# Hunter-Farmer relations



## snowflake (Apr 2, 2004)

Just an idea I had sitting around talking to some of the N.D. relatives this week :idea: .As blackbirds are so destructive to their grain crops,why not go out and offer to blast a few for these guys.It would be good practice and be doing a service for the people who grow the crops that feed the birds you guys shoot out there  I'm sure the effort would be appreciated :thumb:


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## buckseye (Dec 8, 2003)

They are a migratory bird and are protected......but you are sure welcome to come over and blast all of them you want.


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

You're right Buckseye...they are the national bird of Mexico.So you have to be carefull about just going out and shooting some.


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## goose_killer90 (Jan 16, 2004)

They are a songbird arent they :-?? i dont know who thought it sounds like they are singing but they sure are annoying.


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## swift (Jun 4, 2004)

Shooting blackbirds is legal. Because of depredation. Shooting sparrows is legal because they are not native they were imported from england.

if you have any questions email the G&F they will respond back quickly.


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## snowflake (Apr 2, 2004)

Thanks Swift for the info.I knew this already but coming from me it probably would have been met with the usual b.s. comments,like the ones preceeding your post  :eyeroll:


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## GooseBuster3 (Mar 1, 2002)

Snowflake who will let you even shoot blackbirds? :lol:


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## snowflake (Apr 2, 2004)

GB,I have a few choice places to hunt them,but I'm not posting them here,everybody will know then  You just have to do your own scouting,and put on alot of miles to find 'em.I don't know if there are any special regs. for nr hunters,or limits,or if res hunters get the first crack at 'em or whatever.Any info would help :eyeroll: Also does anyone know the best decoys to use for this species?I have some really nice flocked ones I made just for this year,I hope the flocking makes a difference :wink: I've never hunted them before,and am looking foreward to it.Maybe I'll see you out there,just look for the big green Ford with the bed full of blackbirds,surrounded by decoys,and 50 of my buds,all doin' the farmers a favor 8)


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## gandergrinder (Mar 10, 2002)

I thought that only the landowner could shoot the blackbirds if they were eating the sunflowers. I don't think having other people shoot them is legal. I would check before I did it.


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## BigDaddy (Mar 4, 2002)

I was thinking the same thing as gander. Unless a species is deemed "unprotected", it is illegal to shoot animals without an open season on them. Blackbirds are also a migratory species, so this might add additional complications.

I know that landowners can kill nuisance species, but I don't know about others. Maybe the landowner can give other people permission, but I don't know. Maybe somebody can shed some light.


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## dkerbaug (Jun 6, 2004)

What a trip to read this post. What kind of Blackbird are we talking about here? I'm curious if Blackbird here includes what I know as the Grackle?

I've been blasting this nusiance bird for 3 years. There as so many of these birds around that I can stand outside in a 30 mph ND wind and hear the flocks of them take refuge in the trees in my yard.

I have no vehicle or building that is not splattered by the waste of these birds. They will clean out a 50 pound bag of sunflower seeds from my bird feeder in a 24 hour day and put the woop on any of the pretty birds that come around.

Never in my wildest dreams would I have considered this nusiance bird off limits? Sure hope I don't have to change my strategy, they aren't concerned about scarecrows!


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## buckseye (Dec 8, 2003)

swift wrote



> Shooting blackbirds is legal. Because of depredation


you must have permission from G&F to depradate anything whether you own the land or not.... but swift you are excused from the law and may shoot 1000 blackbirds a day. 8)


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## RWHONKER (Dec 22, 2003)

In Minnesota you have to be the landowner and they have to be a nuisance. You also have to prove they are a nuisance or it is illegal. I am guessing North Dakota has close to the same law.


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

As I said above the states don't really have anything to say about them unless they are causing depredation...They are protected under the migratory bird laws because they are the national bird of Mexicur treaties regarding them include Mexico,Canada and the US.

I believe we are talking about Redwings and Yellow Heads.
Not Grackles and Starlings.


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie...... :lol:


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## Leo Porcello (Jul 10, 2003)

I know in CT they post in the regs that there is no closed season and no limit on English sparrows, pigeons, and grackles. Did not see anything in the ND regs though.


