Author Topic: Wisconsin Crow Season! (Read 4480 times)

jcn59 · « **on:** January 23, 2008, 05:39:23 PM »

Illegal to use rifles to shoot crows. Welcome to the Dairy State!

ihookem · « **Reply #1 on:** February 02, 2008, 11:58:57 AM »

Why? and would a warden really fine a guy for that.

jcn59 · « **Reply #2 on:** February 02, 2008, 12:59:33 PM »

One of our wardens would. Oh, get this: Crows have game bird status - You can't waste the meat. Welcome to Wisconsin! Run by idiots...

ihookem · « **Reply #3 on:** February 03, 2008, 08:49:16 AM »

Throw it in with the venison pantry for the poor!

gutshot_again · « **Reply #4 on:** February 04, 2008, 03:23:34 AM »

I think it's because of some treaty with Mexico. They migrate and I guess they must eat them down there.

buck460XVR · « **Reply #5 on:** February 04, 2008, 02:01:08 PM »

Quote from: jcn59 on January 23, 2008, 05:39:23 PM

Illegal to use rifles to shoot crows. Welcome to the Dairy State!

Quote from: ihookem on February 02, 2008, 11:58:57 AM

Why? and would a warden really fine a guy for that.

I assume it's a safety thing. Only three places to shoot at a crow.....either sittin' on the ground, sittin' in a tree or flying. Shootiing at the ground with a high powered rifle, whether it's frozen or not tends to lend itself to ricochets....not safe. Shootin' at crows(or any birds) sittin' in trees or flyin' with a high powered rifle aint real safe or real smart either. Basically the same reason most states also don't allow shootin' turkeys with a rifle. There's already enough frustrated deer hunters takin' risky potshots at crows sittin high in trees, we don't need to goad them on. I've found that crows are fairly easy to call and are a good challenge with the scattergun. When they quit coming to where you are calling, generally moving to a new spot will give you action again.

I'm thinkin' a warden would have to give you a fine for violating the law, for that is his job. He doesn't make the rules. but he does get paid to enforce them......like any other Law Enforcement Officer.

Quote from: jcn59 on February 02, 2008, 12:59:33 PM

Oh, get this: Crows have game bird status - You can't waste the meat. Welcome to Wisconsin! Run by idiots...

I've been told they make excellent cat food and garden fertilizer.

skifastchad · « **Reply #6 on:** February 05, 2008, 02:42:38 PM »

While I would never eat crow meat, a good friend of mine eats it regularly. He said its just a cultural prejudice that crows taste bad. I am skeptical, but he claims it tastes better than most wild duck meat. I asked "What about the garbage that crows eat?" to which he replied: "Even crows would vomit if they knew what lobsters and king crabs eat." A good point in my opinion, but I will continue burying the crows that I shoot.

jcn59 · « **Reply #7 on:** February 05, 2008, 03:10:22 PM »

Darn! I thought they taste like chicken....

Due to the nature of crow's eating habits, they tend to be extremely parasitic and are often carriers of disease, way worse than politicians. It would be like ingesting a democrat.

Cheesehead · « **Reply #8 on:** February 05, 2008, 03:14:41 PM »

A high powered center fire rifle is capable of sending a bullet over 4.5 MILES if held at a 30 degree angle. This is according to a Sierra ballistics article. I am sure some will go farther. Bad idea.

Cheese

jcn59 · « **Reply #9 on:** February 05, 2008, 03:36:11 PM »

A .22 may go only a mile but it only lands in one place, just like any other rifle bullet. How dangerous is that? They hunt squirrels with .22s, don't they? Heck, more people are killed riding motorcycles than by squirrel hunters, and bike riding is still legal. Isn't it?

Crow hunting with rifles was legal before the DNR put a season on them. I don't recall any wholesale slaughter of the populace then. The shotgun-only thing has nothing to do with safety.

If you do your homework on the crow thing, you will find that the reason crows are protected is they got included with the doves, etc., because they are migratory birds and the people who drafted the agreement with Mexico failed to specifically exempt crows from the agreement.

