For many of us, raven hunting can be as challenging and rewarding as any type of hunting out there. Consistently fooling one of the most intelligent birds known to man is harder than it seems, BUT with this information and techniques you may have taken advantage. The crow is one of the most intelligent and clairvoyant birds that exist. Obviously the first thing you should do to hunt this magnificent bird is to locate them. I have found in nearly 40 years of raven hunting experience that a quality pair of binoculars to help locate distant ravens is a must. For the money, my favorite lenses are the Leupold Cascade, 8x42mm camo, which retails for around $300.00 or the Leupold Wind River Mesa, 10x50mm camo which retails for around $220.00. Another pair that I have used for many years is the Nikon Dream Season camo 8x36mm which retails for around $280.00.
All of these work great for studying your local habits in a given region. By viewing and studying their flight patterns, you can better determine an optimal site for your lure setup. Once this is determined, you can use these “airways” as great ambush sites, as the ravens relate to the given airways. In early spring, when ravens nest and live in pairs (not groups), there are no real migration routes. As summer approaches and the young leave the nest, the ravens begin to form groups because there is safety in large numbers. Now is when they can be stamped. Larger flocks form as winter approaches. At night, the ravens gather together to protect themselves in the treetops against their enemies, such as the great horned owl. These concentrated areas are called “bedroom”. Hunting a chicken coop in the fall and winter is best.
Some people know, others don’t, that ravens are mortal enemies of birds of prey, such as hawks, owls, eagles, etc. For this reason, a good lure setup that includes an owl or hawk lure mixed with crow lures is preferred to lure this bird. I have found that full size plastic crow lures work best. This type of setup works great with modern electronic remote speaker calling devices, as well as mouth calls for more experienced singers. My favorite call tapes are Johnny Stewart’s “Crow Fighting An Owl”, “Fighting Crows”, “The Crow Reveille” and finally “Death Cry of A Crow”.
After being inactive all night, crows are hungry and more aggressive in the morning than later in the day. Most of the time, at first light, they can be lured closer to a setup, putting them in deadly shotgun range. As the day progresses they can become more cautious and tired, which means they will make it to the setup, but many times they will remain airborne and not be fooled by the range of the weapons. Since mornings are always a big hunt, the raven can also be hunted during all hours of the day. Locate a flock with a good pair of binoculars, then make your move. Concealment is mandatory. From an aerial view, the raven will always have the upper hand. Full camouflage including face mask, hat, gloves, and gun camo is best. (Shaking a glowing gun barrel will usually send them on their way without firing.) Once those are fired, that location and setup is ready, move on us. The ravens are too smart to be fooled in that place again. For die-hards like me, move to a new area hunting and searching for more birds, make your setup, and then get ready for more action.
Preferred installation sites are those that offer thick cover for human concealment without obstruction from too many overhead trees and branches. I have hunted a roost in my state that has over 100,000 crows. Through my homework I know exactly where they perch. With defined and known migratory routes, I know exactly where to settle, approximately 1/2 mile or more from the roost. My choice for this scenario is thick undercover where I can usually put a large tree between me and the incoming birds, because they can’t see me until it’s too late and it hides my movement. A good morning hunt for me in this area means about 100 crows won’t be coming home tonight. Semi-open fields can sometimes be excellent installation sites if they are on a migratory route.
I prefer the small hunting blinds with camo pop-up mesh. There are times on very, very windy days, the crows naturally fly low to the ground (within gun range) going to and from the roost. On these occasions no decoys are needed, one should immediately hide under these paths and good luck trying to keep your gun full of shells. As one wave comes and goes, the next one is sure to be right behind it. I have had 1 1/2+ hour sessions non-stop during these times. This is the exception when you don’t have to get up and relocate because they will use their flight path no matter what and the ravens that haven’t gotten there yet haven’t heard the earlier shots.
For me, my Remington Model 1100, in semi-automatic, is an excellent choice of firearm. When the action is hot, a simple pull of the trigger beats the pump action in my opinion. Of course, I know that bombs are the choice of some hunters, and you should use what you feel most comfortable with. Ravens are not the easiest birds to shoot out of the sky. The 12 gauge has the power for me. Shot number 4 is my preferred BB size as it has bone breaking power at longer ranges giving me a 40-50+ yard advantage. The full choke works best to keep the pattern tight. A crow coming at you is easier to take down than ones trying to fly away, but the 4 shot will give you more distance as they try to escape.
The raven can be found all over the world and there are a large number of them in the US. If you haven’t yet experienced the thrill of a raven hunt, do yourself a favor as it doesn’t require a huge investment and is an adventure. exciting. If you are unsuccessful at first, chances are these wise birds have seen you, learn from the experience and try again. With a good setup and proper concealment, you should be very successful. Always remember to check your state’s laws, regulations, and designated seasons, and above all, HAVE FUN! Include the younger generation with you on your raven hunts to keep this tradition alive.
