Anyone going snow goose hunting???

[snow]

Well I would'nt say "guides are a rip" for guys that want to check it out (the hunt) or go once a year for just a couple of days,do it youself you'll need a "layout blind" of sort and then the most important "location",location is most important,then once you get that nailed down "land access"

Just a few thoughts. 

[HUNTER2]

Well, it sounded like they were hunting that field for at least a week. They were hoping to spend the rest of the season there. They said they shot 53 birds the day before. The other guy I was with said he wants to try another guide closer to the front of the migration next year. I said invest in our own decoys. I already have a fox pro caller and we both have latout blinds.

[snow]

I suggest if you guys want a "do-iy-yourself hunt" just a couple hundred dekes can work if you find the right location.If you only have the one caller buy the external speaker from fox pro,this will maximize your volume,plugs right into the charging port.

Also,I'm guessing the reason your guide wanted to stay is he knew the juvies were coming and he felt he had a good location,most likely they shot the front of the migration the week before (adult birds),the juvies decoy alot easier than the adult's,they won't mate this spring so no hurry to get north  Keep this in mind if you do it on your own next year.

PS~ remember "movement' in the spread is the key when purchasing dekes,these birds get pounded hard and have seen just about every setup.

[ChrisWallace]

H2

Thats how it goes sometimes,couple things to consider,1st off look at the money you saved on dekes and other equipement not to mention scouting,gaining land access and such,2nd always ask the outfitter how long they have been shooting the field,I would'nt hunt a field thats been pounded for more than a week unless it was during the peak or tail end of the migration when the juvies are showing up ans also ask "where the roost is?" why hunt hunt an area thats not holding birds,you want a roost nearby or at least within 20 miles of ya,nice warm weather with a south wind will push the birds north,front coming in like today and I'll bet there was a "reverse migration" meaning you want to stay in front of their movement,if your guide is stuck to just one or two fields,move on but there is no way to give anyone that perfect hunt,thats why they discount the 3 day package,this way most often you'll get that one day of dropping good #'s.

Just a few thoughts.

Tim

PS~ Effective today thru tomorrow,winter storm watch from aberdeen west about 50 miles,then a "blizzard warning" is taking place.This will hold them SOB back 

Go right ahead and ask your guide that, Im sure hell give a crap.

[snow]

Well chris,it does'nt take a brain surgeon to see whats been goin on in the field,truck tracks and such...Some outfitters do care,word of mouth works both ways.

[snow]

hunter,

Here is a disclaimer from a friend who has been a very successful guide (spring snows) like anything its "hit or miss"

There has been a lot of spring snow goose hunting hype. From our picture gallery you can se we have many truly amazing days in the field each year. These are the above average days and show the potential. Daily harvests in the teens and twenties are considered average hunts. We are highly successful but we don't guarentee birds. Slow days are a part of hunting and may occur. These are fair chase hunts for wild migrating birds. When you book a hunt with us you are paying for access to our fields, use of top notch equipment, and potential

Tim

[PJ Maguire]

Honestly 11, 7 and 1 is nothing to complain about. I have hunted snows in the spring for over 8 years and had 100+ days and days where we will put out 900+ decoys and shoot 4 for a weekend. They are just snow geese so get out there and keep plugging away and good things will happen.

[HUNTER2]

When we were talking to them before we signed up they were saying a good day would be about 150 geese. Then they said the day before, they shot 53 in the mourning. So, we brought 16 boxes of shells apiece. I just thought it was very bad for all the hype they were saying. 

[JohnWester]

they should have offered you a return trip... or at least say 50% off a return trip

[fubar]

whay kind of decoys were you guys set up over and how many?

[HUNTER2]

1 field had about 900 and the other field had about 1200. Shells and silo socks.

[PJ Maguire]

150 in a day would be a 'good' day! Were you hunting with Tony Vandermore or what?

 

Just got back from Sodak for the weekend and we only shot 3 over decoys. Uncool.

[fubar]

i dont think were ever going to get snows here in northern nodak, still have a foot of snow!!!!

[HUNTER2]

Well, we went out in Western MN on Friday. We had a electronic call and about 80 or so wind sock and texas rags mixed in. We saw thousands of snow geese. Couldn't get any to commit. I'm guessing you need a lot more decoys. I'm also guessing I wouln't spend the money for the texas rags. We borrowed them. I like the silo socks. Those speckel belly geese are all over the place.

[snow]

We had an exceptional weekend after a crazy start which would be a long story...Somehow I'll try to download the pics.All hell broke loose friday afternoon as the front moved in,from 3pm till after dark we were bangin birds,dead and in the sled we had 54 and the following morning we found another 18 around the spread.,more later.

[fubar]

nice work, where were you guys hunting at?

[snow]

Central SoDak,as far as the ye could see we had birds in the air,litterally 1000's,had to shoot with your mouth shut,when the shooting started they started dropping "poop bombs" one guy got a black eye out of a volley,my silver truck was encrusted in brown yuck and it was over a mile away  Fun times for sure.

Almost all of the good outfitters are running with sillo socks and deadly decoys,sold off they're full bodies and the coloring and movement is the ticket.Got pictures of the spread,just have to figure out how to download them on this new puter?

[PJ Maguire]

Sodak was loaded over the weekend. With the incoming warm spell they will probably split for Canada real quick.

[fubar]

thats what im afraid of...

[snow]

I would'nt worry Fubar,plenty of SOB's to be had in SoDak,sounds like we will be in Aberdeen over the weekend.I even seen a huge flock pass over Hugo last night around 9pm,heading north...Last weekend we shot 90% adult birds so the juvies are still lolly-gagging along.

[snow]

Weather alert;

Be advised if your hunting this weekend~Today SoDak is under a winter advisory from central SoDak and west central...

Will this winter ever get over?

[fubar]

saw 2 large flocks on my way to class this morning over grand forks

[fubar]

Well me and my buddy hit the field today and got 2 blues 4 ross and a adult snow and  juvie(8 total). We hunted for about 3 hrs over 200 texas rags with my home made e-caller and they decoyed great. We had a collared snow over us an my buddy got trigger happy and shot a little to early and all we got were a few tail feathers. ALOT of snows arounf our area right now, right after we picked up and walked out stuff out of the field about 5-10 thousand i would guess came in and landed right where we had our decoys i have pictures but my camera is being weird so i couldnt get them i will work on that. but here are pictures of the geese.

[guythathunts]

Nice work!

[snow]

fubar,

Thats the way it goes in the spring,unlike in the fall when the migration is in "high-gear" they'll all day long,gotta get to the breeding grounds ya know...

[snow]

 Well another spring season has come and gone,for me this was my 9th season doing my part to save the artic and most likely the best season as far as the hunt goes and the numbers we put down.

The 3rd pic is what the "Vortex" looks like looking straight up,notice the different levels of geese in flight as you look to the highest birds,this is what they do when they decide to slow down and check out your spread,wave after wave will slow and start to circle,the swirling is just like a tornado.