# Crow Hunting & Some Questions



## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

First of all what are crows considered? upland game?
How do you tell the difference between a crow and raven?
Does anyone really plan on eating what they shoot?

Here's a quote from the SL Tribune.
"Proponents of the crow season - which would run Sept. 1-30 and again from Dec. 1 to Feb. 28, 2015, with a daily possession limit of 10 - say hunters will eat what they kill. But board member Bill Fenimore, an avid birder and hunter, doubted that would happen." ​ I have to agree, I doubt most hunters will eat 1 of these let alone 10. (except wyogoob of course).​ ​ What are your thoughts on this hunt? Good or bad?​


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

This answers one of my questions.


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## Dunkem (May 8, 2012)

I find this very interesting,I dont know if I could tell the difference without further reading.I know growing up we had crows everywhere(my pa said they were crows)and he hated them,we were on a small farm and he hated those darn birds.I seen him take one out of the air with a 30-30(safe area to shoot)and told me not to say anything because no one would believe me.Not that Im interested in shooting them,but would like to learn more about them.I understand they will go right into the nest a steal young chics.Im not sure about eating them,but would give it a try.Im sure they need to be thinned out a little. Again interesting.

Now how about a season on starlings:mrgreen:


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## LostLouisianian (Oct 11, 2010)

As a kid in Looziana we crow hunted with my neighbor who was a doctor. He ate every one we killed. They obviously have a bad rap much like coot but I can assure you that properly cooked both are quite edible.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

That's a great tutorial Fowlmouth, thanks for posting.

I've been following this thing closely along with a number of my birdwatching associates from Happy Valley. The birdwatchers, again some of them like myself are bird hunters, put up a good fight and were well represented at the RACs and the upland game Wildlife Board Meeting.

I haven't formed an opinion on the hunt. I just don't know enough about the population trends, historical or real time, of crows in all of Utah. Although I don't buy the argument they damage crops to any measurable extent. We had bajillions of them where I came from but few hunted them.

The best way to tell a crow from a raven is to set out a dozen crow decoys. From that point forward until sunset all the big black birds that come into your spread will be ravens.

You cook a Utah crow the same as a Utah duck: take two cigar-shaped pieces of breast meat and slobber 1/4 cup of cream cheese on them, add a slice of jalapeno pepper and 4 wraps of bacon and then cook on the BBQ until crusty black. Throw the rest of the bird in the mud.

My father had a crow and a raccoon as pets when he was growing up during the Great Depression. He claims the crow could talk, scold the ****. I loved the way he told the story.

I've eaten my share of crow; they're not as good as a pigeon.

.


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## Clarq (Jul 21, 2011)

I'm quite certain that they're considered migratory upland game, so I would think they're in the same category as doves, pigeons, and cranes as far as management goes.

Since they are game birds, it would be illegal to waste them. I'm not sure if that fact will motivate hunters to eat them.

I have mixed feelings about this hunt. I don't like the effect crows have on upland game and waterfowl, and it won't bother me to see people shooting them, but I probably won't kill any because I don't want to eat any.

My opinion may change as the season goes on. February is always a hard month for me, and since crows are one of the few animals open to hunting then, it's possible that I'll feel adventurous (a.k.a. desperate) enough to give it a try during February. I would also be willing to shoot nuisance crows for landowners if they are willing to take them off my hands.


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## hawglips (Aug 23, 2013)

Bon Appetit!

http://www.crowbusters.com/recipes.htm


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

hawglips said:


> Bon Appetit!
> 
> http://www.crowbusters.com/recipes.htm


Thanks Hawg, some of those look really good.


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## Bears Butt (Sep 12, 2007)

I probably will shoot some but no way will I eat them.


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## Cooky (Apr 25, 2011)

Any idea what kind of firearms/loads will be allowed?

.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

Safe to assume that the majority of them that we see around here are crows? I can only think of the larger ones being ravens around Lake Powell??


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## hawglips (Aug 23, 2013)

Cooky said:


> Any idea what kind of firearms/loads will be allowed?


Lead shot is OK for crows in most states.


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## Loke (Sep 7, 2007)

From what I learned from the YouTube video, The majority of the big black birds I see around here are ravens. Except for the vultures that roost in the cemetery.