And that, according to our lawmakers, is why Wisconsinites must eat crow.

Cheesehead · « **Reply #10 on:** February 05, 2008, 04:49:54 PM »

OK. Shooting crows with a rifle is a STUPID idea. Has nothing to do with motorcycles, that is a stupid comparison. The bullet lands only in one place? That makes it some how safe? I have never heard of anything so dang all stupid in my life. I get it. You must be joking. Because I have never met anyone from Wisconsin that dumb.

Cheese

jcn59 · « **Reply #11 on:** February 06, 2008, 02:28:32 AM »

You know Cheese, when you post poorly thought out comments like your last one, and infer that other people and their posts are "stupid", it makes you look ignorant. I would recommend that you obtain a copy of "How to win friends & influence people" and read it a few times before you write anything like your last post again on this forum.

myronman3 · « **Reply #12 on:** February 06, 2008, 03:24:45 AM »

you can tell it is winter in wisconsin, of all the messed up things going on, it amazes me that this is the subject of such snivelling. if you dont like it, either lobby to have it changed or find a way to deal with it. several here have made good points as to why maybe it isnt such a bad rule.

my advise...suck it up.

Graybeard · « **Reply #13 on:** February 06, 2008, 03:33:16 AM »

OK you two go to your respective corners and don't come back out swinging. End the pissing contest so I don't have to end it for you. Ya don't have to agree but ya do have to play nice.

Cheesehead · « **Reply #14 on:** February 06, 2008, 04:07:56 AM »

GB, I am sorry if I seem harsh, but I am concerned that jcn59 is going to kill or injure someone by committing an unsafe and illegal act by launching/arcing bullets like artillery across the landscape with total disregard for public safety.

Cheese

Graybeard · « **Reply #15 on:** February 06, 2008, 12:08:08 PM »

Having concerns is fine, expressing concerns is fine. Personal attacks and name calling ARE NOT FINE.

I'm not familar with Wisconsin's landscape or how developed the region is. BUT if it's safe to hunt deer with centerfire rifles it's likely safe to hunt crows with centerfire varmint type rifles and at least some rimfires as well. Most states do allow both rimfire and centerfire rifle use for crow hunting. It can be safe or it can be dangerous. Knowing what is behind your target is always of paramount importance but assuming you do it in a safe and sane matter there is no reason to be concerned about the use of rifles for crow hunting.

I would agree that generally shooting them in trees is not safe but it can be depending on the back ground. If you own land with a hillside the bullet would go into should you miss then it is likely safe. Same if crows are on the ground and the path bullet might take on a miss is safe. There are lots of bullets that will totally disentegrate on impact that makes any ground shot safe. All these things must be considered to determine safety. However if it's not legal it's not legal live with it or get the law changed.

ihookem · « **Reply #16 on:** February 06, 2008, 05:37:24 PM »

Is it ok if I say the Wisconsin DNR is stupid?

Graybeard · « **Reply #17 on:** February 06, 2008, 05:57:55 PM »

I guess so if it's really true.

myronman3 · « **Reply #18 on:** February 07, 2008, 03:44:34 AM »

Quote from: ihookem on February 06, 2008, 05:37:24 PM

Is it ok if I say the Wisconsin DNR is stupid?

oh that is true; all too true. lol

379 Peterbilt · « **Reply #19 on:** February 07, 2008, 05:04:37 AM »

Of course the DNR can be deemed as stupids at times.

We can bash the Wisconsin DNR, Wisconsin laws, And Jim Dandy Doyle our kommie anti gun governor all we want here at GBO, and personaly I welcome it, just as any debate for the good things about sportsmans/outdoor issues here in Wis.

Disagreements on ideas are always welcome. Personal slams are not. But the boss, Bill himself, beat me to it in clarifing this.

Anywho, I have been told by friends who've eaten crow that it's some good eating, but have personaly never tried it.

