# Shooting at Crows (non lethal )



## lightgeoduck

I placed this thread here, because though I am not trying to kill them, I am still shooting at an animal.

I was doing my morning target practice when one of the TONS of crows we have here landed where my catchbox was placed ( must have smelled the soda in one of my cans). They infest this area, and even though they are pests dispatching is not an option here. No matter how often I tried to shoe this guy away he kept on coming back to my catchbox...So I picked up an acorn and shot it at him. He flew away and didn't return to that spot again.

So my questions are;

Would this be an acceptable practice, with acorns being so light and using target bands, to shoot at crows knowing the ammo wont penetrate or do anything more than slightly sting?

With crows being known to be smart creatures, would you think if this was an ongoing practice that

A) They will get the point that they should stay away from that particular area?
B ) They will remember who did it to them and hold animosity towards the "instigator".

If this is an acceptable way of scaring off pests with out the worry of suffering, what other animals would this work with?

LGD

Please understand that due to my area.. dispatching is never an option, though in some instances I wish it were


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## Hrawk

I have been known to scare cats out of my yard with frozen peas.

This sounds like it would work. Crows are very clever yes, and after a while, just the site of you should scare them off.


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## slingshot_sniper

Yep crows learn and pass the news on to others,try the danger call a series of rapid high pitched sounds CAW-CAW-CAW!! but learn the crow language for your part of the world,like people they they sound different where ever you go!









Oh have I said I love crows


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## -SRS-45-

I like this idea! I'm gonna band up some light bands on one of my slings and shoot frozen pea's at those big noisey blighters.


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## Charles

Crows do recognize faces, as well as other aspects of individuals.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gDb05xN18drPIMfucOK6FaDQqcog?docId=CNG.b543d6b84be023e079ab0236d9bba908.491

In areas where they are hunted, it is enough to walk out into a field with a broom or other longish object for the crows to become alarmed and fly.

If you continue to shoot them, they will come to recognize you and avoid you. You may be able to train them to avoid your site if you can harrass them there without being seen so they associate the harrassment with the location rather than with you.

Here I feed them as I walk my dog. Even on days when I forget their food, I am usually followed by quite a large flock of crows. When I get home, I throw their daily ration of food out onto the driveway. My next door neighbor hates crows ... throws rocks at them and waves his rake at them. When he appears, they fly, but not far ... as soon as he leaves, they return to my place. Personally, I think crows are beautiful, and I think they are the most intelligent birds.

Cheers ...... Charles


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## Rapier

He he. Cheeky bugger.


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## lightgeoduck

Thanks for the input guys..

Yeah I don't hate Crows at all, they are interesting birds, BUT the ones here strike terror to garbage cans, and any table with food on it so if you want to have a picnic or eat outside one will have to stand guard. The crows go as far as attacking boxes/baskets/bags if they know there is food there.

I just want them, as MANY others in the area, to ease up a bit.. not necessarily evacuate.

LGD


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## -SRS-45-

I don't like em as we have litrally hundreds in the trees out back, they steal all our animals food and there are some really nice small birds around here but we don't see them because the crows chase them off. Noisy buggers n all!


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## toxophool

-SRS-45- said:


> I like this idea! I'm gonna band up some light bands on one of my slings and shoot frozen pea's at those big noisey blighters.


Uncooked dry peas would be easier, and probably also cheaper.


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## -SRS-45-

toxophool said:


> I like this idea! I'm gonna band up some light bands on one of my slings and shoot frozen pea's at those big noisey blighters.


Uncooked dry peas would be easier, and probably also cheaper.
[/quote]

Excellent, I shall add them to the shopping list this week


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## HopefulHunter

Personal feeling is that causing any animal to suffer is inhumane.

Unless you are going to kill them, don't cause them pain.

Your local 'countrywide' or equivalent store may stock crow scarers that set off a firecracker at regular intervals and scare them off, but as these are designed to simulate the sound of a shotgun blast they may be no good in residential areas.

at home I tend to shoot 'at' the crows but usually aim to hit the tree they are sitting in. I use my air rifle for this, although i have discovered it fires too slowly to hit them anyway, and that they hear the gun fire and move before the pellet gets to them. It does kill them if you get a hit though as for some reason a crow once did not jump after I fired at it and I rushed over to it to dispatch it and it was already dead. And this was at my longer than usual kill range also (appx 20m)

But yeah, if you aren't going to kill them, don't cause them pain.

Eddie.


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## M.J

I don't think shooting a crow with a set of plinker bands and acorns or peas is going to cause it all that much pain.
If they're causing trouble then this is the equivelent of giving them a swat with a newspaper. I think it's an acceptable compromise until they learn to talk so we can reason with them.


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## ZDP-189

Just watch you don't do it in the wrong jurisdiction or you may fall foul of the law, even where the hunting of crows is permitted.


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## -SRS-45-

Yeah its not cruel, some animals tell their young off by giving them a quick nip, its no different. Its just a quick nip to give them a warning.

I wouldn't say its any crueler than causing them stress with loud bangs from crow scarers and the like


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## HopefulHunter

Using a crow scarer will cause them to rely on basic instinct to move away from loud things as they are assosciated with danger.

