Corvid shooting

crow control with rifles

Shooting crows with rifles

  • March 31, 2020

Crow shooting isn't just for those who possess a shotgun. Bruce Potts investigates the relative merits of centrefires and rimfires for a safe and humane despatch

Rooks by a rookery

The intelligence of rooks

  • November 13, 2019

Few birds divide opinion like the rook. On the one hand we have farmers, who often endure massive damage to crops at certain times of the year, and on the other, the people who love to hear the most quintessentially English bird going about its business.  The background cawing of…

Rooks

How bad are rooks for game birds?

  • May 8, 2017

Do rooks do as much harm to nesting game birds as carrion crows and magpies. If so, what's the best method of control?

Crow shooting with a Shotkam

Crow shooting with a Shotkam

  • April 28, 2016

Back in March I caught up with my good friend, Jack Depledge who is also a contributor of Sporting Gun, who writes about college life for young keepers. Jack and I have been pals for a number of years and I always like a catch up where possible – and what…

Crow decoys

How to use crow decoys for corvid control

  • March 29, 2016

The problem with decoys at the end of the season around these parts is finding somewhere to go. The crows haven’t been pressured into feeding anywhere in particular due to the mild wet winter.  Optimising chances Picking a location to shoot was a difficult decision as the estate has a lot…

Ruger M77/17 Hornet

Ruger M77/17 Hornet

  • October 17, 2015

After the .17 Hornet round was introduced by Hornady it was not long before a rifle was made by Ruger for this mini marvel of the cartridge world. Ruger had a perfect platform for the .17 Hornet round in its excellent M77/22 model — which was capable of shooting the .22LR, .22WMR and .22 Hornet — and…

Pest Cotrol

Pest control on covercrops drillings

  • August 7, 2015

After a very early alarm call I was up and on the drillings setting the decoys up, in anticipation about what the morning pest control would bring. Shooting over the drilled crops gives me a rare chance to get stuck into our limited supply of pigeons. However, enticing both pigeons…

Crow Shooting

Crow Shooting

  • June 26, 2015

Putting it to the test Once again I have been out crow shooting, mopping up those troublesome pests that have started to cost the farmer money with their relentless attacks on the sheep feeders. With the Mark1 hide straight off the production line, I took it down and set it…

Crow shooting

Crow shooting in the north of England

  • April 27, 2015

Here in the north of England, winter and spring can be a difficult time crow shooting to build a decent bags of corvids over decoys, as most of the crow population is dispersed during daylight feeding hours and don’t concentrate their efforts in the same area. A common sight is…

Crow shooting

Crow shooting with raptor decoys

  • June 24, 2014

Raptor decoys are the most common predator decoys on the UK market, they come in a variety of different sizes and species, the most common being eagle owls, peregrines and little owls. These all produce the same effect when used in the right situation. The eagle owl decoy in this…

Corvid control – Gamekeeper

  • July 6, 2012

Corvid control - Gamekeeper: Corvid control with Larsen traps is a good example of sustainable activity.

Pest control – hooded crows

  • May 19, 2011

Hooded crows are a threat to spring lambs and a difficult pest to control, but Bruce Potts thinks they offer some of the most challenging shooting there is

GWCT knocks NT crow ban

  • March 13, 2011

The GWCT has criticised the National Trust over its decision to ban the shooting of carrion crow