Crow Sniping With a Rifle

6mm06

6mm06

Well-known member
There has been a lot of good discussion on the forums over the last two or three years about shooting crows with a rifle. There seems to be a lot of interest in this method, so I thought I would get another post going. This may be a bit lengthy, but explains how I go about it. Feel free to jump in with your photos and stories.

Currently I am having a lot of fun putting together a video of crow sniping. What I have found is that being a one-man-show with camera and rifle is difficult, so I have had to change my methods somewhat from what I usually do. The camera has made things much more difficult.

I've been crow sniping for a number of years and I thoroughly enjoy it. It's not as successful as calling and shotgunning, but the ones that I do get with a rifle are a lot of fun. Some people might say I spend too much time and go to a lot of effort for one or two shots at nothing more than a crow, and perhaps they are right. But hey, since I enjoy the heck out of it, it's not really wasted time. I've hunted crows by calling and shotgunning for over 40 years, but taking one or two here and there with a rifle is just pure enjoyment, and just one more way of doing it.

My methods have been simple over the years - drive around the old farms and back roads off the beaten path, and find where crows are sitting up on cold winter days. They tend to sit for just a bit longer when the temperature is cold, thereby giving the rifleman a few seconds more time to take a shot.

Working with the video camera this winter has been challenging. I have found that I just can't make it happen before the crows fly off. Getting the camera into position takes time and I've lost many shot opportunities that I could have otherwise taken. So, I resorted to another method. I have been setting up a blind over areas where I find crows are feeding.

Crows leave the roost in early morning, hungry, and will immediately go to a known food source. Finding where they are feeding and then setting up at that location in early morning is proving successful. I have also set up with a combination of blind, Foxpro and decoys. That too seems to be working. The main thing needed when using the call and decoys is to get the crows to perch nearby.

I mainly use a .17 HMR for crow sniping, but have used a variety of rifles including .22 magnum, .223 and my 6x45 AR. The 17 HMR seems to be ideally suited for crow sniping. It is a very accurate cartridge and flat shooting as well. Taking crows at 100 yards with it is a piece of cake.

Shooting crows from tree tops requires a lot of caution. Where I live in the mountains of Virginia, there are many places where shots can be safely taken at crows in tree tops. In some directions we have nothing but miles and miles of rough, steep, and uninhabited mountains. Knowledge of the terrain and what lies beyond the target is imperative. I deliberately setup / choose my shots so that I know the direction and what lies beyond. Not everyone will have the opportunity to shoot crows safely as I do with a rifle, but for those of you that can hunt safely, crow sniping is a great time. Many of you already know the excitement of it as much as I do.

Here are some photos from this winter's hunts, though I'm still in the process of getting more, especially on video.

Some images were taken from video
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The blind offers concealment for camera operation. It is not needed if you aren't filming,
but does give a better opportunity for a shot.
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Sniping4.jpg


Notice the Hawk in the tree at the lower right. The crow was taken with a 17 HMR.
There are many miles of nothing but mountains in the distance.
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17 HMR, CCI 20 gr. Game Point
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The Ameristep Outhouse Blind is great for crow sniping. It packs up easy and is light weight.
I carry a Thermos of coffee with me and some snacks. Makes for a good morning.
Sniping6.jpg


The blind has been necessary for taking video. As they say in the military, improvise,
adapt and overcome.
Sniping7.jpg


 
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i like to crow snipe my self
and being in ny theres lots of place with miles of nothing also
but i use my highpowered airrifle i drive around old farms and find the crows eating crop or sitting on the ground anything under 100-120 i will take a shot unless its windy then ill shoot under 75 yards
i like to take the 4 wheeler around i have a "silencer" muffler on it makes extremely quiet ill go around and call a bit and take a shot or 2 and go on my way
using air guns its very quiet and also if there is shots with things beond i know that within 300-400 yards the pellet will be in the dirt
i also am goign to imploy my new decoy set up more its in a thread i just posted
but for reason of rottem wings in my trunk ill fix it using black rags now lol
 
Thanks Baystate Yote.

Crowpopper, an air rifle sounds really interesting. What kind, caliber etc. do you have?
 
i have an airforce condor in .22 cal
i am getting a .25 barrel soon also for it
i have it modded up pretty good and at 100 yards 1-1.5 inch groups are pretty consistant when i get to 120 the groups open up to minute of crow
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its a powerhouse and mousefart quiet
and on a tank fill i get 25 shots
and it only takes a min to refil fo i keep my scba tank in the tunk or on the wheeler to refil
 
Baystate,

Yea, I call a few coyotes, but they don't come easy. We don't have a huge population here, just enough to call one occasionally and keep me hanging on until I can manage to get on the next one. They are hard to hunt here in the mountains, not to mention that some local guys are always blowing on predator calls, educating every coyote around. I got this one January 6th (first two photos). I did call two others about three years ago that got away, one of which was a black yote. I seem to get more bobcats than coyotes. If I were in it for a living, I'd go bankrupt in a hurry. Ha ha. How about you, do you hunt them up your way?

David

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Coyote2-3.jpg
 
Hi 6mm
Yes I do,I got two last week.My goal is twenty for the season,its gonna be close,I like that picture in your avatar,I can't wait to get out in the warm weather of spring and shoot some chucks!!!!! What brand is that AR?


