Besieged by crows for > 1hr, but Condor .22 saves the day :)

[only1harry]

We woke up this morning to the sound of crows just after 7am.  We got in late last night after a friend's Bday party and were looking forward to sleeping late.  Several crows were across the street and some on the neighbor's oak tree right at the border of my property 45yds out making a lot of noise.  My wife was very displeased so I said I would "take care of it".  I asked her to stay in bed and try to go back to sleep.  I needed the house quiet

I ran downstairs to open the window and prepare for some sniping, but I was too late.  As I approached the window the crows got quiet, and 1 of them landed a few feet from the cat food, and then another, and another, until there were 4 on the ground.  No more cawing from the others left in the trees.  After freezing, I slowly backed away from the window without getting a chance to open it and get into position.  I then brought the Condor .22 down that I had recently sighted in with JSB Monsters 25.4.  I could see the crows through the small opening in the blinds but they couldn't see me.  The crows circled the cat food for the next 40min. taking 1 bite at a time very fast with lightning speed, and distancing themselves immediately after.  They had enormous patience.  I had put out 2 expired hot dogs last night and cut them up in small pieces.  They ate the hot dog pieces first.  Even if I had the window open it would have been very hard to take a shot.  They were not sitting still and would grab the hot dogs so fast, you needed a slow-motion camera to see it.  They would also test the steel bowl thinking a shot would ring out   They would touch it very quickly with their foot or their beak and back-off immediately or fly straight up and come down. 

To make an already long story longer (hehe), a neighbor came out because I heard a car door slam in the distance, and the crows took to the trees, or took off.  I could not see but several inches around the bait site, keeping the opening in the blinds very small.  I approached the window again, and there were none on the ground.  Outside above me is the porch upstairs, so i could only see the lower part of the trees, and they crows were not that low.  I quickly opened the window and backed away 10-11ft into the dark room and cocked the .22 Condor.  With safety off I was ready in case they returned.  The song birds arrived and wasted no time going after the sunflower seeds.  2min. later 1 crow lands near the cat food and the song birds disappear.  After circling for 5 minutes and checking around, the crow approached and took a piece but I had no shot - it was moving constantly.  2min. later the crow goes for round #2 but this time it paused 2" from the cat food bowl broadside, and with crosshairs on its chest I squeezed.  The crow jumped straight up on impact and went out of my field of view.  I reloaded and approached the window frantically scanning the ground, bushes, and the small hill behind the house, but I spotted it quickly.  It was dead 4-5ft from the cat food. 

As soon as I saw the dead crow, all the others started cawing, and I could hear more getting closer.  For the next 20min. the crows made sure everyone in the neighborhood was awake with their noise including my wife.  She came out and said she got some more sleep, and questioned why I had not scared them away yet   I told her I did, and they are just PO'd now, but they will be gone very soon   The crows left and with my wife in the shower, I went out and grabbed the crow before they could spot me or return, and took some pics in the garage.
And so ends the story of crow #2 of 2012 that did not learn its lesson from crow#1 2.5wks ago

You can see the entry and exit points in the middle of the body of this young crow in most pics if you look carefully.  Distance was 22.5yds and the JSB 25.4gr left the muzzle at ~990fps (on low power setting).

[Snaab9-2]

Excellent kill and story!  That is a healty crow!  Nice shooting.

[dk1677]

Yes great story and fast thinking! Nice shot Harry!

[aack73]

Great job. persistence pays off.

[only1harry]

Thanks guys.  You have to be a little lucky too when it comes to crows, and of course have knowledge of their behavior and never underestimate their intelligence.  When I went to open the window downstairs the 1st time, I actually hesitated and stopped when the cawing ceased.  I couldn't see them in the trees from that window, but silence usually means they are ready to come down off the trees.  1-2secs later they were landing and I backed off from the (closed) window.

[Ol'DeadEye]

Part of the crow population across the street from my house.
Makes ya wanna break the rules, doesn't it.

[oldpink]

It's always quite a coupe to get a crow, even more so with the handicap of an airgun, even the mighty Condor.

[thekid]

Great shooting and pic's.
Those crows are some smart critters, Good job on your part.
Rob

[OldmanJunky]

Good sniping and well told.  You, sir, make me want to get one so badly.  I even put out bread this morning and had one come down, but he was gone before I got a pred in the royale.

They are very slippery birds.

[gamo2hammerli]

Your patience paid off.  Great accurate shot at the Crow....and that one sure was a bleeder.  I've shot 2 Crows so far in my short airgunning career  .....and both didn't bleed as much as yours.

[jonnnyboy]

Great shot, Harry.  I kept waiting to read the damage had begun when you shot the first one.  I hope you get a bunch more.

joe

[Ricochet808]

Those JSB Monsters are some serious pellets, and the shot placement didn't hurt either.

Good shooting

[The Knot]

good stuff harry keep them in check with the condor .

[Atchman2]

Dude, next time you know they are there setup a tripod with your camera and just let it run That way we get video to go with your excellent story. That is a big ole' crow! Nice shooting!

[only1harry]

Thanks guys!  Stan, that blood is from squirrels, not the crow's.  You are right they usually don't bleed much.  I use this piece of cardboard to throw the squirrels on the garage floor temporarily before I clean them. 
Randy, I have thought about that.  The problem is if I put the camera in front of the small crack in the blinds, I will be in my line of sight, and I won't be able to shoot.  So I have been thinking of making another opening in the blinds just for a camera.  Only problem with that is, I will be letting more light into the room.  I have been spotted by a couple of crows in the past when I wasn't even moving, so I know the exact amount of lighting needed, or lack thereof, so they don't see me.  Cloudy days are best.  If it's sunny out, my chances of being spotted deep in the room greatly increase.  The crow is the only critter that has been able to detect me.  Starlings and other birds don't seem to know I am there even with bright sunlight coming through the 3." opening.  Anyway, I am shopping for a good camcorder

[Atchman2]

I put my cameras outside sometimes and just let them record. Since they use memory cards, I can just erase them.  The critters don't seem to mind the cameras. 

[Air Rifle Hunter]

Nice job taking down that crow. As jittery and cautious as they are getting even one is good.

[only1harry]

Thanks, Randy:  You don't have the cold temps I have up here.  I am not sure I would leave the camera out at night or that early in the morning when it can be in the single digits and teens.  Electornics and computer chips can only take so much.. (variation in temps).

[Nate the airgunner]

Very nice detailed story.