Brummy Mark Posted March 15, 2014 Report Share Posted March 15, 2014 For the past 3 years I have been controlling crows on a farm of around 800 acres. When I first got a call to visit and help with the problem it was comparatively easy to plink away with a pcp air rifle and the odd day with shotgun. However these were wise birds, and as soon as my van arrived they would fly to what they thought was a safer distance. Cue the 17 HMR, this worked for a very short while indeed! I would give the land a break from shooting and started to tackle the problem at the nesting site on a farm around 1.5 kms away. In the 2nd year I basically cleared out all the nests in a big bunch of trees which was a historical nesting site for this particular 'clan' of marauders! This worked for a season and my task switched to foxing. I don't know how it works, but, the old nesting site for rebuilt with a serious amount of nests, over 60, and this produced a very large flock of lamb and sheep attacking 'nasty big black birds' (the farmer used much stronger language!). It was a revelation to see that as soon as my van appeared they would fly off, usually in excess of 100m, so out goes the 17 HMR and in comes .223 with a good deal of feathers being spread. Also back on the scene was my decoying kit, with flocked crows and my trusty Franchi £100 shotgun. Tried and tested techniques worked well. Once again however they sussed me out and would simply fly overhead, circling and calling out of the range of my shot. Or they would fly about a K away and sit on the fences watching me! It was time for a ladder trap, and with farmer footing the bill, I built a monster ladder trap. I had built this same size before and it worked very well indeed for a few months, up goes the 8ft long, 6ft wide and 7ft high trap, in goes the call bird, water , bird house and perch, and away I go, telling the farmer how this will be full in the next few days. I can't tell you how happy this farmer was, at last he though the plague was under control! These wise old birds just sat in a tree and started down at the trap, days went by and not one bird entered, I even put food, eggs, and another live magpie went in, it simply didn't work. Over the days we moved it to different sites, nothing worked. In the end we took it to another farm and used it there, it caught 30 birds in one day, just not the wise old birds we wanted to catch on the other farm! I took a break from visiting the farm until last week. Around a year had passed and last week I got a call from the farmer, when was I coming over? The nasty big black birds were back in full force! This was last Sunday, I told him I would be over on Thursday. We hatched a quick plan resulting in him leaving 2 fresh lamb carcasses out as bait for me. The were in a great spot, with good lines of site and steep back stops from a multitude of firing positions. Armed with my new bivi, I set up shop and proceeded to spend 5hrs prone shooting over 2 bait positions for a total of 52 nasty big black birds! There were lulls, and comfort stops, but lying up concealed with a length of stealth cam laid over the top, I was pretty much invisible to the black marauders! So a great day shooting on a very warm and windless day in the hills and a good result for a change. One thing to note which was surprising was my absence of over a year from this farm, and still the very first glimpse of my van caused all bird life to fly away on mass with haste! I asked the farmer if the birds were twitchy with all farm vehicles, No he said, Just yours hahahaha! A project bivi Im working on Throw some stealth net over the top and ready to sort the marauders Ready to go to work A nice wide area inside the bivi to shoot prone, roll around, have a brew, plenty of elbow and head room Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
247sniper Posted March 15, 2014 Report Share Posted March 15, 2014 Good write up mate, Time to get a new car though! where did you get that rifle hide from mate, looks ideal? Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akeld Posted March 15, 2014 Report Share Posted March 15, 2014 Good idea with the hide, as the saying goes, "any @#// can rough it" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JB1 Posted March 15, 2014 Report Share Posted March 15, 2014 Good write up mate, Time to get a new car though! where did you get that rifle hide from mate, looks ideal? Steve. I have one of those cheap £20 pop up tents I use now and again. I must say that it is a mighty fine way to spend a day, specially when its as nice as it looked well done on the blackies. You've tempted me to do the same now tomorrow weather permitting. Flask, butties well away, thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
247sniper Posted March 15, 2014 Report Share Posted March 15, 2014 Where do you get them from? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JB1 Posted March 15, 2014 Report Share Posted March 15, 2014 Where do you get them from? Just done a Google search there's plenty about around £25 but see you're not mainland, Amazon, argos. There not suitable in gale force but will keep you sheltered and comfy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
