So you want to hunt Crows - newest regs - Oh my....

50 CFR 21.43 link
Federal Register Nov 2014 link


I don't see the "nuisance" wording anymore and the to protect "wildlife" has been changed to endangered, threatened, or candidate species.

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§21.43 Depredation order for blackbirds, cowbirds, crows, grackles, and magpies.

(a) Species covered.

(species list - see link)

(b) Conditions under which control is allowed by private citizens. You do not need a Federal permit to control the species listed in paragraph (a) of this section in the following circumstances:

(1) Where they are causing serious injuries to agricultural or horticultural crops or to livestock feed;

(2) When they cause a health hazard or structural property damage;

(3) To protect a species recognized by the Federal Government as an endangered, threatened, or candidate species in any county in which it occurs, as shown in the Service's Environmental Conservation Online System (http://ecos.fws.gov);

(4) To protect a species recognized by the Federal Government as an endangered or threatened species in designated critical habitat for the species; or

(5) To protect a species recognized by a State or Tribe as endangered, threatened, candidate, or of special concern if the control takes place within that State or on the lands of that tribe, respectively.

And there is more. Some was there before, some has changed. The non toxic for Crows was added a couple years ago I think, but the must attempt to control by nonlethal first is new.

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(6) Each calendar year, you must attempt to control depredation by species listed under this depredation order using nonlethal methods before you may use lethal control. Nonlethal control methods can include such measures as netting and flagging, the use of trained raptors, propane cannons, and recordings.

(d) Ammunition. In most cases, if you use a firearm to kill migratory birds under the provisions of this section, you must use nontoxic shot or nontoxic bullets to do so. See §20.21(j) of this chapter for a listing of approved nontoxic shot types. However, this prohibition does not apply if you use an air rifle or an air pistol for control of depredating birds.

(e) Access to control efforts. If you exercise any of the privileges granted by this section, you must allow any Federal, State, tribal, or territorial wildlife law enforcement officer unrestricted access at all reasonable times (including during actual operations) over the premises on which you are conducting the control. You must furnish the officer whatever information he or she may require about your control operations.

(h) Disposition of birds and parts. You may not sell, or offer to sell, any bird, or any part thereof, killed under this section, but you may possess, transport, and otherwise dispose of the bird or its parts, including transferring them to authorized research or educational institutions. If not transferred, the bird and its parts must either be burned, or buried at least 1 mile from the nesting area of any migratory bird species recognized by the Federal Government, the State, or a Tribe as an endangered or threatened species.

And then there is the reporting requirement. Crow hunting in Texas as of Dec 2014 just became very difficult if you do it legal by Federal Law.

Here is your form, which includes the number of birds taken, what months, state and county, and purpose taken such as for protection of agriculture, human health, property, etc.

http://www.fws.gov/forms/3-202-21-2143.docx

(i) Annual report. Any person, business, organization, or government official acting under this depredation order must provide an annual report using FWS Form 3-202-21-2143 to the appropriate Regional Migratory Bird Permit Office. The addresses for the Regional Migratory Bird Permit Offices are provided at 50 CFR 2.2, and are on the form. The report is due by January 31st of the following year and must include the information requested on the form.

They gonna add crowhunting to the taxcode now?

Good grief, less paperwork filing my taxes.

So, sniper, u say you cannot use lead on them bastards?

You know, all this non toxic load is an attempt to end up with dove
Lets start with crow and accustom people to it

Ridiculous. My metrogun is useless now on them crow

Crow are no good to notin

Nothin!!!

Oh grackles too?
Whats next, pigeons?

This state has become way too democratic

In most cases you must use lead


ooooooooooo


Ok

Show me te other cases

If by depredation order, then it must be non tox. Been that way for a while. A lot of state regs have not caught up to it and some possibly never will such as it is with the federal vs state definition of possession of migratory birds. If it is within a Crow hunting season, then lead is allowed unless the respective state law or regulation does not allow it.

