Hunting for crows: features of tactics, method of hunting with a decoy

If you conduct a sociological survey of the population on the topic: “Your attitude towards crows”, the results are easily predictable.

The main arguments of the majority will be:

• extreme aggressiveness;
• causing serious damage to agricultural land;
• destruction of other people's nests;
• a sophisticated level of acumen in achieving one's goals;
• gregariousness in matters of security;
• adaptability and absolute omnivorousness;
• multiplicity;
• spreading infection by stealing food waste from garbage containers.

Compassionate defenders will present their arguments.

Here are the main ones:

• this is God's creature;
• this is nature's orderly;
• it is a human companion;
• unknowingly contributes to forest reproduction.

Perhaps that's all. All that remains is to put the opinions of both on the scales and record the result.

Description, habitat and habits

The gray crow is the most common bird species in Russia. This is a large bird, up to 45 cm in length (body without tail) with a large massive beak. She has no equal in terms of intelligence and ability to adapt.

We have long been accustomed to its proximity and can perfectly identify it by its cry and appearance. Early in the morning on your way to work, you probably hear the frightening songs of crows and watch them circle in large flocks above your heads. And passers-by periodically say “black raven, I’m not yours.”

The crow feels great living next to us, which we cannot say about her. Birds cause significant damage to agriculture, namely plantings and animal farms.

Birds also damage hunting grounds. The gray crow is absolutely omnivorous and prone to predation. He especially likes to destroy the nests of ducks, thereby reducing the number of hunters’ favorite game.

Usually, the crow feeds in landfills within the city . But if we talk about large cities (for example, Moscow), then this problem is solved by the presence of bars covering garbage cans. It is impossible to get to the garbage through them. Under this condition, the crow still lives in the city, and feeds in landfills outside the city. And, flying back to the city, he brings the infection with him. It's very unsanitary.

The crow is called the "winged wolf", displacing noble bird species such as the duck.

Hunting with air guns

On the beaver

The beaver is a rather large animal, it has a thick skin and a large supply of subcutaneous fat, which cannot be penetrated with the smallest caliber. As ohota.by recommends, in order to hunt beaver, at least the so-called “papal” caliber is suitable. In order for the hunt to be lethal, you need to go out with a Vintorez sniper rifle, more on that later.

There are three main pneumatic hunting calibers:

• children - 4.5 mm;
• papal – 5.5 mm;
• grandfather's - 6.5 mm.

Ideally, the beaver should be shot in the sternum. If the bullet remained inside the animal and did not come out, piercing the ribs only in the front, then all the lethal energy of the bullet remained in it.

The Korean PCP pneumatic for hunting Career III300D (30,000 rubles) is used quite widely against beavers. Many people prefer to buy PCP 5.5 mm rifles without a license.

Career III300D

The speed of the bullet does not matter here, but its destructive power is what is needed.

It is better to take something more powerful against a beaver and hit it as close as possible - a wounded beaver becomes aggressive, some individuals reach a weight of 45 kg. Therefore, it is better to hit with one blow - in the chest or head.

If your weapon breaks down, read about repairing pneumatic guns here.

To the crows

The most famous weapon against crows in Russia is considered to be the Edgan Matador 5.5 rifle (60,000 rubles).

These powerful air rifles have fairly good shooting accuracy and it will not be difficult to knock down a large crow even from the top of a tree. Drozd pneumatics are not suitable for these purposes, as they are too noisy.

The bird's bones are tubular, so you won't need a very large caliber - the main thing is to shoot properly.

Khatsan 44 (2,700 rubles) has similar characteristics; it can also be used to kill a crow.

Khatsan 44

The main advantage of hunting crows is that you do not need a shooting permit. Shooting crows is authorized and the only thing that needs to be taken into account is shooting in places remote from people (at least 200 m). It is important that you immediately find out whether a permit is required for an air rifle.

On the blackbirds

Hunting for blackbirds is usually practiced in the fall; before then, it only makes sense to look for and track the birds’ nesting sites.

The blackbird is a small bird; accuracy is more important here than the power of the weapon.

Two models are especially popular when hunting blackbirds

1. MP 61 (Krugeran) - a variety of Makarov, universal (7000 rubles).

MP 61

1. Logun Axsor is a slightly more powerful weapon, with a larger caliber (5.5 mm and 56,000 rubles).

Logun Axsor

Hares

The hare is one of the most popular animals for hunting, including with pneumatics. The animal is quite large, but at the same time fragile. You can also hunt hares with a small-caliber rifle.