204 rem Posted March 15, 2014 Report Share Posted March 15, 2014 I've been out after the little black buggers myself this morning.You can walk past and they don't even move Yet get your gun out at 300 yards and they soon scarper... Probably got a sixth sense ha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyw Posted March 15, 2014 Report Share Posted March 15, 2014 best decoy bird for a ladder trap i have seen used was a yellow hammer! getting one though is the hard bit but it can be done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
remington700links Posted March 15, 2014 Report Share Posted March 15, 2014 Nice set up,been thinking about doing this for years. My only concern is the horses on my land may trample me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brummy Mark Posted March 15, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2014 Hide is definately not a £25 pop up tent! Its a project im working on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JB1 Posted March 15, 2014 Report Share Posted March 15, 2014 Hide is definately not a £25 pop up tent! Its a project im working on. LOL sorry Mark not insinuating your's is, I was just saying I use one of those cheaper ones, I'm just a poor boy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landkeeper Posted March 15, 2014 Report Share Posted March 15, 2014 best way to work a ladder trap is to bait it for a week or so with the lid off , let them get used to feeding in it then put the top on , no need for a call bird , one piece of advice empty it after dark , Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunner Posted March 15, 2014 Report Share Posted March 15, 2014 nice one mark , i love culling corvids ! there my arch enemy lol . A really good bag ! you must be chuffed seeing and hearing those bullets impact those bast&&ds ! lol . i did a similar thing when i first got my HMR ! the crows were just like yours ! - WISE ! but my plan worked to a certain degree ! setting out decoys at 100-150 with a plucked pigeon / breast on show ! i had to resort to not using a conventional hide but cutting a hole in the base of the hedge for me to carefully slot myself into backwards out of site and sunlight ! ok i only got 12 odd but it was a great first outing bashing them ! Keep it up ! ATB tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CZ Varminter Posted March 16, 2014 Report Share Posted March 16, 2014 It's a fishing bivvy. I have a double one from my carp fishing days. Very secure and wind proof. Pick up on ebay cheap enough. Use as good hides have to admit I have never used it for shooting but good idea. You can get a lot of camo bivvies now days also. Google one man fishing bivvies. These look ok....light weight etc. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/360681098314?hlpht=true&ops=true&viphx=1&lpid=95&device=t&adtype=pla&crdt=0&ff3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=95&ff19=0 There are a few one man bivvy cheapish more sturdy than other one. http://www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/1-man-bivvy Great idea especially if your shooting all day. All the best CZV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbob Posted March 16, 2014 Report Share Posted March 16, 2014 Or there's the Eberlestock Shooter's Nest ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brummy Mark Posted March 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2014 bbob, have a close look at my pics, its a project im working on, full gortex-defense membrane, will be a fair amount cheaper than snipers nest and carinthia products Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PESCA Posted March 16, 2014 Report Share Posted March 16, 2014 Very similar to the Snugpak Stratosphere? End entry and not crazy money. http://www.snugpak.com/outdoor/stratosphere George Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seprim Posted March 16, 2014 Report Share Posted March 16, 2014 nice write-up andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie Posted March 16, 2014 Report Share Posted March 16, 2014 Makes my poultry, (No pun intended) 7 in the last week look pathetic.... Although I'm getting better..... Might go out later now you've got me going! Oooh Errr! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brown dog Posted March 16, 2014 Report Share Posted March 16, 2014 Enjoyed the write-up - great pics (can you not link them a la photobucket from picsaweb?). I've got 4 crows driving me mad around the house at the moment; if I'm outside doing anything other than hold a rifle they sit and watch. As soon as I go outside with the intention of taking one out, they just disappear. I'm sure they mind read! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dac9976 Posted March 16, 2014 Report Share Posted March 16, 2014 I went out yesterday, the corvids pinged me everywhere I tried to hide:( The bivvy bag option might be the way forward:) great set up Brummy Mark. Dac. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brummy Mark Posted March 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2014 Trouble inserting imbedded images from picasa https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-d5yTfR1jZQM/UyQaVcn20zI/AAAAAAAAAII/ZfYAXmXCIPE/s800/IMG_0740.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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