Spring Snow Goose Hunting

Where To Go Spring Snow Goose Hunting

Better than average spring Snow Goose hunting is to understand the distinctive geography of the region made available by this Association.

The Association provides the large acreage within the Lower Missouri River Basin covering northern Missouri (80,000 acres), southern Iowa (24,000) and eastern Kansas (several thousand more). Have a look at landform maps showing the Central Lowlands of the better crop fields and surface water areas.

In this region of the better hunts the Association has the bulk of its private land in Missouri. This tends to concentrate hunters into this region leaving our Iowa and Kansas private land less pressured. In any case of picking where to start the hunt based on available acreage is the wrong approach. Go back to the waterfowl reports and determine if the geese are more north, south, east or west and then scout that region. This is no small point as Missouri seems to get the most press space on waterfowl further motivating more hunters to look there. The capability of this Association having land covering a wide portion of the Central Lowlands extending beyond state lines is the value to be gained in terms of more opportunity.

A last point that we have seen over the last 20 years or so is the effect of the snow line on migration. This has been both an advantage and a consequence depending on how used.

On any winter the line is somewhere and that line seems to frequently make for the better hunts below it rather than above it. Within the Lower Missouri River Basin that we seem to need to remind folks extends into Kansas and Iowa, that line is frequently present, somewhere. Adding that line's location to the migration reports should add further to narrowing down where to scout.

All of the previous was where to hunt. When to hunt is always another matter.

When To Go Spring Snow Goose Hunting

In terms of our waterfowl hunts the common approach of those with the most gray hair is to concentrate on ducks during the regular season. The Association enhanced natural wetlands and permanent blinds being a strong attraction. It is common to have the occasion lucky day in some of our blinds on the larger pools to collect a limit of Canadas.

The late goose season is largely a Canada hunt with some snows. The bulk of the spring Snow Goose hunting is generally the last half of February through the first half of March. That is the ballpark timing or the point before and after of when to concentrate on the migration reports.

The optimum time would be when the migration is moving. That period of fresh birds unfamiliar with the locality being less spread/call/gun shy.

Conversely, the worst time would be during layover. The longer the layover period the less potential for the better hunt in terms of shot opportunity. Another of one of those not so small of points. Seeing geese is not nearly as challenging as getting a shot on the geese seen.

This timing refinement again shows the value of this Association. For all of us on limited time schedules having the ability to first flex to where the geese are is a value point. Combine that with the ability to move away from the well known waterfowl refuges (more pressured birds) another value point. Add that to our acreage extending to the north to south, west to east regions of the Central Lowlands gives the flexibility to combine with migration, ground conditions and weather to narrow down to the always changing better localities of where to hunt. This is getting deep into the nuance of this art. The point being past prior experience of good hunts does not equate to predicting future better hunt locations when the hunt is for nomadic or migrating prey.

Part of a decoy spread.

Just like all waterfowl hunts, we the Association, recognizes it is dependent on weather and migration. The capability the Association brings to the hunter superior to other approach's beyond our expansive private land is the ability of the unguided hunter to hunt on his schedule, anytime and for as long as wanted during the entire season. Flexibility on two counts. The first is the large acreage in the right geographic area, the second is the entire season is available to the hunter. Really not much to stand in the way of success after some good scouting. That is for those that have the willingness, equipment and skill. A more rare combination than it appears on the many spring Snow Goose hunting shows on cable.

A Hunt

A photo of geese working the fields on a recent 2011 spring snow goose hunt. Quality private crop fields on a prime flyway is a must, but putting together a successful hunt requires tremendous effort and gear.

Many hunters talk down snow goose hunting since the degree of difficulty is beyond their capability. Once a flock commits to a decoy spread, it's an experience that's hard to beat.

Maverick with one of his many retrieves.

15 birds in the bag, a good day for anyone especially Mav.

Additional spring Snow Goose hunting articles 1 and 2