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Jesse's Hunting > Hunting Articles > Hunting Articles Archives > Take Advantage of Spring Snow Goose Hunts
Take Advantage of Spring Snow Goose Hunts
Xavier Limon - JHO ProStaff
- Southern California
March 02, 2005
If you are like me, your waterfowl season has just ended. You are constantly putting off the day for the final cleanup of your gear. You cannot admit the season is over and must soon toss a couple mothballs into the closet for the off-season storage. You are wondering if you should list the moto decoys on EBay, not knowing if this was the last year you could use them. Your better half starts recording the ever growing list of honey-do’s - that must be completed come September, or else! Your season is over!
But wait! You have forgotten about the “save the tundra” season.
Across the Midwest each spring, most states offer an extended white goose season, which is technically referred to as the “light geese conservation order”. In 1998 the US Fish and Wildlife Service proposed the order to Congress as part of the plan to protect goose habitat in Canada. The legislation was passed and signed into law, and the USFWS issued the first conservation order for light geese in 1999. Since then, thousand of hunters have participated, and millions of geese have been harvested in the process.
A Grind of Snow Geese
Waterfowl hunters looking for a post-season opportunity can have a ball and help "save the tundra" by taking part in the Light Geese Conservation Order hunts in the midwest. |
The conservation orders are a great tool to thin the population during the northern migration. In essence they allow hunters to, quite frankly, kill a lot of birds! The order allows for liberal limits (many states have no limits), no limitations on the amount of shells you can load into your gun (i.e. unplugged guns), and most importantly, electronic calling devices are allowed.
Another advantage to these hunts is that you get to extend your season. Depending on which state you are hunting, the season may start in February and last until the end of March. I would highly advise checking each state’s regulations for more precise regulations.
One hunter who has participated in the conservation orders is Stefan Lorebo from Southern California. Stefan has made the trip to Missouri for the past 3 years, and this year he will be extending his trip to include Kansas and Nebraska. What makes Stefan and his group unique is that they are freelance hunters, which means they do all their hunting on their own without guides. He has run into very little resistance obtaining permission to hunt the farmer’s fields. Over 90% of the farmers he has approached have allowed him and his group to hunt. One of the main reasons for their willingness to grant hunters access to their fields, is the destructive nature of the snow geese. Just imagine the damage when 100,000 geese decide to have an afternoon snack in your soybean field!
An important ingredient to a successful trip is flexibility. You may have the right gear, and the right ammunition, but if you are not in the right spot – you are coming home empty handed. According to Stefan, for a successful hunt, “you will need to use the best decoys you can, and hunt them near water.”
On one trip, Stefan and his hunting partner Stuart were having limited success, shooting 5-10 birds per day. They happened upon a game warden who suggested that the majority of the birds had flown north. So what did they do? They remained flexible and drove 5 hours north.
When they approached the Squaw Creek NWR (http://www.fws.gov/midwest/SquawCreek), they watched what they thought were farmers burning fields. What they saw was amazing. What they had taken to be smoke rising from the burning fields was actually geese - 600,000 of them! They obtained permission from a nearby farmer, and the next day they had 45 geese by lunch.
So, why does somebody drive from Southern California all the way to Missouri to hunt snow geese? Stefan replies, “I like the challenge of snow geese. You gotta go where they live!”
It’s not easy to drive to Missouri, drive around, chase geese, and make it back to Southern California in 10 days. However, if you are a dedicated snow goose hunter, this is what it may take. That kind of eagerness does not go unrewarded. Stefan’s best trip so far is 130 geese for the group.
The one story I love to hear is the day Stefan and Stuart made quite the impression on some locals. Here’s how he tells it:
“Stuart and I had a good shoot one morning. We did a sneak on 20,000 or so snows. We dumped a few and after the big group got up, we ran over to some trees on the other side of the field. The geese made a u-turn and tried to come back to the same field, we then pass shot a bunch more as they came over the trees.
“Well, I crippled one and went after it; I caught up to it a field away. A few farmers were out on the road watching us! When we got back to the truck with all the geese one farmer asked, ‘Why did you go through all that effort that one cripple?’
“I explained to him that I would not just shoot a bird and leave it. He then asked, ‘I can’t believe you drove all the way back here to shoot snow geese,’
“I then told him, ‘I can’t believe people from Missouri drive to California to go to Disneyland!’”
If you plan on making a trip to any of the Midwestern states this spring, hurry up – the season is quickly approaching. You will need decoys, electronic callers and a strong shoulder - you may very well go through multiple cases of shells.
Stefan’s decoy setups are not unlike the one that you would use during the normal season. For your decoy selection, a mix of shells, silhouettes, and wind socks will do the trick. And for calls, do not go without the aid of an electronic caller - your lungs will thank you.
Stefan Lorebo and a Buddy with a Nice Strap
Liberal regulations, no limits, and lots of birds make this an excellent opportunity to fill the freezer. |
One more word of advice... If you do get permission from a farmer to use his fields, treat the field as if it were yours. Pick up your empties and those that may have been left by others. Pick up any other trash or debris that should not be there. Offer the farmer some of your harvest. He may not take you up on your offer, but offer it nonetheless. Nothing can ruin the joy of hunting for future seasons and future generations, than the blatant disrespect for others and their property.
For more information regarding the light geese conservation order, please check out various Midwestern states wildlife division websites for more information.
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