Which pneumatic gun is best for hare hunting? Popular models for catching hare will be:

1. Rifle Khatsan 125 (10,500 rubles).

Hatsan 125

1. Crosman Quest (7300 rubles).

Crosman Quest

1. And our domestic EDguns - Matador of any modification (60,000 rubles).

EDGun – Matador

The Crosman 2100 b air rifle is perfect for hunting hares. It is better to hit them in the head area. If you're lucky - in the eyes or the back of the head, so as not to spoil the skin.

If you are a hunting enthusiast, then you are wondering where you can buy the best air rifle for hunting without a license.

Fans of retro rifles like the characteristics of the Mosin sniper rifle, more about it later.

The Gamo rifle is popular with most athletes, details at:

For rats

Shooting rats, like crows, is sanctioned and not prohibited. Of course, they are shot not for the sake of entertainment, a tasty dinner or valuable fur, but for the sake of pure extermination.

These rodents have ruined the lives of many in private homes, dachas, and even within the city. Just don’t forget that shooting with pneumatics in cities, especially on open streets, is prohibited.

EDgan Matador (60,000 rubles) is a recognized leader in the fight against unpleasant rodents, along with MP 61 (4,500 rubles).

For hunting with pneumatic caliber 4.5 for fighting rats, modest characteristics of the weapon are suitable:

Popularly, hunting for rats is called “ratting” and is most often practiced at night, so an illuminated sight would be a good idea.

On the hazel grouse

The hazel grouse is a bird of almost noble blood. Hunting for hazel grouse is best done with a decoy, since these birds are quite shy.

Due to their small size, the following characteristics of the weapon are required:

Hunting for hazel grouse with 4.5 pneumatics is going great. According to hunters, the Diana air rifle, namely the Diana-54 (51,000 rubles) and the IZH-38 air rifle (5,000 rubles), fit these characteristics. See photo.

Diana-54

So the choice of pneumatics for hunting hazel grouse can be settled on them.

Read our article if you don’t know which air rifle is best to choose.

On the groundhog

A license is required to shoot marmots. Hunting pneumatic weapons, permitted in Russia, fit into the required framework, so you can buy a weapon without any problems.

They need to be shot with a more powerful pneumatic gun - the body constitution of the animals resembles beavers, but not with such a thick skin.

Watch the video:

The Turkish Hatsan 150 (17,000 rubles) and Vayrauh 97 (32,000 rubles) will cope with the marmot - the models have a decent firing range, and here it has a decisive role.

Hunting with Hatsan will leave you with only pleasant impressions.

On the gopher

Gopher hunting has many nuances:

1. You need to shoot when the gopher is outside the hole (2-5 meters from it).
2. Shoot strictly in the head.
3. Shoot from a distance of at least 25 meters (there is a risk of being bitten, gophers are carriers of diseases).
4. It makes sense to hunt only in clear weather, when the animals crawl to the surface.

A small caliber is also suitable for hunting this small animal, the main thing is shooting accuracy.

Gopher hunting with a Khatsan BT-65 rifle is very common, the price of which ranges from 37,000 rubles.

Hatsan BT-65

For a duck

Hunting with pneumatics for birds (ducks), along with hare, is a frequent choice of hunters. Ducks are found almost everywhere, including within the city, but they can only be shot outside residential areas.

The duck is a quite powerful bird, so to hunt it you will need a weapon with the following characteristics:

The most popular manufacturers of hunting rifles in this area are: Crosman and Hatsan.

These models look like sawed-off rifles, add maneuverability to the hunter and make him more accurate and invisible to the bird. The average cost of rifles will be about 40,000 rubles. Another popular weapon for hunting game is the Winchester rifle.

For pheasant

Harvesting a pheasant is a jewelery job. Despite the fact that the bird is almost as common as the aforementioned duck, it lives in thickets near the shore, and not on the water, so it is quite difficult to catch it.

In addition, pheasants are objectively larger than ducks, so a larger caliber is required.

Which pneumatic gun should I buy for pheasant hunting?

Among Russian rifles, the reinforced short Matadors remain popular, and among foreign ones, the Crosman 31.

To hunt pheasants, many people use Ataman pneumatics, about it here.

Crosman 31

Prices for hunting pneumatics for pheasants average 35,000 rubles for Crosman and about 60,000 for Matador, as well as Lobaev’s sniper rifle, see the link, is perfect for shooting at pheasants from a long distance, like the Mosin rifle.

