Kind of strange day hunting today.. (incl. pics)

[longislandhunter]

Yeah, crows can be a challenge, that's for sure but it makes em that much more fun to hunt.  Funny you should mention the camo hunting tent  :)       last year I bought a camo pop up blind and it works great in the back yard.  My neighbors can't see into my yard but if they could they'd think I was nuts for sure,,, all dressed in camo hiding in my pop up blind....    :)

Crows hate owls so much that if you use a decoy they crows will throw a large degree of their caution to the wind so they can attack the owl.  

The trick with the crows in your yard is going to be finding a sniping location where you can sight in on em without them being able to easily see you,,, or hear hear you....  Another trick is to get into your sniping position just at the crack of dawn and be ready...   Crows are active all day but they love to get out at the first sign of light and find something to eat.  At that time of the morning the rest of the neighborhood (human neighborhood that is) is not up and active and the lack of human activity translates into crows that are not as spooky yet.  

Keep us up to date on your battle with the crows,,,, I'm enjoying your ongoing hunt very much  ;)

Jeff

[only1harry]

I wonder if they make a camo sheet or pop blind I can hang on my bathroom or bedroom window so I can shoot from behind it?  Do they make one just a few feet wide that will keep me concealed or cover up a window only?  
Is it ok if the crows can see the gun barrel but not me?

[Gene_SC]

Harry, I have seen camo clothe at the yardage stores where ladies go buying material to make clothes. Maybe you can get a couple yards for real cheap there.

Gene

[only1harry]

or maybe I thought of a new invention?  Camo window drapes for back yard hunters with airguns!  :)

[shadow]

Camo drapes, one potato sack split down the seam's. Grab your favorite cam paint, hang em to shoot with paint and experiment with pattern's. I got some hanging in the laundry room and the shop window's are all camo'd. You can see through them and cut out gunslot's. Ed

[Gamo X-Ring Shooter]

about attracting crows I would definitely suggest a call.  I don't know what a typical crow call is supposed to be imitating, probably a crow, but I know for a fact that an owl call brings them in by the dozens!  last weekend I was participating in the christmas bird count with the Audubon society and my guide wanted to find an owl.  So here we are the 4 of us standing in the woods and he starts making an owl call.  About 2 minutes later crows are freaken everywhere!  There wasn't a single one about but about 2 or 3 dozen flew in from somewhere as soon as he started owl calling.  I asked him about why crows hated owls so much and he told me that up north the crows roost in large flocks and at night the owls come in and pick off a few every night for a snack.  During the day light, however, the crows have the advantage and seek revenge!

Brian

[only1harry]

That sounds great Ed.  It would have to be temporary cause the wife would take it down in a second if I left it hanging.  Still I like the idea of painting a potato sack.  Where do you get the camo paint from?

[shadow]

Harry, your local Hardware store or even autopart's store would carry camo paint. The hunting shop's around here carry it as does the Army surplus store in the big city. I took one of my camo design idea's off one of my stock's and applied it to the drape's, here's the stock camo I used. Ed

[kcurrie]

There is excellent photo editing software available for all platforms (Windows, Mac, Linux) that is free (open source, GNU licensed) called Gimp.   See here:
http://www.gimp.org/

It will resize and do any and all the image manipulations you'd ever want.

I use it on all platforms and it's great.

[StSteve]

I bought a small piece of Mossy Oak fabric at Cabela's.  It hangs under my deck to mask the cellar door opening and closing.  Those damn crows seem to hear pretty well though...

They are very smart birds.  I've read that the best strategy is to use their emotions against them instead of trying to outsmart them.  The owl decoy and calls may appeal to their emotions long enough to get your shot off.  Add in the challenges of discrete "yard-based" hunting and you have a real challenge on your hands.