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spring snow goose hunts


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  • Bryce

    27

  • minky

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  • fishuhalik

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  • tracker x-2

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Quite a few reports that sodak is receiving a big push of birds today. Have seen one report as far as I-90. Think I'll tinker with the new ecaller a bit.

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Wonder ifiz Hotspotoutdoors will have a the Snow Goose Migration Map again this spring?

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Wonder ifiz Hotspotoutdoors will have a the Snow Goose Migration Map again this spring?

It would be a little late now, seeing the big push will be in ND by the end of the week.

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Good luck. Was headed to Grand Pass, Mo. Group is now detouring to SoDak on Wednesday. I think its going to be a steady push north with the lack of snow in the Dakotas.

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Good luck. Was headed to Grand Pass, Mo. Group is now detouring to SoDak on Wednesday. I think its going to be a steady push north with the lack of snow in the Dakotas.

I would still go to missouri or nebraska. If you hunt SD you'll want to get your stakes in the ground thursday and you probably won't get to re set the spread the rest of the weekend unless your using fullbodies with ring bases.

Hunted all day yesterday in south central SD. snows started flying around 10am and pretty much quit by 2 pm. Never had a bird cut altitude to give us a look. More birds came up through the SE part of the state. Had buddies fishing up by webster and they saw a few flocks of snows around 4 pm yesterday. Looking forward to the migration stringing out. Juvies will stay with the water, they could care less about the snowline.

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Lots of snows east and northeast of Redfeild, SD last night. Couple feeds of 5-10k.

If the ground is too frozen for stakes put them in the corn stocks, we do it all the time and works fine.

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Might settle in north of Squaw Creek some place. Wheels are rolling in Mizzou, I'm headed southwest to some degree tomorrow night.

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1.2 million reported on Squaw and reports of guides headed to sodak. The spectacle is happening.

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Well that happened fast. Guess I could have had a green beer at The Angry Beaver. Got a photo last night of migrants entering nodak. Would sure be a sight to see today I bet. 60+ and stiff south wind. Training all next week protects some of my hair from dealing with adults and frozen fields. Probably head out for a couple weeks starting the 24th-ish or so depending on when the weatherman says there will be a stretch of south wind days. With any luck, the fields will be driveable by then.

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Making the commute to Williston right now. I usually cut north at Fargo to GF, but I'm gonna take 94 to Bismarck this time & see if there's any salt & pepper as far north as 94. This is one of those times of the year i love working outdoors in Nodak. My buddies always give me dump for gawking at the massive flocks flying overhead lol

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First salt & pepper sighting of the year. 50 miles east of Fargo. 5 small flocks less than 20 birds. 3 flying high headed north 2 flying se flying low

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Line of birds about a mile long dumping into a feed. Off 94, 2 miles east of exit 281 (sanbourne) south side of 94

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Snows and blues were rolling real good through the far southwest corner of the state right now (4:30) when I came home from work. Saw at least six bunches with 150-200 birds in them.

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Are hunters taking some birds?

I always wonder if we will ever get the snow geese numbers down low enough to protect their nesting areas.

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The spring hunt has done nothing to curb the population growth. Surprised it hasn't been shut down actually. We hunters have powerful allies in the tourism and gear manufacturing industries.

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Ditto Bryce. Spring snows have turned into a multi-million dollar industry. It's not touching the total numbers

But I see no reason to shut it down

A few scout flocks after that huge group but nothing much. However, the number of honkers between Bismarck & Minot on 83 is jaw dropping. I probably look like a drunk driver, swerving all over the roads, gawking at all the birds. I love it out here

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Just saw a good flock of snows just south of Mankato feeding in the corn- if anybody in that area is itching to get out pm me for details- it's been a long time since I've seen them in that are- I'm headed to Colorado so it should be fun watching the sky's -

Just wish I had my shotgun along!

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Hunted by Squaw. Lots of birds. 88 for 7 guns in 3 days. Not a lot of birds decoying relative to what we saw, but didn't shoot many juvies either. Wonderful weather and a very nice farmer that gave us permission. Lots of hunters in the area but based on conversations overheard and the long faces at the motel, I'd say we did pretty good.

Reading reports here and elsewhere, it sounds like things are really spread out north to south. I'm done for the year but the rest of the guys are heading to SoDak potentially the next two weekends.

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Got any photos Scott? I'm heading out there this weekend hoping to get in on some good action!