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## Rem700 (Jul 31, 2003)

Shoot away snowflake!!! In the ND century codes blackbirds aswell as magpies, English sparrows and starlings are described as "Harmful Wild Birds". Under century code 20.1-04-13 it says. "When harmful wild birds may be killed. Any person may kill any harmful wild bird in this state during daylight hours." But keep this secret or we'll have NR swarming our wonderful state all summer to get in on this untapped resource. SHHHHHHHHH.


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## snowflake (Apr 2, 2004)

REM,I am a nr-now the word is out  N.D. will be swarmed w/nr's in no time just to shoot 'em as we don't have many left here!!!I think the geese have crowded them out so they moved over your way :wink: Well I'd better get the 7mm sighted-in so I can snipe 'em off if they don't come into my new 'flocked' decoys.If they do,I'll use the old trusty 10ga. s/s w/#9lead if lead is legal.Any info there will help.Also is there a limit?Who makes the best call for them?


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## Maverick (Mar 4, 2002)

REM is 100% correct on this. They are legal to shoot. It's been in the century code for awhile.


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## cootkiller (Oct 23, 2002)

Yup Yup,
Something, that if you were in touch with farming in any sense of the word, you would have known already.
DUH!

I think I got my very first triple black bird shooting, I also got my first quadruple and quintuple, God bless flock shooting. :lol:

cootkiller


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## PSDC (Jul 17, 2003)

Ken W,

Sorry but you are wrong, the national bird of Mexico 
is the crested caracara.


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## buckseye (Dec 8, 2003)

Well I'll tell ya what if you are talking red wing blackbirds we have to get permission from G&F to depradate them....the G&f chase them with airplanes and also furnish shells to shoot them..but you do need their permission to shoot blackbirds. A grackle is a bird that is black so is a crow but neither are blackbirds. 8)


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## buckseye (Dec 8, 2003)

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

A Federal permit shall not be required to control yellow-headed red-winged, bi-colored red-winged, tri-colored red-winged, Rusty and Brewer's blackbirds, cowbirds, all grackles, crows, and magpies, when found committing or about to commit depredations upon ornamental or shade trees, agricultural crops, livestock, or wildlife, or when concentrated in such numbers and manner as to constitute a health hazard or other nuisance; Provided: 
(a) That none of the birds killed pursuant to this section, nor their plumage, shall be sold or offered for sale, but may be possessed, transported, and otherwise disposed of or utilized. 
(b) That any person exercising any of the privileges granted by this section shall permit at all reasonable times including during actual operations, any Federal or State game or deputy game agent, warden, protector, or other game law enforcement officer free and unrestricted access over the premises on which such operations have been or are being conducted; and shall furnish promptly to such officer whatever information he may require, concerning said operations.

(c) That nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize the killing of such birds contrary to any State laws or regulations; and that none of the privileges granted under this section shall be exercised unless the person possesses whatever permit as may be required for such activities by the State concerned.

[39 FR 1178, Jan. 4, 1974, as amended at 42 FR 17122, Mar. 31, 1977]


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

Thanks...I could have sworn I was told that years ago.


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

Well as long as your going to hunt them you might as well eat em too :lol: 
Bayou Blackbird Jambalaya
RecipeView.com
Yield: 6 Servings Preparation Time: 0000

30 Blackbirds, cleaned Freshly-ground black pepper, to 
1 1/2 LB Pork sausage -taste 
1 large Onion, chopped 4 cups Water 
1 large Green pepper, chopped 2 cups Raw rice 
1 cup celery, Chopped 1 Tbl green onion tops, Chopped 
Salt, to taste 1 Tbl parsley, Minced

Brown birds and sausage in a Dutch oven; cook until birds are tender. Add onion, green pepper, and celery, and cook until onion browns slightly. Add salt and pepper to taste, then the water. Bring to a boil and add rice; be sure there is sufficient liquid to cook rice. Cover tightly and cook for about 40 minutes. Just before serving stir in onion tops and parsley. 
This recipe yields 6 servings.

Recipe Source: 
THE HUNTER'S GAME COOKBOOK by Jacqueline E. Knight (c) 1978 
Published by Winchester Press, New York, NY


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## Scraper (Apr 1, 2002)

We used to have a farmer that would give us shells if we would walk through his sunflower fields and shoot the doves and blackbirds out of them. big fun


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## TANATA (Oct 31, 2003)

I'll be blasting some at my grandpa's farm pretty soon. Does anyone really care if there is a few less of those things.


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