The Silent Cat Has A Taste for Grackles

[d_lemon0829]

While eating dinner, I looked out the window and nearly flipped over the table when I saw about 6 grackles wreaking havoc on the squirrel feeder. I ran for the cat and took my time to get sat up real nice on the porch and look over the bird feeder. After a few minutes, two came in. I lined up and squeezed one off.... and missed. This happened another time and I went for a pizza box. I proceeded to shoot at it twice and found I was shooting about an inch to the left.

Before I could even go back out to get the box, one flew down. I lined up with my first right mil straight on the chest, squeezed off the shot, and he dropped like a rock.

So I figured this would be it and there wouldn't be too many more come back. Boy was I wrong. They just kept coming back, and I wasn't complaing.

I went on to get 8 more kills with 8 more shots. They were dropping like sprayed flies.

Then I went to go get a drink and take a little break. When I came back, I foumd that the magic left. I shot at one and missed. Two more come in... another miss. Then I remembered I'd fiddled with my magnification on my scope.

Well, dialed it back to 8x and it all came back to me. Managed to get two more in two shots.

After that the action level dropped back. I they think they learned thier lesson.

One dropped in the river and another was killed after the family portrait was taken.

[nappyman]

Nice shooting there, looks like meat on a stick

[Sovietik]

My favorite kill      good shooting.

[nervoustrigger]

Well done, Dylan.

I can't stand their metallic squawk and the way they bully other birds.  That they are protected by the migratory bird act is ludicrous.  They're as numerous as pine cones and as charming as a school bus fire.  Whack 'em and stack 'em. 

[dk1677]

Nice shooting Dylan!

[Backyardsniper1]

Nice haul.

[d_lemon0829]

Thanks everyone.

Well done, Dylan.

I can't stand their metallic squawk and the way they bully other birds.  That they are protected by the migratory bird act is ludicrous.  They're as numerous as pine cones and as charming as a school bus fire.  Whack 'em and stack 'em. 

I couldn't agree more. They're almost as bad as starlings, but a whole lot dumber

[yak]

We can't shoot them in New York, but I am curious. Do you leave the dead ones as decoys, or do the dead ones scare the others away.

[d_lemon0829]

We can't shoot them in New York, but I am curious. Do you leave the dead ones as decoys, or do the dead ones scare the others away.

I don't know what effect they have on them, but they certainly don't scare them away. I was piling them up, and at one time had ten under the feeder and they were still coming in like crazy. It did seem to make them them land a couple feet above the feeder and hesitate coming down for a bite, but while doing this, they stood still and looked below at the dead ones. This would, most of the time, line thier head up right in front of the chest. This shot proved to be downright ugly. I'm not sure if the hesiration was because of a territorial matter (the birds below were seen as dominant), or if they knew they were dead. Not all of them hung up though, many went straight to the corn and I'm sure the others would have too had I waited long enough.

Grackles seem so stupid it probably wouldn't matter anyway. Heck I shot one out of a pair yesterday and the other flew down as the dead one fell and scratched around with the other dead ones for a good long time. I personally like killIng these more than starlings; they don't usually seem to stay away nearly as long after you've killed one... or six.

[Monkeydad1969]

We can't shoot them in New York, but I am curious. Do you leave the dead ones as decoys, or do the dead ones scare the others away.

I don't know what effect they have on them, but they certainly don't scare them away. I was piling them up, and at one time had ten under the feeder and they were still coming in like crazy. It did seem to make them them land a couple feet above the feeder and hesitate coming down for a bite, but while doing this, they stood still and looked below at the dead ones. This would, most of the time, line thier head up right in front of the chest. This shot proved to be downright ugly. I'm not sure if the hesiration was because of a territorial matter (the birds below were seen as dominant), or if they knew they were dead. Not all of them hung up though, many went straight to the corn and I'm sure the others would have too had I waited long enough.

Grackles seem so stupid it probably wouldn't matter anyway. Heck I shot one out of a pair yesterday and the other flew down as the dead one fell and scratched around with the other dead ones for a good long time. I personally like killIng these more than starlings; they don't usually seem to stay away nearly as long after you've killed one... or six.

Are they legal to shoot in WV?

[Rico14]

here's a list of the birds that are protected under the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty.

http://www.pacificwildlife.org/info/online%20docs/fmbtalist.pdf

[Monkeydad1969]

here's a list of the birds that are protected under the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty.

http://www.pacificwildlife.org/info/online%20docs/fmbtalist.pdf

Thanks...I thought Grackles were protected.