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## JuniorPre 360 (Feb 22, 2012)

I was glad to see a hunt open. We have a real problem with them. We plant pumpkins to sell to vendors. Each planted seed cost somewhere between $.80 each for a cheap one and $1.30 for the expensive ones. Once they get used to the propaine cannon in the field, they dig up a few hundred dollars over a weekend.


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## Bears Butt (Sep 12, 2007)

JuniorPre360, you don't have to wait for a season to kill them! They are doing damage to you and costing you money and time! You can get someone to come out and control them, or DWR might give you permission to kill them.


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## OKEE (Jan 3, 2008)

I've had to eat crow


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## JuniorPre 360 (Feb 22, 2012)

Bears Butt said:


> JuniorPre360, you don't have to wait for a season to kill them! They are doing damage to you and costing you money and time! You can get someone to come out and control them, or DWR might give you permission to kill them.


 We were told to buy a propaine cannon that makes a loud explosion sound, and we were also issued by the DWR a box of shotgun shells that launch an M80 into the middle of the field and explodes.


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## hawglips (Aug 23, 2013)

OKEE said:


> I've had to eat crow


I've found that though tough to swallow, eating crow is a healthy activity.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

I foresee a lot of Ravens getting pounded this fall. It will be interesting to see/hear what happens when guys come packing lanyards full of Ravens back to their trucks and get checked by a CO. Expensive citation I'm guessing..................


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## hamernhonkers (Sep 28, 2007)

Fowlmouth said:


> I foresee a lot of Ravens getting pounded this fall. It will be interesting to see/hear what happens when guys come packing lanyards full of Ravens back to their trucks and get checked by a CO. Expensive citation I'm guessing..................


Last fine I heard was a 1000 per bird. This was two years ago on the dove hunt.

I bet very few will ever hunt them though.


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## bamacpl (Jun 1, 2010)

When you clean a chukar, grouse, pheasant etc.....they have seeds, grain, leaves in their crawl.....
--so what is a crow gonna have? Used condom? Tampon? Poopy baby diaper? Chicken tenders? YUCK!!!


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

Give the hunter a little more respect. Deer and elk share many similarities and most hunters seem to be able to tell the difference. We are asked to make other difficult choices...hen from tom turkeys, certain male or female ducks, how about 
Tundra/Trumpeter swans, or coyotes from farmer Jone's stray dog? I think there might be a few mistakes made but my guess is most hunters will quickly learn to distinguish crows from ravens.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

bamacpl said:


> When you clean a chukar, grouse, pheasant etc.....they have seeds, grain, leaves in their crawl.....
> --so what is a crow gonna have? Used condom? Tampon? Poopy baby diaper? Chicken tenders? YUCK!!!


 Chicken tenders!!!!!

that's not good...........are you sure?

.


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## Christine (Mar 13, 2013)

You ever see what wild hogs eat? The diet of crawfish, lobsters or crabs? Catfish?



Back in IL we used to shoot a few hundred pounds of carp at time and then bury them out in our field. We'd shoot at night, come home, get cleaned up and go to sleep. When we were rested we'd bury the carp. By then, the flies had usually hit many of them. Even buried, many maggots would grow and eventually crawl up to the surface. The local birds would immediately hang out and gobble them up. Mostly robins and mourning doves. The doves would gorge on them. So, there's that. 

I always wondered how many of those doves flew off with a full crop of spikes, just to get shot on a neighboring field. Had to be quite a cleaning experience for the lucky hunter.


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## pibjr (Dec 5, 2013)

That still sounds a lot better than eating a duck that has been floating around on a sewer pond somewhere. -O,-


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## Iron Bear (Nov 19, 2008)

My neighbor has a row of huge pine trees that about 50 crows roost in every once and a while. I know it's not the right thing to do but when ever they come to roost I launch bottle rockets into the tree's. 

So I wondered does this new status enhance my crime of harassing crows.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

pibjr said:


> That still sounds a lot better than eating a duck that has been floating around on a sewer pond somewhere. -O,-


You guys eat ducks?

uh....it's a joke....a good joke, but I think I need to work on the delivery some.

.

.


