crows?

[Roger Norris]

I killed one once, felt bad about it right away.

[TxAg]

They never let me get close enough to fling an arrow, but I don't try very hard either.

[ron w]

We also used decoys years ago......a dozen crow and then would put a stuffed animal on a pole, like a monkey or something like that. It would bring them in like crazy. As said above an Owl decoy would bring them in also.

[Duncan]

A sock monkey. Now that is funny. I might have to try that just to see what they do.

[Duncan]

[Outwest]

They are a pretty viscious predator. I have watched them kill mallard ducklings as they followed the hen across an open space between ponds. They also fly into the storage buildings and eat baby swallows out of the nests. I used to kind of like them until I witnessed these things.
I shoot one when I can.

John

[dhermon85]

I swear they will talk turkey too, yelp back at you I mean. Maybe I'm crazy?

[shag08]

I have tried, with no success, to kill crows with a stick bow. They are a hard bird to hunt, no matter the weapon of choice. The wife has been wanting to mount one so I've tried more times than once to slip up on them in the yard with a bow and make a kill.

Crows are extremely intelligent. My aunt had one when I was a kid and it could talk better than any parrot I've ever heard. There was an episode of Nature a while back on PBS called A Murder Of Crows (fyi a flock of crows is called a murder). On that program, they not only showed that crows recognize different human faces, as already stated, they also have problem solving abilities. They can do 3 step processes in a "puzzle" to receive a reward. Their problem solving abilities and memories seem to be on par or maybe even above those of MOST primates. Amazing birds!

[shag08]

Oh I forgot to mention though....I wouldn't ever eat one. The threat of West Nile and other diseases that they carry would deter me from trying to eat them.

[elkken]

I shoot them around the property in the spring when they are after other birds babies. It only takes killing a few to keep them away for awhile.

I once saw a crow pushing baby pigeons out of a nest under a railroad overpass, they made a big splat when they hit the pavement and then the crow would go down and eat them.

[Doc Nock]

There is a reason why they long ago named a bunch of crows a MURDER.  

I have watched them land around a young rabbit...then others dive bomb it while the "circle" keeps it hemmed in... they peck at it till it's badly wounded, then they all pounce and eat it.

I don't dislike them for their natural predatory instincts, which they've honed well.  But neither do I elevate them to a sacred status.

Hogs are just as smart, problem solve and been proven to remember and build on memories.

Makes them more of a challenge to match wits... and they really do raise havoc on spring planted crops, too.

To each his own!

[damascusdave]

Not all uncommon to have a raven mimic a call...a couple of years ago I was trying out a new Hoochie Mama cow elk call through the sunroof of my car while sitting beside the road...I started getting perfect replies to my call with not an elk in sight...I never did see a raven either but I am pretty sure that was what was answering me...the truth is if one could get a raven working for you with elk around it would help to make the elk feel more comfortable that the calls were coming from other elk...I have had a pet magpie and friends have had pet crows and I will still shoot either of them...especially those young magpies that ate all the tomatoes off my hanging tomato plant

DDave