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Snow Goose 2013


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  • Bryce

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Very brief flight right at legal. Two giant feeds set up a mile either side of us and we didn't stand a chance. Non stop flight north overhead right now. Moving spread away from feeds to a corn/sheet water set to hopefully draw roosting birds. Many flocks spent the night on the ice here.

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Heard lots of reports that the juvies have been mixed in with the adults.

You're spot on with that one shane, Hunted last week thursday thru saturday due to easter. Thurs and friday were good migration days and flocks were really mixed with juvies and adults. Shot 70 on thurs with majority being migrators, big bunches would go over and we'd break a few out of each wave. Didnt get into any really big spins cuz the adults would pull the juvies out a majority of the time but oh well never gets old breaking birds down from the stratosphere down to 15 yrds. If for no gun issues and better shooting should of been a 100+ day, out of the 70 killed thurs id say no more than 15 adults but have also heard of some good juvie feeds in NE still so SD should be good for a few weeks yet IMO

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Tubitz- Thanks for the reply! I bought a Sean Mann Whiteout this year and can't wait to use it. Although e-callers help, i think personally answering back to a calling goose may help convince other's that there is a REAL goose down there.

Last we we averaged 35 birds each day, which were all adults. I really regret not saving a few blues and snows for mounts frown Some nice iron coloring as well as warts! oh yeah... and one adult was double banded to boot!

By the way, I'd take a 70 bird-day ANYDAY!! Knowing you had the chance to hit 100+ mark is an awesome accomplishment man. CONGRATS!

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Good luck guys hope you can get a bunch of them. I would really like to make a trip out.

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Tubitz- Thanks for the reply! I bought a Sean Mann Whiteout this year and can't wait to use it. Although e-callers help, i think personally answering back to a calling goose may help convince other's that there is a REAL goose down there.

Last we we averaged 35 birds each day, which were all adults. I really regret not saving a few blues and snows for mounts frown Some nice iron coloring as well as warts! oh yeah... and one adult was double banded to boot!

By the way, I'd take a 70 bird-day ANYDAY!! Knowing you had the chance to hit 100+ mark is an awesome accomplishment man. CONGRATS!

During the spring season I don't believe a single mouth blown call will have any effect on a flock of birds, singles maybe but you will be washed out with all the noise of a large flock, E-caller and 5 to 10 speakers will be much more effective.

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Utterly defeated. Saw more geese than I have ever seen in a day but could not get any to commit. Amazing sights today that can't be described. Can't imagine what the number would be on total waterfowl seen. Finish my drink and back at it in 6 hours. Windshift will help is my motto tomorrow.

Been through that so many times when trying to hunt the leading edge birds, I agree it's fun to see that kind of a migration, but if I go this time of the year it's with my camera rather than a gun, if I want to kill birds I'll wait until the last week in April, most of the yah hoos are done and the birds acually decoy.. Have fun and hopefully you'll get some weather. Only time we really smoked them early in the migration was a wet, nasty, foggy day.

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During the spring season I don't believe a single mouth blown call will have any effect on a flock of birds, singles maybe but you will be washed out with all the noise of a large flock, E-caller and 5 to 10 speakers will be much more effective.

Believe it or not this will actually help in conjunction with the e-caller. On small bunches say 10 birds or less it can make a huge difference centering birds up in the hole. When we had singles or pairs and they would start to slide off one guy would simply yelp with his mouth and the birds would get back on track. Its crazy how much these birds work to sound wether it be the speakers or a mouth call. We tend to run our e-caller on the quieter side than the norm so a mouth call is easily heard by the birds if it is few enough birds to not wash each other out like you said.

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ALOT of birds still south of 212 between redfield and watertown, birds decoyed like champs in the mornings then would slowly start filtering north. We had 5 guys and Shot 62 on tue., 84 on wed., and failed to lock down a field for this morning, so made it home early for some much needed rest. Shot a 40/60 mix of juvies to adults. Good luck to the rest who make it out.

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Still tough going here. Always feeds setting up within sight and pulling everything away after a brief look. Few more Rossies in the flocks today. Going to hang tough for at least a couple more days. Hope this is my last shot at chasing leading edge birds. Tough on the attitude and liquor bill. About ready to sell decoys and invest in a cowboard. full-283-31861-2013_04_0711.40.30.jpg

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smile Cowboard

First trip out, lots of big flocks that were heckbent on getting north but managed to pull a few out. 26 and 30 respectively. Redfield area. Tired and weary but happy to have worked for em. There's worse ways to spend those days. Best part was dry fields, no mess! Didn't get the rain until yesterday when we were packing up.