****, I'm not going to sit here and be told that it's humane to hit an animal with an object of any kind. Speak to your local wildlife protection agency. I'm almost certain there would be a hefty fine for such behavior in England, if not time for cruelty to animals.



lightgeoduck said:


> Yeah its not cruel, some animals tell their young off by giving them a quick nip, its no different. Its just a quick nip to give them a warning.
> 
> I wouldn't say its any crueler than causing them stress with loud bangs from crow scarers and the like


If you saw a child in your garden with severe learning difficulties who did not understand the instruction to 'leave' the area he was in, would you reinforce that motion by shooting a slingshot that you knew wouldn't kill them? Would it be acceptable in that case? This is the angle that a lot of people will look upon hunting from. I was told the other day that the only way a man should kill an animal is naked, in one on one combat, with bare hands, two animals fighting. It's an extreme viewpoint, but it outlines the feelings some people have towards using weapons to kill animals, and using weapons to just attack animals without killing them humanely can only make things worse.


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## -SRS-45-

Hmm I do see your point


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## lightgeoduck

Well, I see people have different views on this, so I will reply with my personal opinion on this topic.

HH: I understand totally your point of view on this, and agree with the point that you are trying to make to an extent. Yes inflicting pain on animals shouldn't be common practice, and the main intent when out shooting animals should be to kill it.

I do however believe a could comments were a bit extreme related to the point. One would/ should never shoot at a child for any reason and isn't quite comparable, which goes for alot of topics, i.e. drinking, pornography, driving, etc etc.

There are alot of examples where shooting not to kill occurs and doesn't inflict pain in an inhumane way.

1. riot control (the most extreme example) where handled responsibly rubber bullets are used to control the situation (granted there are case of abusing this action)
2. paintball and airsoft wars, though this is another human vs human example, but proves a point none the less.

I agree that shooting a slingshot even with an acorn point blank or with severe force and irresponsibly would inflect unnecessary pain to an animal, because I am sure there would still be partial penetration.

I don't believe shooting an acorn at 20m, with the amount of force just to get the ammo to the point, can be justified under that category. I would even venture to say it is just one notch above shooting with a water hose.

With that being said, as with everything, acting responsible is the key, and to just do it for fun is pointless and unnecessary. I placed this thread in this section, because though it was technically a hunting question, it was a form of pest control that did involve shooting a target that wasn't made out of metal.

Disclaimer: This is not intended to attempt to change anyones views (debate) nor is it to promote the need for this action to occur.. I was just curious to see what other people thought

LGD


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## Hrawk

lightgeoduck said:


> Yes inflicting pain on animals shouldn't be common practice


Two words,

Electric fence.


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## pop shot

Hrawk said:


> Yes inflicting pain on animals shouldn't be common practice


Two words,

Electric fence.
[/quote]
electric bark collars as well. i cut wine corks into thirds and shoot the dogs and cats that come into my yard and trash cans. they don't come back. I also had a friend shoot me with it because i was curious, and it just stung a bit. Way less than grabbing a cattle fence.


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## Rapier

I don't think pain is as much a motivator as the scare. Thats why sudden loud noise works but only when specifically associated with something else, like a colour or smell or whatever do you get 'social' conditioning in animals. Otherwise they can become desinisitised
Bats can be trained this way with a sudden flash of extremly bright light or an odd 'sonic' burst in association with whatever it is you want them to learn. These traits, once learnt are often passed down to next generations and even comunicated between clans or groups so that other groups will behave the same way even though they were never exposed to the original conditioning! This is all I can remember about this topic but slapping a couple of thin boards together or cracking a whip in association with something 'bad' will deter animals more than stinging them with a shot from an underpowered catty as far as I know.


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## Cervantes

HopefulHunter said:


> Personal feeling is that causing any animal to suffer is inhumane.
> 
> Unless you are going to kill them, don't cause them pain.
> 
> Your local 'countrywide' or equivalent store may stock crow scarers that set off a firecracker at regular intervals and scare them off, but as these are designed to simulate the sound of a shotgun blast they may be no good in residential areas.
> 
> at home I tend to shoot 'at' the crows but usually aim to hit the tree they are sitting in. I use my air rifle for this, although i have discovered it fires too slowly to hit them anyway, and that they hear the gun fire and move before the pellet gets to them. It does kill them if you get a hit though as for some reason a crow once did not jump after I fired at it and I rushed over to it to dispatch it and it was already dead. And this was at my longer than usual kill range also (appx 20m)
> 
> But yeah, if you aren't going to kill them, don't cause them pain.
> 
> Eddie.


All I have to say about nuisance animals, "I never saw a wild thing sorry for itself.
A small bird will drop frozen dead from a bough
without ever having felt sorry for itself"


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## slingshot_sniper

Isn't it funny how man can hazard wild guesses as to what pain he causes an animal,yet man squeals with just two words spoken...the "DENTIST CHAIR!!"









"HOW DARE! a animal be more stoic than I"









and just because they don't write on Facebook their feelings doesn't make it right

In my country (at least) it's illegal to do what's suggested here, you see shooting any living thing for recreation is a big NO NO here and rightly so...and yes that includes shooting frozen peas at an animal for fun

I've said it before mans want for glory,fame for a moment will give the majority the ammo to call time....less said about what you do with your slingshot the better IMO


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## lightgeoduck

I agree, but this wasn't for recreation, it was for a non lethal way of pest control, but you are right no more discussion is needed.

Cheers

LGD


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