Spring snow goose hunt recommendations
- Thread starter Gatzby
- Start date
FCSpringer
Moderator
We always just hunted outside refuges and pass shoot. Shot the crap out of them. And land owners always said give her heck.
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dodgeboy75
New member
Watched a show on Sportsman Channel the other day, forget the name of the show, about the spring flights. It didn't look like they had a problem finding spots to hunt. Blew my mind that you could use electronic callers and no shell capacity in your gun. I'm all for helping control the populations and would like to hunt them as well but have no clue what I would do with that many birds. Donate to food shelters or something???? Good luck, because it looks like a blast!!!
You can use up a ton of snow goose meat in a hurry if you have a grinder and dehydrater or smoker. Jerky, bbq, sausage, bacon wrapped on the grill, snows cook up pretty good. Don't let anybody convince you they are "sky carp."
Don't be fooled into thinking you'll shoot 300 birds on your trip though either. Late march is a good time frame, but on a 4 day hunt, you could easily have 8 guys in a field and not break single digits for birds harvested on 3 of the 4 days, and might have 1 hunt where you pile up over 150. If you average 20-40 birds a day that's a good trip.
Don't be fooled into thinking you'll shoot 300 birds on your trip though either. Late march is a good time frame, but on a 4 day hunt, you could easily have 8 guys in a field and not break single digits for birds harvested on 3 of the 4 days, and might have 1 hunt where you pile up over 150. If you average 20-40 birds a day that's a good trip.
Highvoltage
Active member
We must have seen a Million Snows just East of Roscoe last week ! It was by far the most we have ever come across.
I guess they stop there every Fall so I would imagine they stop there in Spring to.
I guess they stop there every Fall so I would imagine they stop there in Spring to.
Ditchmaster
Well-known member
Snows
I respectfully disagree, they are indeed "sky carp".
I respectfully disagree, they are indeed "sky carp".
Gatzby
Well-known member
Thank you to everyone who recommended NEU outdoors. We had an awesome trip with a great guide. When the weather cooperated we shot the crap out of them.
If you want to test your dogs steadiness this is the hunt for it, 2200 decoys, 4 double spinners, 8 kites, electronic call blaring, 5-10 birds falling out of the sky, and 24 gun salutes. Cripples with big open fields made for some LONG blinds! Not to brag but my pup was rock solid and 6 whistled a 300 yard +/- blind! Ok that was totally to brag.
Long and short we already booked for next year. If you ever have thought about it give it a try
Steve
If you want to test your dogs steadiness this is the hunt for it, 2200 decoys, 4 double spinners, 8 kites, electronic call blaring, 5-10 birds falling out of the sky, and 24 gun salutes. Cripples with big open fields made for some LONG blinds! Not to brag but my pup was rock solid and 6 whistled a 300 yard +/- blind! Ok that was totally to brag.
Long and short we already booked for next year. If you ever have thought about it give it a try
Steve
Sounds like a..... "blast" Gatsby. Don't blame you for the dog brag - it's the most natural and forgivable kinda bragging in my books. Now....... if you try to tell me that you knocked down consecutive triples every day and never missed once...... lol lol!
Let us know how you make out with the meat. Sky Carp or no? I'm curious in general, but also because we (eastern Canada) have an opportunity for hunting snows in Quebec on the south shore of the St. Lawrence. It's a government run semi-guided hunt that uses draft horses and sleds to pull you and your gear out onto the tidal mud flats where they have pit-blinds, dekes, e-callers, but you bring your own dog and no actual "guide" in the pit with you. It's a pretty good deal, and since we don't have a spring bear hunt nor any turkey hunting I sometimes think that it might be a nice thing to try in the spring sometime. But if they're a chore to eat, I'm not so sure...
I'm not one of those "if you don't have pics it didn't happen" kinda guys, but if you have any pics to post I'd love to see them.
Cheers,
-Dave
Let us know how you make out with the meat. Sky Carp or no? I'm curious in general, but also because we (eastern Canada) have an opportunity for hunting snows in Quebec on the south shore of the St. Lawrence. It's a government run semi-guided hunt that uses draft horses and sleds to pull you and your gear out onto the tidal mud flats where they have pit-blinds, dekes, e-callers, but you bring your own dog and no actual "guide" in the pit with you. It's a pretty good deal, and since we don't have a spring bear hunt nor any turkey hunting I sometimes think that it might be a nice thing to try in the spring sometime. But if they're a chore to eat, I'm not so sure...
I'm not one of those "if you don't have pics it didn't happen" kinda guys, but if you have any pics to post I'd love to see them.
Cheers,
-Dave
carptom1
Well-known member
Those hunts are fun when it's on. As far as the Lab work goes......Who cares any dog can retrieve.
. Right?
SDJIM
New member
Those hunts are fun when it's on. As far as the Lab work goes......Who cares any dog can retrieve.
I guess those of us who did not have a dog when we started hunting pheasants found out we could find birds to flush but we had a harder time finding downed birds. I guess that's why I do like labs so much--they are retrieving machines.
1pheas4
Moderator
I guess those of us who did not have a dog when we started hunting pheasants found out we could find birds to flush but we had a harder time finding downed birds. I guess that's why I do like labs so much--they are retrieving machines.
Yeah, finding dead birds can tough
. Many times I've had a dead or wounded bird at my feet and walked right over it. It's amazing how well they can blend in with the grass/ground--despite all their bright colorsSnow goose hunting when it's on will sure make a dog a star. Finding a snow goose won't be a problem if the dog saw it , out running one without a dog is! As far as the "sky carp" theory, they have been fat and happy eating rice, soybeans, sprouted wheat, and corn for months, if that's a recipe for bad flavor, we don't like wild game! Coming down from the north in the fall, they can be a little rank, older ones are tough. The partly colored juveniles are like fat cattle in the spring. Just don't over cook.
Gatzby
Well-known member
Those hunts are fun when it's on. As far as the Lab work goes......Who cares any dog can retrieve.
Tom, Its kinda weird that Labs are the best waterfowl dogs, most popular pheasant dog, #1 seeing eye dog, military bomb dog of choice, and most common S&R dog, but are still not considered versatile! sorry I could not resist!
When a Professional waterfowl guide slaps you on the back and says "that's the finest dog work I have ever seen". You know your pup is something special! Gotta love them labs
wesslpointer
New member
1pheas4
Moderator
Yeah those babies are good
. I cooks a couple up two weeks ago. Kept the breast meat good and rare, cut thin. Man O' man that was some good eating