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Not the best two day trip. only shot 30(one was banded). The first evening, we were VERY close to having a great great hunt. A Buddies friend 40 miles south of us, killed 150 by 9 AM and then shot another 130 that night. Lots of juvies and lots and lots of birds around the northern parts of Sodak, but they are smart. The birds we were shooting were nearly adults, and once they started hovering right over us, we knew it was game over. Judging by the weather, I can see birds piling up around the boarder for a least a week now. The last evening we hunting, birds were going every which direction, but no real migration to speak of.

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Lot of birds bugged out last night. Few medium size groups around. Lot more ducks. Still feeding groups in the fields surrounding my spread. Managed to lure in a few of the new flocks this morning. Tough getting multiple kills in the strong wind. full-283-31896-2013_04_0810.52.36.jpg

Bird on the right is actually an adult like the one next to it. Neck shot sailer into the mud that the hound made a 300+ yard blind on. Was a bit nervous what she was bringing back. Thats how it looks after washing it off in the pond. Never seen such a bloody bird.

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Should be interesting to see what happens to all the waterfowl with this winter storm hitting the main flocks!

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Should be interesting to see what happens to all the waterfowl with this winter storm hitting the main flocks!

Thinking the same thing. Heard two feet possible in Rapid City and points east. Good grief. This is one of the most ridiculous springs I can remember.

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I'm supposed to meet a guide on friday, are there going to be any birds left in SD or should i start looking for a ND guide?

B-

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I'm supposed to meet a guide on friday, are there going to be any birds left in SD or should i start looking for a ND guide?

B-

Lots and lots of snow in Nodak still. With the way this weather is shaping up, South Dakota should have birds for a while yet. I'd call the guide, regardless, simply because they got pounded today with snow. He might have a change of plans for you depending on his location.

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Old girl finally drew a hunt with some action. full-283-31922-2013_04_0909.45.05.jpg

Big push of birds flying high back into sodak last evening. Only a few low birds gave the spread a look. Was surprised at the number of birds in the area this morning but most were adults. Took about a 25 mile loop around to known bird holding fields and was even more surprised at the numbers. Saw over a dozen roost/feeds going on. Two within a half mile of my spread. Bring lots of drill bits if you're setting socks. 12 degrees this morning. At least you can drive into most fields until the next warmup.

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I'm supposed to meet a guide on friday, are there going to be any birds left in SD or should i start looking for a ND guide?

B-

With low temps in North Dakota for quite a while, my guess is that Northern Sodak/Southern NoDak will be VERY good for the next two weeks minimum. Last weekend was tough decoying with most birds being darn near adults. If you can find sheet water, your headed in the right direction. This weekend we are going to try less decoys and put all 7 rotaries out the first hunt and see if "less is more" for the first hunt. Flagging to a certain point seemed to make the birds more interested as well. At times I over flagged when they got too close, which hurt us, but when they were around 100 yards and saw my flag going, they locked up quickly.

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Don't count on sheet water. Walked accross areas that ducks were swimming in yesterday. Spookiest birds I've ever encountered. Have even flocks of ducks and specks/cacklers flaring at 75 yards like someone in the spread is waving a Perkins sized red flag. Driving down the road, ducks and geese flush out when over 1/4 mile away. Gotta be the crazy weather.

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Just got the call and I guess I'm heading out over the weekend, have a 15,000 acre farm to try this on for the first time, could really care less if I even fire a shell, but should be fun and entertaining having 0 expectations. ND, with the weather could be great or poor I'm guessing. Is it a standard 50 dollar NR fee or can you get a weekend or is there that license option, going to dig later tonight and get licensed etc. Just curious, thanks guys.

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Wow! Sky was covered this morning. Mostly flocks of 20 or less. Less adult supervision headed north. full-283-31969-2013_04_1012.01.09.jpg

Need to pick one for the wall. full-283-31970-2013_04_1012.05.46.jpg

One on the right is a much bigger bird but head not full colored and wing busted badly. Flying mount to match a snow. Now in search of a barnacled rossie. Had one couple years ago but wasn't in a mood for taxidermy.

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Been following this thread over the last few weeks. I'm interested in the observations/assertions of juvies being in separate flights from adults.

Aren't these huge flights of birds essentially bunched up family groups...like Canadians? Or are the juvenile birds really bunching up together without adults in amongst them?

This just seems strange to me.

Thanks for posting pics, Bryce. Looks like you've got a couple real happy chocolates there!

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Sorry Bryce was just reading your post figuring maybe that's where you were the big push of birds flying high back into SoDak last night only a few low birds gave the spread a look ? and then seeing dead birds lol. SD, birds, decoys= dead SD birds to me lol. Your yesterday 3:08PM post ?

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