I made my living killing crows (well almost)

[steve ypsi]

in 1955 I was always in the out doors shooting my .22 or fishing.I was 14 years old. I ran into a farmer who asked me if I could kill crows and I assured him I could (shot 2 crows in 2 years but didn't tell him this), he had a truck farm about a half mile from me, he asked me if I would kill crows near his melon and sweet corn patches as they were destroying a lot of his crops and he would pay me a dollar apiece for each crow, instantly I thought of all the shells and maybe even a new Steven's 311 double barrel that cost about $60.00 then. I also thought he wasn't to bright paying that much money per crow and envisioning my pockets full of dollar bills. I was later to learn that the farmer was a genius but this was 10 or 20 years after the deal was struck.
I started in late June, I was there at day break with my .22 hex barrel pump, I would see crows but they would always see me, I would get bored and go home and come back a couple of times a day. this went on for the next month's of July august , I would make blinds out of branches and other things, I spent a lot of time trying to out wit the dumb big black birds, every few weeks I would get a long shot that didn't have much chance of hitting one of them. the months rolled on and about the last part of august his crops were almost done I finally killed a crow on the way to the melon patch's, I felt guilty that I had shot it away from his property but still took it to him and he gladly gave me a dollar for it. soon after this I quit killings crows near his melon patch, I should say trying to kill crows.
To this day when ever crow comes up in any way I laugh out Loud,that Farmer didn't have a problem with crows all that summer and it cost him 1 dollar and I now realize he was a genius for hiring me at a dollar a crow, the crows saw me every day and didn't damage his crops that summer and it cost him one dollar.
Steve The almost millionaire crow Killer

[DZtaxidermy]

Too Funny!:p

[stevebrandle]

Dear Scarecrow,

Ya think he really knew how this would turn out? :rolleyes:

Thanks for the chuckle.

[Cap'nJon]

I feel for ya, I have been after a dozen or so crows that are around me here...I used to do the same thing...wait for them...after a box of good shells barking out of my 28" pump I figured I would just leave the gun outside along with my trusty marlin mod 60 .22 leaning against another tree...I saw and got more of the crows just going about my business around my x-mas tree farm than a week waiting for them all camo'ed out! I couldn't believe the audasity (sp) of them smart black bills...Now I chuckle when I see one flying around thinking he is safe, but like you say, we have to be educated by them first to really know the extent of just how smart they are...
When I walk around here now, with or without the trusty lead thrower's I call back at them, and I'll be dipped, they will turn around and come to me as if to see if I will challenge them...:confused: :eek: :D

[notmuchtime]

Just to ease your minds, crows have been scientifically proven to be the most intelligent birds on the planet.

[maxemus]

Too funny!! Now to try it out :D

[jdt]

what a great lesson that farmer bestowed upon you!
thanks for telling it,i am sending it to my kids&grandkids!

[steve ypsi]

TTT for the new members to read

[Sailor]

You'll have to add "Steve the Scarecrow" to your posts!

[steve ypsi]

You'll have to add "Steve the Scarecrow" to your posts!
Thats would be funny if it wasn't true. I was a live scare crow

[I'llbeoutside]

That gave me a good laugh :lol: . Sounds like easy money until you try. They overtake our feeders and suets this time of year. I shoot the pistol to scare them away but they are back as soon as i close the slider :bash: . The dog even gave up!!

[bigmike]

good stuff. Thanks;) :lol:

[victor mi pro bowhunter]

must of seemed bad not to make any money at the time but looking back now you probly had a lot of fun.wish someone would pay me to hunt even for a dollor ;)

great story thanks :lol:

[hunting man]

Lay out your deer skin and the bones after butchering your deer this fall. Add a couple crow decoys and a owl decoy on a post and shoot away.

I shoot just west a few miles from Ford Lake. Near US-23 and Michigan Ave

[Rondevous]

It's always a pleasure to read your short stories.

Thanks again

[Dedge]

Great story, ya know it is funny that when you are a kid adults don't seem to be too awful bright sometimes. And then it almost always turns out that they had a plan for you the whole time.

Dan

[steve ypsi]

its nearing mellon time so for the new members I am bumping this story that I first ran in 2002

[Tecumseh]

its nearing mellon time so for the new members I am bumping this story that I first ran in 2002

I'm glad you did. I missed it before. Nice story.

[deepwoods]

Great story. Once again showing the wisdom of youth.:lol:

[Nimrod1]

its nearing mellon time so for the new members I am bumping this story that I first ran in 2002 I read this last year, had to read it and laugh again this year! Thanks for the smiles Steve!

[mwp]

good story Steve!!!

[sullyxlh]

I'm glad you did. I missed it before. Nice story. :yeahthat: :) :)

[Ranger Ray]

Excellent story. :lol: :lol:

[A-plus]

When I read it last year, reminded me of my first 'job'. Back in '72 my grandfather had a small horse farm near Lansing and his neighbor ran a dairy operation. Just like now, I loved to hunt and shoot even though I was only 11 years old. They decided to offer me a dollar for each woodchuck I could kill in the pastures, provided there were never any holes found in buildings, vehicles, livestock or especially people. The kicker was that I had to bring them the woodchucks to prove the kill and I had to use a 22. Well, it did not take me long to figure out that if you did not make a solid hit to the brain or brain stem, the buggers would get back down in their holes and I was out a dollar. It did teach me to be a very cautious stalker and a careful shot with my grandfather's old 10/22 in those open pastures, a skill that still serves me well in the hunting fields to this day. I did not get rich, but did make considerably more than one dollar, enough to buy myself a milk shake at the local diner periodically anyway, man them shakes were good!

[steve ypsi]

Thats would be funny if it wasn't true. I was a live scare crow
for the new members I am bumping this

[Gunslingergirl]

That's a funny story and a good lesson.

GSG

[milmo1]

Great story, fun read. Reminds me of the lessons on the back of Ray's potato chips. ;)

[CL-Lewiston]

When ever anyone call it a scarecrow I suggest it should be LAUGHcrow.
I suspect more crows laugh than are scared.

[Bayboat]

never had much luck as a kid either. Brought back good times. Me and the crows - 22 long. They always seemed to be a long way away. :lol:

[SNAREMAN]

LMAO:lol: That made my day!!!THANX

[Snocross418]

LMAO now that's funny I don't care who you are!:lol:

[saginawbowhunter]

Ypsi, your stories are always good. You should write a book.
Thanks for the great stories.

[mhodnettjr]

Ypsi, your stories are always good. You should write a book.
Thanks for the great stories.

I would buy one

[wcalcaterra]

It is stories like that the build a life time of character.

[ArmyHunter]

:lol: Too funny! A whole alot of wisdom in that story! Thanks.