Who's going snow goose hunting?

[mr wizard]

Anybody going to Kansas Nebraska or SD? I see some reports of flocks starting to move into Missouri.

[ironman]

I would love to have a bird shoot in the spring. Lacking any snow decoys whatsoever, I'll be living vicariously through others on this site. I need more geese, just finished up the last of it on the grill just this afternoon. Delicious! Sept is a long wait. I dont suppose there is any kind of pass shooting of these white feathered friends?

[sdstatekid]

There are plenty of pass and jump shooting oportunities for snow geese. For lots of the people I know, that is all they do. You may have to drive around quite a bit to find them though. I will probably end up pass shooting most of the time this spring and mix in a couple decoy hunts.

[IceHawk]

I definately will be chaseing snows this spring. SD is my state of choice. There are some geese already stageing in Nebraska and Missouri with more to come soon. Things will come earlier this year unless we get a major storm.

As far as pass shooting I prefer to decoy but there are opportunitys to pass shoot. With pass shooting you will have your best success getting between 2 feeding flocks. Snow geese jump from field to field alot while feeding and by putting yourself in the middle between flocks you will find good shooting.

[ironman]

So, now you've really peaked my interest. The plan would be what? Drive around scoping feilds, see some geese, get premission(the hardest part), stalk up to or between two flock if available and hope for the best? How long to snows stick around...would it be worth setting up an ambush in a field they were in the previous day or do they just move on?

[mr wizard]

For pass shooting you want too get between two feeding flocks and pass shoot but you want to be far enough away that the birds don't spook from the shooting. I used a blind on top of a small sled and would lay on my back and push with my legs too get within about 500 yards of the flock. This worked best when the ground is froze. Once the thaw set in the sled became a plow. I did this the first 3 trips and we killed geese but you waste alot of shells as the shots are usually long. Jump shooting - I'm not a fan of this. Do you like crawling thru 8"deep or more of MUD for 400-500-600 yards? Not fun. I did it last year with some locals but won't ever do it again. We snuck up on 5000 sitting on a roost. When we were about 40 yards away we stood up and started walking towards the flock. They get up - you unload on 'em. 30 fell into the water. Their were ALOT of cripples. We sent the dogs too get the dead ones (20) but their was no way the dogs are gonna catch the other ten. What a waste. It also makes all the field hunters around you very unhappy when you bust the roost they just set-up on. Set-up usually takes hours to set plus the scouting they did to find the birds. Pass shooting is the lesser evil. I know jump shooting is legal but it usually affects more people than the shooters. Try to get hooked up with someone with dekes. I don't have a large spread, 400, but I would be happy to add them in someone's trailer and ride along. I will be going 4-5 times and I usually camp when I go.

[wooduck26]

Quote:

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It also makes all the field hunters around you very unhappy when you bust the roost they just set-up on.

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You should put that in CAPITAL letters.

[superfish2]

Well I also throw my name in the hat as looking to hook up someone going. I have a flexible schedule and will go to SW MN, SD, ND. I don't have any decs but am more then willing to help out with gas, food, hotels, ect or drive.

[ironman]

I'm hesitant to get into this..do I really need another addiction? Or can I just clump this in with my existing waterfowling affliction? I would love a chance to tag along with others. What are the license requirements for SD amd ND?

[mr wizard]

The SD and ND conservation permits are $50 for non-res and $25 for youth non-res with no federal or state stamp required.

[Flick]

I'll be goin every weekend and possibly during the week from mid-march through April, it's gonna be a fun spring.....i need to start stock piling shells.

[wooduck26]

I plan on doing about 8 3-day weekends.........possibly a mid-week thru weekend trip as well......

[ironman]

Too lazy right now to look them up myself so what are the MN regs?

[jblabsnduck]

Those spring snow geese tatse just like prime rib if you cook them on the grill to medium rare.

Our fisrt trip is going to be the last weekend in Feb. weather and birds permiting. It is going to be a four day trip.

We will be going to SD at least 3 or 4 times.

We will be putting out close to 1000 decoys, rags, wind socks, silos, magnets, shells,full bodies and two e-callers.

If you have never been under a tornado of snows I HIGHLY recommend it, you will never be the same again.

We are always looking to take people with us if we have the room.

P.S please don't shoot the roost we are hunting, it realy does Peeve people off that set out all them decoys just to have someone ruin it in less than 10 seconds.

[catmaster1557]

Snow goose hunting is something I really want to experience. Just don't have any gear or anywhere to go, but hopefully someday I'll make it out.

[superfish2]

jblabsnduck

If you have room and are willing, put me on the list to tag along.

[jblabsnduck]

superfish2, I think we talked about doing this last year if I remeber right???????

Hit my e-mail [email protected]

or send me yours.

We have one spot open for our first trip.

[Sartell Angler]

hoping to assemble a group and head out to SD for a long weekend in early March...have no snowgoose decoys but will bring plenty of shells with the hope of bagging my first SOB ever.

How long until dove season??

[superfish2]

jblabsnduck,

Yes we did try doing this last year. I'll shoot you an email.

[NEANGLER]

Gotta love the snow geese, they are just starting to show up here in southern NE now as some buddies have had luck decoying some small flocks. We have a lot less water than last year so it will concentrate alot of birds. If you never have done it, it is worth the trip to give it a try. The hunting is a split of decoying and jump shooting. It tends to get hard to decoy them when we have low water years as the flocks will get up to 75,000 - 100,000 and your 1,000 decoys do not interest them. Last year I think we ended up taking a little over 350 with the best day was 87 - lots of cleaning to do and jerky to make. But as the season get towards the end of the migration that can be some of the best decoying as that is when the juvies show up - much easier to decoy. if you get a chance come down and give it a try - there is qutie a bit of public land to hunt in the rainwater basin where they stage but you can only hunt on Wed, thurs, sat. sun. Oh I almost forgot the main reason to come - the lovely neck bands these birds like to have around their neck like a target on there back. You have never seen guys go nuts when they see a neck band decoying!

[TeamStraightMeat]

We saw some snows yesterday while we were out hunting. We were in Southwestern Minnesota...another week and i'll be going after them I think...it's only a few days away.

[jblabsnduck]

You might want to wait till March 1st if you are going to hunt them here in MN.

March 1st is the opener.

[wackyduck]

no, i am going to sasckatewean, in the fall for snows it is unrell, has anyone else been there before????????

[superfish2]

Sounds like first groups are starting to show up in along the NE/SD border with big groups starting to appear in the rainwater basins of NE.

[jeff127]

I am heading to Missouri tomorrow for 2 days of hunting I will post results after I get back.

jeff