"Tough Time of the Year"
by Staff Advisor Dick Mermon

When another crow hunting season comes to an end and this final period in some states is usually one of the more difficult periods in crow hunting for two reasons.

First, in some sections of the country food sources become dwindled, or depleted somewhat, hence, crows that have utilized the perimeter surrounding the roost must now assault any thing, traveling any place to forage.

Second falls upon the birds themselves. It is the beginning of their migration northward, which is usually in smaller numbers than established late autumn into late winter. These are crows which have lived through a full season of depending upon fellow comrades for protection, as well as to show the way for feeding, fighting and roosting. Furthermore, such birds are "THE" survivors from a full year, possibly even as well as two, or three years past and are now well on the way to possibly another. During this late winter, early spring period a mating period begins as well. At such time, crows have been through it all from owls to hawks to hunters. They tend to remember places of danger, signs to shy away from during this pre-spring period. Thus, they still must engage in finding feeding locations and there are two such locations where easy pickings are best, garbage dumps and freshly manured fields.

If a garbage dump has not ever been set up for a crow shoot, do so, but first check it out at daybreak to see if the crows are utilizing this particular garbage lot. Although the kill is not as high in certain parts of the country at this time of year, it usually produces an enjoyable shoot. However, never, "NEVER" set up directly in the dump itself for two reasons. You will not be let back into the house when returning home due to aroma, or stink, and secondly, crows usually set position themselves into the outer trees, look things over before even deciding to enter the main portion of a dump. They "eye" things first, then go in, pick at it and take the tidbit back up into the tree, or carry it off somewhere else away from the others.

As for manure fields, first obtain permission from the landowner and set the decoys out along the edge, so when the farmer begins to tractor-spread the "goodies" the decoys will not get coated, or run over.

One last item that must be considered at this time of year and that is to check the legal crow hunting season period within the state you are doing so. Should it be closed, try to obtain permission from the landowner to shoot crows due to damage to crops, or having become a nuisance.