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My AR is a Dtech 6x45, which you probably know is a .223 necked up to 6mm. I shoot 75 gr. Sierra HPs. It's a deadly coyote / bobcat getter.

I like the looks of your AR. I would like to have mine camoed at some point. For now I've just got a camo sock over it.

So, you groundhog hunt too!? That's right down my alley.

This crow-hunting thread is turning into predator and groundhog hunting, but that's ok. That's what we are here for, to discuss and have a great time.

Tell me more.

David
 
6, you have a good point and it has made me think about the way we run & gun. One of our biggest problems is the sentry bird that sits up in the tree out of shotgun range. Thinking about it, the smart thing to do is take the 17 along also, so that when that tell-tell bird is sitting up on that branch laughing at us, I could bring him down to our level.

Sounds like a plan.

Thanks 6
 
David--i just love your posts. If i lived in your country we'd be hunting together. Nice coyotes, BTW. Kilt' one today at 335 with my 223 AI AR. If i'd have shot him 2 weeks ago he would've been a beaut, but rubbed. Probably a good thing though. Would've killed me to get him to a fencepost i was so far in.

U oughtt'a start using these some--bet u'd love them. They're right up a precision shooters alley--


17 FB XP/25's at 3400--

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If your new video is anything like your last i want a copy!!
 
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6 I had lunch with this guy, you would love him. Skip Woody. Here is his bio from Crowbusters.

Skip Woody

As a rifleman, Skip holds the NRA classification of Lifetime Master High Power and has represented the US Army in the national matches at Camp Perry. He has trained some of the best marksmen in the Army. A crow hunter since 1956, Skip has become a master of the "Run & Gun" technique and has logged over 60,000 crows taken, 8,000 with a rifle. He is also a veteran winner of many crow calling and shooting contests

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Here is one of Skips Head Shots.

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That just makes me want to leave the shotgun at home and take the AR out.
 
There's a guy on CBs that puts a "sentry" deke out, 20 yds or so away from the stand.

Makes 'em think that they already have a sentry out. nyuk nyuk nyuk
 
Steve,

Man, that gun is "purty." That's one heck of a crow thumper, and flat shooting no doubt. Yea, if we lived near each other we would definitely have to get together some.

I'll tell you, shooting crows with a rifle, and or pistol, is just plain fun. I have taken some in years past with a Contender .223.

As I said before, I work hard to get a few, but those few mean more to me than any that I call and shotgun. I've put in more work this winter with crow sniping than I ever have, but that's been due to the video aspect of it.

I've only begun with the video and only have about 17 minutes worth, but have 6 kill scenes already, most with my AR. I had the camera pointed at a tree top the other day, pointed at a crow, but it flew off. Then another one landed in the same tree and I thought in the same video frame. I shot it with the HMR only to find out later it was slightly lower in the tree. Didn't get that one film. That's the way it goes. It's difficult to do manning the camera and all. That's why the blind is proving very useful.

Puppypopper, sounds like Skip Woody is "the man." That's hard to imagine, 8,000 crows with a rifle. Puts me to shame, but hey, I have great time trying.

Yea, take the AR out and enjoy. I got one with my Dtech 6x45 at 145 yards this winter, and the good part is that I got it on video.

Marco, how's your hunting been?
 
Its been good 6mmo6, made some nice shots on crow all with the 22 magnum and the 33gr. v-maxs that Ruger VMBZ is deadly! One shot was around 75 80yds. shot some bobcats and coyote. I try to take the 17HMR when I can but also have to use my other rifles 22 hornet and 3, 22 magnums. Havent had a good chance when I have my HMR with me but I still say its the best crow cal. Thanks for taking the time and posting those great pics of crow hunts keep them coming! ~marco
 
Marco,

You've done better than me this year. I took that one coyote and that's it, besides crows of course.

I've been really looking hard at the Ruger 77/22 lately, especially in the 17 HMR. But also I like the idea of a really accurate 22 mag, if there is such a critter. I've had some decent accuracy with 22 mags over the years, but nothing to write home about. How well does your Ruger shoot? Post some photos if you have some.

I've got a 77/22 in the All Weather style, in .22 long rifle. It shoots pretty good at 60 yards - surprised me. I have just ordered a sear to fix the trigger. Haven't installed it yet and I'm hoping it will make it sweet. I really like the 77/22 actions.

What I would really like is a custom built 17 HMR with the 77/22 action.
 
I saw a Ruger 22 magnum with an extra 17HMR Shilen barrel that went with it and I think thats all guy would need. And I like the Timmney spring and sear kit for fixing the triggers on the Rugers. My buddy has the VMBZ in 17HMR its a good shooter!Now if you don't mind the weight the VMBZ is the way to go. My Rugers shoot good, with my VMBZ that wears the Leupold rimfire EFR 3x9 it has shot some .8 .9s at 100yds. for 5 shots and thats alot better than I can shoot most of the time. My little 20" barrel ruger mag shoots good also under 1/2" at 50yds when I do my job, its scope is the 2x7 Leupold compact. Now i just got my stainlees syn ruger magnum the other day and its not broke in yet but shoots pretty good. It wears the X4 leupold rimfire scope. I'll try to get somne pics or you can come to Arkansas and I'll let you hunt with one of them. ~Marco
 
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