Oklahoma changed their wording about it outside of their Crow season.
"Federally approved nontoxic shot must be used when taking crows under depredation order."
http://www.eregulations.com/oklahoma/hunting/migratory-game-bird-regulations/

Ok, so i guess im still good tillthe next government
But u have to fill up that paperwork for crows and grackles

It's Federal Ivan, not State. Crows actually fall under the migratory bird treaty act. Federal law supersedes State. So what is in State regulation related to Crows generally come from Federal law. Whatever they include in the Texas outdoor annual is a summary of both and not the actual laws or regulations word for word. Which is normal for these birds and rarely if ever up to date on the State level and I have never heard of it being enforced either. But a Federal GW having a bad day could certainly cite someone if they did not go through the steps and reporting requirements.

If your hunting Crows in Oklahoma during Oklahoma's Crow hunting season then you can use lead.
If your hunting Crows in Oklahoma outside of Oklahoma's Crow Season, it can only be by depredation order, you can't use lead.
If your hunting Crows in Texas where there is no season, it can only be by depredation order, you can't use lead.

Some people have posted replys from USFW that the Federal interpretation does not consider calls and decoys to be allowed if hunting by depredation order and would only be allowed during an actual season. The reason being that your not protecting anything if your attracting them.

Oklahoma and Louisiana both have a Crow season. Maybe it is time Texas had one. Might be worth some research if someone wanted to see what it takes to get it on the TPWD Commission's docket to discuss. Imagine the fight we would get from the Peta types. Unfortunately I think that window of opportunity was missed long ago.

Last time I went outside I didn't notice a lack of crows.
Never targeted them, but like to pop a few here and there on a slow duck hunt.

So how many of you will continue to hunt crows here in TX? Great off season fun!

Wow.

There was a crow in my back yard this afternoon. First one ever!

I don't have a good private place to hunt them in Texas and it has never been legal to hunt them on public here, so with these rule changes I probably will not bother with them in Texas anymore even though I doubt these Federal rules are going to be enforced by TX GWs. I do try to hunt them in OK every year where there are lots of public areas I can utilize. I had planned on hunting them in Oklahoma today, but my truck was in the shop for front end work yesterday and they had to keep it overnight. Season ends tomorrow and I have to work. Kind of been my luck this whole hunting season. If it's not one thing it's another. So my hunting season for anything that has feathers on it is officially over as of today.

I have two places that I normally "hunt" them a time or two throughout the year. Both private.

Im speechless

Wow... These are nasty rule s! For example we have tons ands tons of geese. Before a hunt we need to fill in forms, email our GW and report back to to state. Sometime s we can use anything we want on them due to airport safety but most of the times we can shoot them only under strict regulations. Now I was at my friends place in Tx a few weeks ago and surprised by the freedom of hunting but this shows a complete new view on the situation... Crows are predators and feed also on some young birds and eggs. Don t you have a singing bird to protect and create an opening on hunting those black devils?
In Holland THAT is the main reason why we can hunt them all year.

I think we need a open season cormorants, way more of a nuisance.

I agree. We need a hunt like South Carolina last year where hunters killed over 11,000 in one month.
http://www.thestate.com/2014/04/04/3368510/exclusive-sc-hunters-kill-more.html

Just reading those comments at the section at the bottom made me laugh. I read a research about them saying they eat up to 2 pounds of fish a day. That's pretty crazy for one bird

And crows destroy duck eggs, like mucho

One time I was fishing a tournament and watching cormorants were diving down and bringing up crappie from pretty deep. The big ones they couldn't haul off but the fish had distended bladders and were screwed. I got a nice fish fry out of it but it was an eye opener just how detrimental to the fish population they are.

For those of u that own property get your nusance license.

in Texas?

Yep, local ducks do lay eggs in texas

Well maybe it's the language barrier but when you say mucho I think grande and resident ducks aren't grande in the great scheme of things and on top of that I question the fact that crows are at the top of the list of raiding duck eggs.

I get it, you like to shoot crows. I'm fine with that. I like to shoot stuff also.

There are bunches of crows and ravens up north eating migratory duck eggs as well. MUCHO EGGS

Interesting article:
http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/birds/depred/crow.htm

beaversnipe is in the lead as we await hayraker's rebuttal

Well go up north and hunt beav. Sniper clearly stated they have crow season up there. I asked about Texas. You said mucho.
I disputed you.
You switched the convo to up north.

It was the old bait and switch

Crows are evil pecan thieves and need to die.

I agree. That's the argument beavo should have chosen

This argument first came up back in mid 70's if I remember correctly, guess it is back to roost.

Team Digweed vs. Beaversnipe

Bring it!