to call. After the first set I will tote a few dead crows and throw them out for decoys, but its mainly pine plantation here and if you arent in a opening or pasture it doesnt seem to make much difference. Usually lay one over my foxpro. When calling I am usually on my knees in full camo and will lay over face down when crows are over head before I start shooting. I have had crows land in the trees over me and then shoot them out and the ones circling act like nothing happened and another land in the same tree!!
 
Nice I don't shoot 20 a year, but I just got the foxpro so might have to get into crows. I thought you were tryinh to call them to your truck and that would be pretty hard to do. But, if you get 20 a stand in my area yout doing good as most groups are 3-10.
 
you can call them to the truck, we were burning a tract the other day and after we got done there was some crows at a waterhole about 200yds from the truck and I had my foxpro with me and had them circling the truck in seconds, I would turn it off then when they started to leave hit it again on really low volume. Got them to come back 4 times and then they landed in a tree about 70yds away and stayed there until dark. I was standing beside a white truck with a trailer, 3 4whlrs and another truck and dozer!!!

I think they know when you cant shoot them though as we were doing a contract burn and the land was leased for hunting to someone else. If i had a shotgun they would have come over 100yds high instead of 20'!!!

Have called them before long ago by backing into a plantation rolling the windows down and opening the doors and playing a tape through my trucks stereo system!!! Killed quite a few that way. Have stood under the shed at the house numerous times and shot them as well. You never know what they will do, but I do know if you shoot them much they get educated fast!! So kill everyone that comes in!!!
 
Must depend on your location, because here in MN if they are sitting out in a field and you start to slow down they are off. So, it is very rare that you can even take a shot with a rifle. You have to call them in a use a shotgun.
 
I kill quite a few each year with my shotgun and FoxPro. I have the luxury of having some property between the grain fields they are feeding in, and where they are roosting. I do not hunt them in the morning anymore, when they are coming off the roost. You get them all at once then it is over . But when they go out to feed they get dispersed into pairs and triples during the day. I have much better luck in getting groups of 2s, 3, and 4s in the middle of the afternoon. This may go on for several hours while there going to the roost. Nothin better than a good day of crow whackin
 


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