.

Usually by now, mid August, we would have travelled for some sandgrouse in Namibia, greywing in RSA and we would now be looking at pointed grouse in Scotland and quail in Romania. But this is not a 'usual' year. Far from it. Everything is highly unusual!

So we are forced (happily forced I might add) to look for and do 'different' things!

On the 1st August, crows opened up in Germany! Yes, crows have an open and closed season in Germany, and with them now being open, we have been out a number of times decoying these cunning feathered predators!

It's a game of getting up well before sunrise and setting up a blind and a decoy pattern in the dark, long before the first crows are on the wing. And then sitting tight in the blind, starting calling and making crow noises!

We shoot a farm area 15 minutes drive from the house. The corvids tend to leave their roosts and nests at first light and then congregate on the railings of the local bridge that spans the River Rhein, from where they then set out in search of feed and forage.

So basically you get there first, in the dark, set up and then try and call them in to the decoys.

A great friend of mine who posts here as JaegerFrank, came up last weekend to visit and we got in a morning at the crows. We called in and shot double figures plus a bonus goose over the stubbles and a decoy pattern of 20 or so birds. Goose breast patties and noodles for dinner that night! I shot a Browning 325 in 12 bore, which I have had since 1986, and Frank shot a semi auto in 20 bore. There are some good pictures of JaegerFrank and his 'bag' but I didn't ask for his ok to post them so you'll have to make do with mine!

This morning I was out at 04.30 a.m. with my youngest. We set up and enjoyed a 06.20 sunrise before the birds started moving. He was shooting a Rottweil 770 in 12 bore and I shot a Beretta Silver Pigeon in 20 bore, the No.1 gun of a pair. A sweet shotgun to shoot IMO. The crows and pigeons decoyed really well and we managed a bag of 15 crows (2 not picked) and 4 'others' before my son had to get off to work at 07.15 a.m.

Here the pictures to prove the tale .... enjoy :


































Greatly underestimated, crows are a cunning bird to shoot and any double figure bag is a good bag in my books!

Cheers and happy & safe shooting!


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Good work!!! Very Nice area.

I’ve heard it can be a hell of a good time.

Those crows look like Rooks to me:
"When you see lots of crows they are rooks!"

Here in England we used to shoot the baby rooks as they teetered on the edge of the nest in early May, using a small single-shot rifle.

HB

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HB, Yes you are 100% correct, they are rooks. Rooks, jays and magpies are all 'game' in Germany. Whilst jackdaws are protected - dont ask me why?!

Rooks - testing / sporting birds to decoy and shoot and IMO heaps of fun!

.

Nice!

Charlie - I always enjoy your stories. We actually eat crows down here in SC. Slice up the breasts, soak them overnight in buttermilk, dredge them in flour, and fry them...mmmmm good.

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Matt, You comment about eating crows prompted me to Google rook recipes and there are many. One link actually stated that rook pie is back in fashion since it was added to the menu of a top London restaurant a year or so ago! Rook & Steak pie for £19,95 ! That's how fashionable they are!!

So clearly you guys in SC are leading the pack on fine dining and fashionable menus!!

Cheers and all the best!

PS picking up on your "Badger Matt" profile, badger season starts in Germany 1st September and runs to end November. Now that's an animal that features on the fine dining lists here in Germany and other parts of Europe! Especially smoked badger ham!

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My understanding is that Crows in the US are scavengers and most people would not consider eating one due to fear of contaminated meat. Anyone else here in the US have opinions on eating crow (Other than your own words).

One of my neighbors has a large pecan orchard down in the valley + when the pecans are getting ripe he has one major problem with crows. It makes for some good shooting as they are extremely clever birds. We rarely get more than 8 in one sitting.

quote:

Originally posted by Bob Nisbet:
My understanding is that Crows in the US are scavengers and most people would not consider eating one due to fear of contaminated meat. Anyone else here in the US have opinions on eating crow (Other than your own words).

I have eaten crow not bad.

The most crows we have killed at one shoot was 116

For a 3 day week end 186 lots of fun.

Shooting crows is an under-appreciated sport, for sure! Our Pheasant club members used to set up in the Summer in the lowland valley behind my property with a few decoys and an Owl in a short tree. They would come in like gangbusters! It was actually more fun than Pheasant hunting :-)

quote:

Originally posted by Biebs:
Shooting crows is an under-appreciated sport, for sure! Our Pheasant club members used to set up in the Summer in the lowland valley behind my property with a few decoys and an Owl in a short tree. They would come in like gangbusters! It was actually more fun than Pheasant hunting :-)

Damn I have gone soft hearted with age. I feed a lot of cracked corn to a bunch of crows that come ever afternoon in the backyard

Mike

Perfect...You've got them coming to bait!

I'M MARRIED TO ONE !!!

Hip

Shot a heap of crows in Wyoming on my uncles place while on leave from the military.

It is really fun, got my first double on birds there.

He had a calf carcass with not much left on it he put in the pasture to shoot crows over. Did it every year, and usually got a fox or coyote as a secondary bag on the crows or the elk.