The current state of affairs with crow hunting

On the territory of our country, this type of pest is subject to year-round regulation, namely shooting for sanitary purposes. Amateur hunters with a license and small-caliber weapons can safely kill a crow without fear of being charged with cruelty to animals. The only thing that is prohibited is shooting in the city.

Note! The crow is a cunning bird, and hunting it is not easy. After a day of hunting, crows behave cautiously. After 1-2 weeks, they become bold again and begin to become active in the area where the shooting took place.

The Russian Ministry of Natural Resources gives a certain quota - permission to shoot crows during the hunting period. In the off-season, specialized teams are created that shoot crows at different points. Shooting takes place all year round.

In the spring, at the end of April, hunters shoot nests in the areas, which significantly reduces the population.

There are clubs that specialize specifically in crow shooting . Competitions are held twice a year. The area where the population is strongest is selected. After this, coordination takes place with district authorities and the police. Inter-district game managers who are actively involved in instructing and monitoring this event are notified. The competition itself lasts approximately two hours. All participants make monetary contributions and are divided into teams (usually 3 people), and a challenge cup is played. During the hunt, decoys and compositions of dummies of eagle owls and crows are used. At the end of the event, the number of downed birds is counted, which are then disposed of.

About shooting crows and the hunting season

Only if the number of crows begins to increase, are they allowed to be shot?
Hunting for crows is of interest precisely from a sporting point of view. This is a complex and fascinating process, which experienced hunters are happy to talk about. At the same time, the raven is of no interest as a trophy, because it has neither valuable fluff nor useful meat.

Crow hunting laws are also controversial. Previously, such hunting was completely legal and was even encouraged at the state level, as it helped control the population of these feathered pests. After airguns flooded the market en masse, crow hunting began to require a separate permit.

Note! Crow hunting requires special permission to shoot this particular bird species.

Having a document with permission to shoot birds can raise a number of questions for rangers, so the document must clearly indicate that a person can hunt hooded crows. This applies only to cases when the hunter himself chooses the place and time of the fight with gray crows.

There is no official crow hunting season. It is allowed only if the population of these birds increases. However, since the number of crows is not specifically regulated, there is always a need to reduce their number. To avoid problems, crows should be shot in special hunting grounds, after consulting with the rangers. If you have permission to hunt this particular bird, you should choose a place away from settlements. To shoot crows, you can go to a forest belt, field, meadow. The main thing is not to hunt in the territory of any populated area.

Using decoy

The difficulty is that crows are very cautious and distrustful, especially outside the city. Not accustomed to people, they will not fly up just like that.

You can deceive birds using a special acoustic decoy - regular or electronic, imitating the cry of crows, eagle owls or the squeaking of mice. The clearer the sound, the more likely it is that the crow will become curious and get close enough to shoot.

Important! It is best to hunt in the morning, in the summer. This is the time for the flight of young crows, who are more curious and inexperienced. The crows fly quite close.

How to determine the age of a raven?

The call of the common raven (Corvus corax) can be used to determine its age and sex. Austrian scientists from the University of Vienna came to this conclusion after analyzing the voice recordings of more than four hundred birds. The study was published in the journal Frontiers in Zoology.

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About shelter and bait

For the hunt to be successful, you need to think about what your shelter will be like and what to use as bait. Crows notice any movement. If you hide behind a makeshift fence, in bushes or tall grass in a camouflage suit, the chances of a favorable outcome will increase significantly.

Camouflage suits (camouflage robes) must be selected depending on the terrain and time of year .
If you decide to hunt in winter, then choose your camouflage according to the color of the environment (white). Stuffed animals, as well as plastic models of birds and some animals (owls, eagle owls, crows) are used as bait. They are displayed on the ground, at a distance of no more than 15 meters from the hunter’s shelter. Sometimes they are placed on poles to make them more visible.

Crows react sharply to eagle owls. During the day, these predators are defenseless. The crows, emboldened, fly at them with particular fury. Dead relatives are also of interest to birds. Seeing a crow lying motionless on the ground, others flock to it, as if trying to find out the reason for the death of the first one.

A mortally wounded or killed crow instinctively folds its wings along its body and falls like a stone to the ground. While most of the flock, after the shot, leaves the place with an uproar, not understanding what has happened, the wounded individual flies away from the scene along a strange, intricate trajectory. The bird is trying to stay in the air and not fall. But if you follow her, then about a hundred meters away you will find her lying on the ground.

