FLEMING - Although LaFayette resident Jim Booth usually has no problem tracking down a deer or turkey to shoot, he underestimated just how wily the crow can be - at least when it is not roosting in the city.
Camillus's Rick Camken, top, takes a deep breath while LaFayette resident Jim Booth looks for approaching crows in a wooded area in Fleming near Owasco Lake during the second annual Auburn crow hunt. The hunt began Saturday and continues through this afternoon. Matthew Hinton / Staff Photographer
"They are smart," Booth said Saturday after shooting numerous times, but failing to make a solid connection with any crow on the first morning of Auburn's second annual crow shoot competition.
The controversial crow hunt continues today as nearly 200 hunters vie for cash prizes.
During last year's tournament, 348 of the birds were killed during the two-day event - not nearly enough to make any kind of dent in the thousands that live at different locations within city limits.
One crow hunt protester made their opinion known about the day.
A vandal spray-painted the word "Killers" on City Hall and left pieces of bagels on the building's steps, Mayor Timothy Lattimore said.
An organized group of crow hunt protesters plan to hold a demonstration in the city today.
Joining Booth on one of dozens of hunting teams were Pat Nervina of Auburn, Rick Camken of Camillus and Deb Feeley of Fleming.
Siblings Feeley and Camken have been hunting together since they were children in Syracuse. As of the lunch hour, Feeley was the only team member to have bagged a crow.
"They have their own migration path," Camken said. "They're almost like geese."
For this team Saturday, that migration path generally meant the birds were flying too high for the hunters to get enough of their 12-gauge buckshot into the birds to bring them down.
The hunters shot, but just about every time the birds turned around and flew away.
For Booth, a Syracuse University graduate, getting out into the woods in the deep snow and cold before dawn serves an important purpose.
"If nothing else, we get some exercise today," he said. "It gives (hunters) a break from the rat race. There's nothing better."
The team's first hunting spot was at a private location on Sand Beach Road near Owasco Lake. It was soon after seeing the first crow that the hunters, like years past, realized the black-colored birds are really difficult to bring down.
Booth was using a crow call to no avail.
Before Nervina left the group at 8:30 a.m., he came up with a few theories on why the team wasn't bringing home any crows.
"The wind is pushing them," he said. "You got to lead them by 10 feet. You got to get them a little bit lower."
At about 8 a.m., the crows stopped flying over the Sand Beach Road property, so the team decided to hunt about four miles south of Auburn off Route 38.
"I think the flight's over for here gentleman - let's head back to the house and regroup," Booth told team members. "I'll tell you what, we've got to start doing some better shooting. Getting the right set-up is key."
By about 11 a.m., the temperatures were below freezing and the gusty winds were blowing snow in the fields near Owasco Lake.
The four teammates were already planning to get back out this morning.
The controversial crow hunt continues today as nearly 200 hunters vie for cash prizes.
During last year's tournament, 348 of the birds were killed during the two-day event - not nearly enough to make any kind of dent in the thousands that live at different locations within city limits.
One crow hunt protester made their opinion known about the day.
A vandal spray-painted the word "Killers" on City Hall and left pieces of bagels on the building's steps, Mayor Timothy Lattimore said.
An organized group of crow hunt protesters plan to hold a demonstration in the city today.
Joining Booth on one of dozens of hunting teams were Pat Nervina of Auburn, Rick Camken of Camillus and Deb Feeley of Fleming.
Siblings Feeley and Camken have been hunting together since they were children in Syracuse. As of the lunch hour, Feeley was the only team member to have bagged a crow.
"They have their own migration path," Camken said. "They're almost like geese."
For this team Saturday, that migration path generally meant the birds were flying too high for the hunters to get enough of their 12-gauge buckshot into the birds to bring them down.
The hunters shot, but just about every time the birds turned around and flew away.
For Booth, a Syracuse University graduate, getting out into the woods in the deep snow and cold before dawn serves an important purpose.
"If nothing else, we get some exercise today," he said. "It gives (hunters) a break from the rat race. There's nothing better."
The team's first hunting spot was at a private location on Sand Beach Road near Owasco Lake. It was soon after seeing the first crow that the hunters, like years past, realized the black-colored birds are really difficult to bring down.
Booth was using a crow call to no avail.
Before Nervina left the group at 8:30 a.m., he came up with a few theories on why the team wasn't bringing home any crows.
"The wind is pushing them," he said. "You got to lead them by 10 feet. You got to get them a little bit lower."
At about 8 a.m., the crows stopped flying over the Sand Beach Road property, so the team decided to hunt about four miles south of Auburn off Route 38.
"I think the flight's over for here gentleman - let's head back to the house and regroup," Booth told team members. "I'll tell you what, we've got to start doing some better shooting. Getting the right set-up is key."
By about 11 a.m., the temperatures were below freezing and the gusty winds were blowing snow in the fields near Owasco Lake.
The four teammates were already planning to get back out this morning.
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