War on Ravens

[tamarack]

Had a heifer calve out a set of twins today and before I found them the ravens had pecked one up so bad I had to shoot it. They had an eye gone and navel opened up, but I thought I could save it sew up navel, and it could live with one eye. Dryed it off in house and went to give it a shot of milk and the tongue was completely gone so I had no choice but to put it down. Got 2 ravens today with trusty .17 it will be going with me everywhere now on.

 

[branguscowgirl]

That's terrible! I would want to shoot them all also.

 

[Supa Dexta]

Been fighting them here too.. well crows. Had them kill a calf last year, and after a long winter here they've just showed up around the cows and they aren't welcome. Hanging a dead one isn't even working as they sit right next to it in the tree. 22-250 lets me 'sneak up on em' though.

Noisy crows attract eagles here, which makes it even worse.

 

[tamarack]

Been raining heavy last night and today, I haven't seen a raven all day maybe they got the message or they don't like the rain. No calves today but think one is getting ready. Time to go check. Hope all is going well with all. Tamarack

 

[Deepsouth]

We don't have ravens here but I was hunting out in Colorado and we killed a mule deer and field dressed it. We drug the carcass under some thick bushes to get it out of the sun. Went to get the truck. Got back in less than 45 minutes and there was nothing left of that gut pile but the grass that was in the stomach. The ravens and magpies eat it all up as quick as anything I've ever seen. I could see were they would be bad on a new born calf. Hope you don't lose any more.
Supa Dexta, I've never heard of crows attacking calves. You must have a different kind of crow than we do.

 

[retro]

WOW i never heard of that before . But I could belive it , that would PO me too . Would you like me to build you a Stealth raven fighter Drone ? I could equip it with some feather seeking missiles.. and a bird shot roto cannon.can set it up with inferred for night missions

 

[dun]

Ravens aren;t just oversized black crows. Given the opportunity they are meat eating scavangers. Used to know a woman that cleaned skulls for doing some weird kind of art work. She would skin the head and put it on fkat platform she had in her back yard. The ravens would clean every shred of meat off of the skulls.

 

[Nesikep]

We have a pair of 'pet' ravens here, never had an ounce of problem with them, they just go after the afterbirth, when the cows don't chase them off... I think the fact that they are a pair, and not a flock makes a big difference.. I hate the hoards of crows that come around here, they cause problems in other crops when they eat all the seedlings.

Generally, masses of anything aren't good, while having a couple of anything usually doesn't hurt.. as long as these 2 ravens behave, they're very interesting company.. they don't even touch our cherries!

 

[Supa Dexta]

Not sure, just a regular crow as far as I know. Have seen the bigger ravens out west. But around here they flock up by the hundreds if not 1000s at times. Fall usually I see that, after corn harvest. The sky will be black with them, and they make a ton of noise all day long.

edit - found a video of what its like https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhVdcjyKdSU

As for bothering the cattle, most calves have been healthy and up quickly so far this year and their mothers aggressive - so the crows stay back. But last year one of my quiet cows dropped a calf, and I found it soon after, naval and eyes completely gone. Only thing around was crows, I think they started attacking it right from the delivery. Perhaps it was stuck for a bit, or dead being born. But I have my doubts. Ill shoot one any chance I get. As soon as 1 starts squawking a dozen more are right there.

Theres a reason a flock of crows is called a murder