Do tell..

buck460XVR · « **Reply #20 on:** February 09, 2008, 04:13:12 AM »

Quote from: jcn59 on February 05, 2008, 03:36:11 PM

A .22 may go only a mile but it only lands in one place, just like any other rifle bullet. How dangerous is that? They hunt squirrels with .22s, don't they?

my understanding is that bullet mass and initial velocity is what makes .22 rimfire safer to shoot into the air than most centerfire. As hunters our main focus should be for safety and positive public opinion. Large caliber projectiles falling out of the sky at high velocities from irresponsible hunters is neither.

Quote from: jcn59 on February 05, 2008, 03:36:11 PM

Crow hunting with rifles was legal before the DNR put a season on them. I don't recall any wholesale slaughter of the populace then. The shotgun-only thing has nothing to do with safety.
If you do your homework on the crow thing, you will find that the reason crows are protected is they got included with the doves, etc., because they are migratory birds and the people who drafted the agreement with Mexico failed to specifically exempt crows from the agreement.

According to a warden friend of mine, before Wisconsin established a crow season they were a protected species. It was illegal to shoot at them with any firearm(yep, this includes rifles) unless they were on private land and assembling in large enough numbers to be considered a public nuisance. The reason Wisconsin lacked a dove season for years had nothing to do with Mexico. It had to do with our lawmakers(not the DNR) and the public opinion classifying them as songbirds instead of gamebirds. Kinda like the feral cat thing. The majority of the public considers them someones pet that got loose so public outcry is to protect them. The DNR and most sportsmen realize they are highly skilled predators that have no interest in being someones pet and that protecting them only endangers many other more desirable species. Hence the shoot and don't tell policy.

banen · « **Reply #21 on:** February 10, 2008, 03:11:48 PM »

I am all for taking out as many crows as possible. They are nasty critters and they eat other game animals that I would much rather have in greater abundance. They eat the eggs of almost any bird including grouse, I have seen them attack baby rabbits and squirrels too. Not to mention, something about them that I just plain don't like. I guess it was that Edgar Allen Poe story that every one had to read back in High school. Rap-a-tap-tap.

jcn59 · « **Reply #22 on:** February 10, 2008, 03:34:57 PM »

Buck is right about the Wisconsin crow season. I stand corrected.

In 1992 the Wisconsin DNR adopted a rule establishing a crow hunting season in Wisconsin, but the Legislative Review Committee rejected it. It was legal to kill crows back then if they were doing or about to do damage. Since they were always perceived to be "about to do damage", many of us growing up in the 1950s understood them to be unprotected and fair game anytime. Apparently there wasn't much crow law enforcement in southern Wisconsin then because everyone I knew shot at crows with their .22 rimfires or shotguns. We seldom saw a warden and never were frowned on for shooting crows. Heck, I remember Remington promoting shooting hawks in their advertising of .22 ammo. We shot squirrels out of trees with .22 rimfires just like most other states where squirrels are hunted. We didn't use guns that shot large caliber projectiles while squirrel hunting. That would be inappropriate even today. No one was injured by anyone I knew while hunting anything.

I believe the crow season actually was adopted around 1995. I think it still includes provisions for shooting crows outside of the regular season season framework if they are causing "damage". The more I read about the subject, the more inclined I am to see what they taste like.

Times have changed. When I was in fifth grade, I brought my .22 rifle to "show & tell" at the public school I attended. (Town of 4000). No gun case, no chamber check. My parents knew, & school staff approved.

hillbill · « **Reply #23 on:** February 15, 2008, 03:19:00 PM »

yu still live in Wisconsin and pay the huge property tax they have there? you should be able to shoot whatever yu want and get away with it as a form tension release. would keep yu from shooting local officials id think.sell yur few acres in wis and move to MO like we did,no regulation on nuttin here in the big valley in sw mo.we have game wardens but ive only run afoul of 1 in the last 30 yrs and then i deserved it.yuall do have the best cheese tho, bring sum with yu when yu come.

jcn59 · « **Reply #24 on:** February 15, 2008, 04:49:53 PM »

You are absolutely right, Hillbill.

While we don't endorse shooting our misguided elected officials, I'd look the other way if a fine southerner walked into WI with a couple feather pillows and a bucket of tar....