Spring Snow Goose hunts???
#8065662
01/31/24 10:57 PM
01/31/24 10:57 PM
|
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 5,117 Northern Michigan
J.Morse
OP
trapper
|
OP
trapper
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 5,117
Northern Michigan
|
Anyone do it/ Wondered about guides, etc. Would like to go in the later part of season and more close to the north part of the area open.....
|
|
|
Re: Spring Snow Goose hunts???
[Re: J.Morse]
#8065858
02/01/24 09:35 AM
02/01/24 09:35 AM
|
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 5,117 Northern Michigan
J.Morse
OP
trapper
|
OP
trapper
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 5,117
Northern Michigan
|
I expected more of our crew to have done this and have an opinion on who, where, and when! lol.
|
|
|
Re: Spring Snow Goose hunts???
[Re: J.Morse]
#8065866
02/01/24 09:43 AM
02/01/24 09:43 AM
|
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 9,380 Northern MN
Osky
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 9,380
Northern MN
|
Both Pierre and Huron, I’m sure among others cities in SD have good outfitters. My high school trap team members go out every spring and do pretty darn good. I have not made the spring trip with them. If it’s of interest to you send me a PM and I will call them to find out who they have been using.
I am interested each spring to read and follow the migration of the snows north. This year with the beautiful weather one doesn’t know at all what to expect timing wise.
Osky
"A womans heart is the hardest rock the Almighty has put on this earth, and I can find no sign on it" Jabless in Minnesota www.SureDockusa.com
|
|
|
Re: Spring Snow Goose hunts???
[Re: J.Morse]
#8065963
02/01/24 11:32 AM
02/01/24 11:32 AM
|
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 34,995 Central, SD
Law Dog
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 34,995
Central, SD
|
They just headed south not very long ago but still sick birds dying along the way just not as many being left behind this season just keep that in mind.
Was born in a Big City Will die in the Country OK with that!
Jerry Herbst
|
|
|
Re: Spring Snow Goose hunts???
[Re: J.Morse]
#8066181
02/01/24 03:54 PM
02/01/24 03:54 PM
|
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 703 SD
Tray
"Wilson Jr."
|
"Wilson Jr."
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 703
SD
|
This can be a tough one to answer with 100% accuracy, lots of variables in play on spring snow geese.
Timing is critical for good hunting, problem is the migration is impossible to predict. Last year was a late migration and a lot of the birds moved farther west then they normally do, this year is shaping up to possibly be a super early migration and we may see birds in Feb if these conditions hold. I hear birds are stacked up in Missouri right now and those guys are worried about them starting north soon.
Outfitters are also a big variable for several reasons. Many “fly by night” operators have popped up who are only interested in making a buck!!
Do your research, don’t hire the cheapest cause most of the time that is what you will get. I have seen several outfitters who guide for a year or two, build a bad reputation and fold only to show back up the next year under a new company name. They get their guides and buddies to post some big kill pics and write a good review and sucker some more people.
If I were looking for a guide find someone who is super flexible on where they will hunt, many of the good ones chase the migration trying to stay in the birds. You will also have to be flexible in your dates and travel plans as they can change from week to week. Find a guide who is consistently scouting for new fields to move decoys into so you are hunting on the X more consistently. Many guides will lease a handful of fields in an area, put up a spread of decoys and run hunters thru the same blinds day after day. This works in peak mitigation and bad weather, but I’ve seen many times where guys don’t fire a shot. This close to the start of the season most good guides are booked up already, as they usually have a long list of returning clients. I won’t recommend a guide or company, but only that u do a ton of research before u book.
If you can’t be as flexible on dates you might want to look at hunting birds on the wintering grounds.
|
|
|
Re: Spring Snow Goose hunts???
[Re: J.Morse]
#8066293
02/01/24 06:18 PM
02/01/24 06:18 PM
|
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 5,117 Northern Michigan
J.Morse
OP
trapper
|
OP
trapper
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 5,117
Northern Michigan
|
Thanks for the info guys. A friend and I have talked about going, and we both are doing as much homework as we can!
|
|
|
Re: Spring Snow Goose hunts???
[Re: J.Morse]
#8066309
02/01/24 06:32 PM
02/01/24 06:32 PM
|
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 679 michigan
coyote 1
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 679
michigan
|
I had a whole flock fly over last week.
United we stand,divided we fall.
|
|
|
Re: Spring Snow Goose hunts???
[Re: Northof50]
#8066429
02/01/24 08:59 PM
02/01/24 08:59 PM
|
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 703 SD
Tray
"Wilson Jr."
|
"Wilson Jr."
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 703
SD
|
with record young produced last summer all things are lined up for a good spring hunt From what I saw last fall and have heard throughout the flyway is Avian Influenza has really done a number on the Juvi snows. Don’t know what percentage has been lost but it has to be a significant number. Adults don’t seem to be as affected.
Last edited by Tray; 02/01/24 09:00 PM.
|
|
|
Re: Spring Snow Goose hunts???
[Re: J.Morse]
#8066551
02/01/24 10:48 PM
02/01/24 10:48 PM
|
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 7,517 western mn
bucksnbears
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 7,517
western mn
|
Seems like spring season can be great or bust. Weather/ snowmelt can change things almost overnight. North Dakota would be my choice.
swampgas chili and schmidt beer makes for a deadly combo
You have to remember that 1 out of 3 Democratic Voters is just as dumb as the other two.
|
|
|
|
|