Fines and punishments for illegal hunting in 2022

For illegal hunting in 2022, they may be held administratively liable under Article 8.37 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation . It provides for the following fines and penalties:

Administrative liability of citizens in the form of a fine (Administrative Code of the Russian Federation):

• Violation of hunting rules. Fine: 500 - 4,000 rubles. + possible confiscation of weapons or deprivation of the right to hunt for up to 2 years (Article 8.37 Part 1). Fine for persons holding positions: 25,000 - 35,000 rubles. + possible confiscation of weapons.
• Repeated violation of hunting rules. Fine: 4,000 - 5,000 rubles + possible confiscation of weapons or deprivation of the right to hunt for up to 1-3 years (Article 8.37, Part 1.1). Fine for officials: 35,000 - 50,000 rubles. + possible confiscation of weapons.
• Violation of hunting deadlines and hunting with unauthorized types of weapons. For citizens: deprivation of the right to hunt for up to 1 - 2 years (Article 8.37, Part 1.2). For officials, fine: 35,000 - 50,000 rubles. + possible confiscation of weapons.
• Failure to provide a permit, permit or license. For citizens: deprivation of the right to hunt for up to 1 - 2 years (Article 8.37, Part 1.3). For officials, fine: 25,000 - 40,000 rubles. + possible confiscation of weapons.
• Violation of the rules for using objects of the animal world. For citizens: 500 - 1,000 rubles. + confiscation of weapons is possible (Article 8.37 Part 3). For officials: 2,500 - 5,000 rubles. + possible confiscation of weapons. For legal entities: 50,000 - 100,000 rubles. + possible confiscation of weapons.

Criminal liability for illegal hunting may be brought under Article 258 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

Criminal liability:

• Illegal hunting with major damage to nature, with the use of gases, explosives, etc., hunting of prohibited animals, hunting in protected areas, in areas with an environmental emergency. Fine - 500,000 or less, or in the amount of salary and income for 2 years, or imprisonment for up to 2 years.
• Illegal hunting using official and official powers, as well as by conspiracy, or with particularly large damage. Fine - 500,000 - 1,000,000 rubles, or salary and other income for 3 -5 years, or imprisonment for up to 3 - 5 years + possible deprivation of the right to engage in certain types of activities.
• Hunting for species of fauna included in the Red Book. The current Red Book of Animals can be downloaded from the official website of the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation . Compulsory work for up to 480 hours or correctional labor for up to 2 years + possible fine up to 1,000,000 rubles or salary and income for 2 years + possible or restriction of freedom up to 1 year.

The latest information about new fines and punishments for violating hunting rules can always be found directly from the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation and the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation does not contain a list of fines for each specific violation, but there are general formulations under which specific violations fall. For example, there is no liability for hunting ducks or beavers without a license, but there is a general article - violation of hunting rules.

In some cases, the court may make concessions to the attacker. Read about exceptions in detail in Article 8.37 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, and also pay attention to judicial practice.

Which weapon should you choose?

The favorite weapon for sport hunting crows is the Saiga-20 carbine based on an assault rifle.

What shot to hit a crow with is a controversial issue. Seven shot (diameter 2.5 mm) is suitable for shooting game that is not strong on the feather, at a distance of up to 30 meters. Five and three are larger and more suitable, as they provide better results.

Experienced hunters choose seven and five, combining fractions. Ammunition is kept in a container. The only disadvantage of the carbine is the loud sound, which scares away a flock of birds.

A quieter and simpler option is pneumatics . Suitable for beginner hunters. Pneumatic guns are easy to purchase if you are of age.

On a note! When the crows fly close, the first 3 cartridges are a seven, when the birds begin to fly away from the hunter’s location, a five is used.

How to choose a weapon?

Any adult can use a pneumatic weapon.
When choosing a weapon for hunting crows, preference is given to pneumatics. First of all, this is due to economic benefits. Crow hunting is a sport, not a commercial activity, and often acts as a hobby and entertainment. In addition, this type of hunting is often chosen by beginners who are not yet ready to spend large sums on the purchase of high-quality and reliable firearms. Air guns are much cheaper, do not require special operating skills, and purchasing them is not difficult.

The second “pro” in favor of pneumatics is safety. An inexperienced hunter will not be able to cause much harm to others if he handles the weapon incorrectly, but he will be able to catch a crow.

Perhaps the main thing that makes air guns the best choice for sport hunting is the absence of the need to purchase a license. You can buy air guns in any store without filling out any documents other than a warranty card. Permission and license are not required for this; it is enough to prove that the buyer is over 18 years of age.