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

BPturkeys said:


> Give the hunter a little more respect. Deer and elk share many similarities and most hunters seem to be able to tell the difference. We are asked to make other difficult choices...hen from tom turkeys, certain male or female ducks, how about
> Tundra/Trumpeter swans, or coyotes from farmer Jone's stray dog? I think there might be a few mistakes made but my guess is most hunters will quickly learn to distinguish crows from ravens.


Hey, accidents happen ALL the time!-()/>-


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

TEX-O-BOB said:


> Hey, accidents happen ALL the time!-()/>-


Boy, don't I know it. My mother, rest her tender soul, never missed a chance to remind me of that fact.


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

hey Tex...you got a price figured out yet for a mount of a trophy crow?? I am thinkin somethin with the crow in full stoop, angry expression on it's face, bill partly open, ready for the kill. I don't know, what's your thoughts


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

BPturkeys said:


> hey Tex...you got a price figured out yet for a mount of a trophy crow?? I am thinkin somethin with the crow in full stoop, angry expression on it's face, bill partly open, ready for the kill. I don't know, what's your thoughts


Hmmm. Sounds cool. I was thinking of going with an hard rock/holloween motif' may be with a picture of Ozzy or Blackey Lawless in the mix... A mount like that aint cheap. Better bring yer BIG checkbook with ya when you pick that one up.;-)


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

After further discussion and voting it appears the crow hunt will happen this year. So, who all is going to participate in this hunt?


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## Charina (Aug 16, 2011)

Huge29 said:


> Safe to assume that the majority of them that we see around here are crows? I can only think of the larger ones being ravens around Lake Powell??


From what I have observed, UT is mostly raven country - except in urban areas. If you see it out in hunting areas, it's most likely a raven. If you see it in an urban setting where shooting is prohibited, it is very likely a crow. Which makes me scratch my head about this new provision. It likely mostly pertains to ranches, orchards, and farms close to urban areas, but remote enough to shoot in.

I agree that a lot of ravens will be shot as misidentified crows. But really, once someone pays close attention, they are not that hard to distinguish. Not as hard as some waterfowl IMO.


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## bamacpl (Jun 1, 2010)

Hopefully there will be a raven that flies around with each crow so we can tell the difference


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

Crows/Ravens...elk/deer...buffalo/black Angus...Rainbow/Natives...ducks/geese... my oh my oh my, what's a poor dumb hunter expected to do next?.

Really, this discussion about having trouble identifying Crows from Ravens is actually quite insulting.


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## bamacpl (Jun 1, 2010)

Glad I was able to insult you via internet.....


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## RandomElk16 (Sep 17, 2013)

If you look through the upland game book, it gives you all the details you need. Also shows you how to identify crows vs. ravens. Always a good go to on hunt questions.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

I don't plan on hunting Crows, but I don't have any issues if someone else wants to do it. I think it's kind of funny though how the hunt gets approved because of the claim that they do damage to crops. If you want to get technical and start making claims about critters doing damage, lets get a hunt started in Iron County to get rid of a $hitload of those nasty prairie dogs that are causing tons of damage. We could start North of Paragonah and work our way South to Cedar City. I'm sure the airport in Parowan and the cemeteries around Iron County wouldn't mind.


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## bamacpl (Jun 1, 2010)

Just for the record, I don't plan on ever hunting crows.....


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

Looks like it has been a success so far.:?:?:?-_O-
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/58478399-78/hunt-utah-crow-wildlife.html.csp


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## mtnrunner260 (Feb 15, 2010)

With the amount of damage ravens do to sage grouse eggs maybe they are OK with a few being taken on the crow hunt


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

Crows drive me crazy but Im not sure that they are worth hunting.... maybe more of a jack rabbit situation?

I dont think I want to eat one -O,-


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## Hoopermat (Dec 17, 2010)

Fowlmouth said:


> I don't plan on hunting Crows, but I don't have any issues if someone else wants to do it. I think it's kind of funny though how the hunt gets approved because of the claim that they do damage to crops. If you want to get technical and start making claims about critters doing damage, lets get a hunt started in Iron County to get rid of a $hitload of those nasty prairie dogs that are causing tons of damage. We could start North of Paragonah and work our way South to Cedar City. I'm sure the airport in Parowan and the cemeteries around Iron County wouldn't mind.


I'm in. If it ever opens I'm am there. 
That's the best reason to stock up on 204 ammo


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

Do we have to use shotguns?


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