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Put on 200 miles in nw NoDak. Zero snows. A few honkers & a pair of mallards was it. Saw 4 moose though!

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No water = no geese! Friends of mine are still hunting them in southeast Nebraska! Too cold!

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Got any photos Scott? I'm heading out there this weekend hoping to get in on some good action!

Good luck! The refuge is still reporting lots of birds!

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full-6416-43596-missouriviewfromtheblind

full-6416-43597-missouriadultandeaglehea

full-6416-43598-missouriross.jpg

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Sure would like to be out there today. Weekend doesn't sound so good though. Everythings ready to be packed. Just need to put the mag extension on and throw in a few cases of shells. full-283-43606-2014_03_2012.14.41.jpg

Added another ecaller this spring. Works fine as is but need to figure how to wire in the remote. Less than $100 into this one.

full-283-43607-2014_03_2012.14.12.jpg

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  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • jparrucci
      Very low, probably 2 feet lower than last year at ice out.
    • mbeyer
      what do they look like this spring?
    • SkunkedAgain
      I might have missed a guess, but here are the ones that I noted:   JerkinLips – March 27th, then April 7th Brianf. – March 28th Bobberwatcher – April…. MikeG3Boat – April 10th SkunkedAgain – early April, then April 21st   Definitely a tough year for guesses, as it seemed to be a no-brainer early ice out. Then it got cold and snowed again.
    • mbeyer
      MN DNR posted April 13 as Ice out date for Vermilion
    • Brianf.
      ^^^45 in the morning and 47 in the evening
    • CigarGuy
      👍. What was the water temp in Black Bay? Thanks....
    • Brianf.
      No, that wasn't me.  I drive a 621 Ranger. 
    • CigarGuy
      So, that was you in the camo lund? I'm bummed, I have to head back to the cities tomorrow for a few days, then back up for at least a few weeks. Got the dock in and fired up to get out chasing some crappies till opener!
    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the south end...   Lots of ice on the main basin, but it is definitely deteriorating.  Some anglers have been fishing the open water at the mouth of the Rainy River in front of the Lighthouse Gap.  The rest of the basin is still iced over. Pike enthusiasts caught some big pike earlier last week tip up fishing in pre-spawn areas adjacent to traditional spawning areas.  8 - 14' of water using tip ups with live suckers or dead bait such as smelt and herring has been the ticket.  Ice fishing for all practical purposes is done for the year. The focus for the basin moving forward will be pike transitioning into back bays to spawn,  This is open water fishing and an opportunity available as the pike season is open year round on Lake of the Woods. The limit is 3 pike per day with one being able to be more than 40 inches. All fish 30 - 40 inches must be released. With both the ice fishing and spring fishing on the Rainy River being so good, many are looking forward to the MN Fishing Opener on Saturday, May 11th.  It should be epic. On the Rainy River...  An absolutely incredible week of walleye and sturgeon fishing on the Rain Rainy River.     Walleye anglers, as a rule, caught good numbers of fish and lots of big fish.  This spring was one for the books.   To follow that up, the sturgeon season is currently underway and although every day can be different, many boats have caught 30 - 40 sturgeon in a day!  We have heard of fish measuring into the low 70 inch range.  Lots in the 60 - 70 inch range as well.   The sturgeon season continues through May 15th and resumes again July 1st.   Oct 1 - April 23, Catch and Release April 24 - May 7, Harvest Season May 8 - May 15, Catch and Release May 16 - June 30, Sturgeon Fishing Closed July 1 - Sep 30, Harvest Season If you fish during the sturgeon harvest season and you want to keep a sturgeon, you must purchase a sturgeon tag for $5 prior to fishing.    One sturgeon per calendar year (45 - 50" inclusive, or over 75"). Most sturgeon anglers are either a glob of crawlers or a combo of crawlers and frozen emerald shiners on a sturgeon rig, which is an 18" leader with a 4/0 circle hook combined with a no roll sinker.  Local bait shops have all of the gear and bait. Up at the NW Angle...  Open water is continuing to expand in areas with current.  The sight of open water simply is wetting the pallet of those eager for the MN Fishing Opener on May 11th.   A few locals were on the ice this week, targeting pike.  Some big slimers were iced along with some muskies as well.  If you like fishing for predators, LOW is healthy!  
    • Brianf.
      Early bird gets the worm some say...   I have it on good authority that this very special angler caught no walleyes or muskies and that any panfish caught were released unharmed.        
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