:( Ravens :(

[ChickensInTheNorthWoods]

Quote:
In Ct they are considered a migratory bird and you are only allowed to shoot them during certain times of the year. I would double check you local game laws before you start shooting them.

 

[moondancer]

Check out

http://www.birdstoppers.com/site/439038/page/602546

, for a positive ID, you can even listen to the call! There is a list of non-lethal controls there.

 

[amazondoc]

Quote:
Here's a few ideas, in no particular order --

1. keep your chickens in a SECURE coop and pen. This means hardware cloth or 1/2" x 1" welded wire, NOT chicken wire.

2. bird netting over larger ranging areas.

3. air horns, pistols loaded with blanks, fire-crackers, or other loud noisemakers, especially when used around roosting sites near dusk

4. bird-proof trash receptacles

5. bird-repellant feed additives

6. various commercial bird repelling devices using either visual or sound stimuli, as for instance found here:

http://www.birdstoppers.com/site/439038/page/602546

and here:

http://www.pestproducts.com/crows.htm

 

[amazondoc]

Quote:
Again --

Ravens are FEDERALLY protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. It is a Federal offense to kill ravens, unless you have already obtained a depredation permit. In order to obtain a depredation permit, you must first show that you have already tried non-lethal methods of control.

 

[ChickensInTheNorthWoods]

Quote:
Again --

Ravens are FEDERALLY protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. It is a Federal offense to kill ravens, unless you have already obtained a depredation permit. In order to obtain a depredation permit, you must first show that you have already tried non-lethal methods of control.

I am not suggesting that you don't need a permit but the Migratory Bird Treaty Act covers lots of birds - many which have open hunting seasons - I hunt geese, ducks, crows etc... all listed in the above mentioned Act and I do so legally. That is why I suggested checking the local game laws.

When you hunt crows in their 'open seasons" here in CT all that is required is a state issued hunting license no other permits. Now if we could just get them to open a season on Sea Gulls (a.k.a. - Dump Ducks!)

Edited to add In CT

 

[amazondoc]

Quote:
Ohhhhh.

I looked this up after your post. Interestingly, you don't even need a permit to shoot crows in the act of depredation. In fact, crows have specific federal regulations to cover depredation and hunting --

http://www.crowbusters.com/begart5.htm

 

[WalkingWolf]

Quote:
Ohhhhh.

I looked this up after your post. Interestingly, you don't even need a permit to shoot crows in the act of depredation. In fact, crows have specific federal regulations to cover depredation and hunting --

http://www.crowbusters.com/begart5.htm

I didn't want to get into a big debate so I did not push it. But I started my career as a conservation officer, Ravens or crows were considered a non issue. They are a pest to farmers, and they always have been allowed to protect their investment. Actually even outside of the migratory bird act ALL wild animals are protected to a extent. There is regulations in most states that even cover varmints though there wording IS to allow their removal by hunting.

 

[ChickensInTheNorthWoods]

No Debate just fellow BYC members sharing information!

 

[amazondoc]

Quote:
Well....ravens and crows aren't the same thing. The CFR sections dealing with depredation specifically address crows, magpies, grackles, and two species of blackbirds -- but not ravens. I'd be interested in knowing whether the regulations intended to include ALL members of the genus Corvus under "crow", but I couldn't find any specific definitions. Since ravens are definitely NOT included under "crow" in the migratory bird treaty, I suspect not -- but I dunno.

ETA -- sorry, that should have said FOUR specific species of blackbirds -- not two.

Here's the federal regs regarding control of depredating birds. Note how specific they are about the species covered in the regs -- Steller's jays and double-crested cormorants, for example, but not other jays or other cormorants, and so on. Ravens aren't mentioned.

http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/tex...text&node=50:6.0.1.1.4&idno=50#50:6.0.1.1.4.4

 

[WalkingWolf]

Quote:
Well....ravens and crows aren't the same thing. The CFR sections dealing with depredation specifically address crows, magpies, grackles, and two species of blackbirds -- but not ravens. I'd be interested in knowing whether the regulations intended to include ALL members of the genus Corvus under "crow", but I couldn't find any specific definitions. Since ravens are definitely NOT included under "crow" in the migratory bird treaty, I suspect not -- but I dunno.

We just never bothered worrying about it, we never investigated and it was just never reported and not a priority. The migratory act is not just covering the US it affects all countries involved, so what is a priority in one is not in another. A little dab of common sense goes along way. And sometimes not. When I lived in the keys we had a rat problem in the marina. I lost count of how many we killed in a week trying to eradicate the problem. A young over zealous lady from NOAA threw a fit threatening to have us arrested when she saw the five gallon buckets of dead rats. It seems there are laws to protect rats in the federal government. The federal magistrate laughed really hard, and in private we could hear him yelling at her. Again a little common sense goes a lonnnnnggg way.