You don't need a safe to store pneumatic guns, because they are safe weapons that you can simply store at home.

Additionally, air guns are great for beginners who want to learn how to shoot. With it, it is possible to develop accuracy in hitting a target without special investment, because ammunition for pneumatics is several times cheaper than bullets for firearms.

In addition to the undeniable advantages that make pneumatic weapons accessible to everyone, one more nuance should be noted, making them the main enemy of crows - this is a very quiet shot. Pneumatic guns will not frighten all the crows in the area with one shot, which adds additional hunting excitement, since the hunter can count on several trophies at once.

Perhaps the only drawback is the insufficient firing range of air guns. This makes it necessary to hunt crows at a short distance - no more than 40 meters. However, this also adds excitement, especially to novice hunters, since it is necessary to be able to get close to the prey within an effective shot.

Spring-piston rifles for beginners

The weapon is inexpensive and easy to use.
This rifle is perfect for those who really want to become a good hunter, but do not know how to gain experience. The advantage of such a rifle is its ease of reloading. To do this, you just need to break the barrel. The whole process takes no more than 5 seconds, although it is accompanied by a lot of noise.

Where to shoot?

Strictly according to:

• head;
• heart;
• neck.

If you are a beginner crow hunter, we advise you to gain stable skills in hunting teams under the guidance of an experienced mentor, namely:

• shooting;
• camouflage rules;
• rules of luring techniques.

Shooting a gray crow is an exciting and rewarding activity. The crow is not easy to kill, but numbers need to be reduced to increase populations of other species in hunting areas.

Black Raven, like a bird of prey

It is necessary to immediately wean the bird from sitting on its head and shoulders - this is a behavioral defect for any hunter. The only attachment on a person is a gloved hand! And nothing else. As a result, the hand lowered down will tell the bird that it is not worth flying up, but that it can remain in the air. Accordingly, a horizontal hand is a signal to approach, regardless of the owner’s call; in strong winds and noise, this is very important. A raven in the right condition will not hide meat. I conduct training in the evening, and in the morning the bird sits without food. The pieces of meat should be no larger than a fingernail, then the bird will not be full even after several dozen flights. You can feed properly only at home, and again with a glove. You can give food in the feeder only on “empty” days. If training or hunting is planned for the morning, then the bird has not been fed since lunch the previous day. It is impossible to keep a raven hungry for days like a bird of prey. The problem of sitting on your hand to rest is good, at least better than sitting on trees and especially on the ground. It will be resolved over time through intensive training. The bird must fly every day for at least a couple of hours, not just walk, but fly, then the raven can freely stay in the air for up to half an hour or more. If the bird is a falcon, this is simply necessary. This is where the problem of walking without an owner arises, which has already been discussed here. If the bird is trained correctly, you can simply work with the arrivals on hand a little, and then just let it fly freely and return home. But if there is such an opportunity, I do this. Usually Agate does not stay more than a couple of hours, and on good days he returns with a trophy. A lure is of no use to a raven; he is not mannered enough for him, and is too smart to take unnecessary risks. We must remember that the raven’s hunting tool is its beak, not its paws; an attack by a lure is fraught with injury. Rooting is another matter - crows quickly and easily master it, although there is no point in it. Crows are always ready to kill small animals even without baiting. But baiting a large pothoask will sooner or later end in a bold attack by the bird on a ferret or marten, and such an incident may not always be resolved in favor of the raven. So go for it! Reduce the weight of the bird so that when it sees you, it doesn’t just show interest, but literally rushes away. And as many flights as possible, a weakly flying bird will constantly land on something, it will be difficult to correct this.

I forgot about feeding. The raven is a predator, meat is its main food. The most complete substitute for game is chicken heads. they contain fine-fiber meat, bones, skin, eyes, and brain. To bring your diet as close to natural as possible, you need to diversify it with offal. Do not crush the heads before feeding; cutting difficult food yourself will strengthen the raven’s muscles and beak. From time to time you need to feed game: small birds or rodents (attention - there is a risk of poisoning!). Meat diet - 70-80%. The rest is fruits, vegetables, cereals (although they are eaten poorly), chicken eggs (preferably raw), cottage cheese. On such a diet, muscles develop well under constant load. When you reach a long flight at an altitude of 100-200m, you can begin to attach bags with cargo to the entanglements (it is better to prudently accustom them to them from the chick). By gradually increasing the load you can achieve maximum physical fitness. It is also good to let the bird carry heavy objects (like a heavy stick) in its beak.