Hunting the white bird

A

anthony m coons sr

Well-known member
In a few weeks my youngest son and I are off to hunt snow goose once again. For the last seven years or so we been heading to Western NY for snow geese. It is a total different kind of hunt for those who never did it before. We have hunted in fields in layout blinds, pit blinds, in the wood line. Not always having the greatest hunting days, Out there the weather chances so fast. That a good day turns into freezing your butt off and snow falling or wind knocking you over. But we still go and enjoy everyday know matter what. Two years ago the guide called off the hunt because with the wind chill it was 30 degrees below zero , Last year the wind was out of this world and nothing was flying in. But a few years back about ten thousand geese came in. Maybe not that many but you get the idea. It was so loud you could not even hear your gun go off. The same year from 9 AM to 4 PM we were in the blind and never once did the high flying birds stop migrating. I still keep my plug in. I can't get passed that and I still out shot a bunch of the other hunter. Seeing so many birds of all kinds makes it even cooler. But when a big flock of mallards land in the field it pisses me off we can't shoot them lol. This time in my life I just want to watch and shoot a little and enjoy my family and friends. But if you get a chances to hunt snow geese on a good day. You'll be wishing that all water fowl hunting was that great. Oh by the way ! don't get hit by one falling on you . It really hurts.
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I assume you are messing about with the greaters, aka "THE BORG". They apparently abandoned us here in Delawhere and have already headed north, probably due to an oddly temperate winter. Have fun. Soon you all will be setting out huge rigs to lure the buggers. Big problem with them coming in numbers is that after you find them, there is no guarantee that they will be back the next day.. Grazers can devastate a field in rapid time.
We did have some rather amazing hunts down here a few years back!
Only white bird I got to shoot this year was via permit.
 
I hunted the Borg once out in El Campo TX with DHBP member RodJ.
Geese from horizon to horizon, sound of thousands of geese honking was incredible.
Every waterfowl hunter should go at least once.
 
Carl

My friend your so right. Even if its not your thing a person should just watch snow geese in action. When you see a white tornado falling from the sky. It something only God himself could of made. The first time I saw that. I couldn't even get a shot off.
 

Anthony,


Good luck and have FUN!


Just one of many Snow Goose tornadoes Greater & Lesser my partners and I were under, over many years of fall & winter hunting.

Part of what a DU biologist told us were over 700,000 lesser Snows and Ross.

A double on 2 Ross...

Just a small sample of photos from a drawer full.


Wish I had a dollar for every Snow Goose hunt from the east coast, to the Central flyway.

Now I am a recovering Gooseaholic. Thank God .


Had my share of hard work, lots of FUN, and very good eating as well.

Nothing beats a young Snow Goose "Sangwich" for proper hunter fuel.


It is good that you chase the elusive "White Bird".

Someone has to, and must for many good reasons.


Salud !


VP





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Vince

I enjoy the way you write things. Your a word smith and a fine gentlemen. Snow geese was just another way I could enjoy time with my son. And even with the bad years we traveled up to your neck of the world. It was all worth it. We messed up because of white outs (TO MANY BIRDS) for those who don't know. Yes there can be to many! People don't take the time to pick out a bird. So they flock shot. Which I am sure you agree with me. That sinks! many birds are injured and die later. So I enjoy when the small flocks come in. I have just enjoyed being out in the field. Being sick and getting older I enjoy every time out. I have seen what you have seen. Flock after flock after flock. People do not understand unless they have witness the sites and sounds of the white birds. I never did until I was in a field right in the middle of the action. Thanks buddy as always. Keep sharing your stories, God Bless
 
In south Jersey along Delaware bay, snow geese typically arrive around Christmas and the numbers build until they leave for the north in March and April. The last 5 years or so we don't seem to be getting the numbers that we did before. And that is a really interesting thing about snow geese, that the migration patterns have changed quite a bit over the last 40 years or so. But the way I hunted them was with about a dozen floating decoys, setting up between a couple of rafts that sit along the bayshore. There are areas that they raft up year to year, then large flocks will come in and out throughout the day, and small flocks sometimes trade between the big rafts of geese and fly around the marsh. And the latter is where you get them. In that environment, you can call them pretty easily and get them to look at your decoys without putting out a monster spread. Low tide is when you want to be there. The trick is to get them to come over you looking for company, which the call will do. I don't think this is a method that would work anywhere but around here. Trying to hunt them in fields is just like anywhere else, put out 300 decoys and hope they want to be in that field on that day. But in the marsh, you get a unique situation that lets you hunt them on a small scale. I also like snow goose as table fare, and prefer it to Canada goose. Have a great trip. And try making some pate with the livers.
 
Greg

I like your way of hunting snows. I enjoy the water more then the fields. I always enjoyed hunting any kind of geese on the water . But off in the fields we still go ! and as it is a hit and miss hunt. That is why I use a guide for snows. I am not putting out all those decoys at my age. I rather pay some young bloods to do that.
I'm sure our hunt is going to get pushed back. They had almost four foot of snow in one of the places we go. So we will see what happens. I always enjoy the hunts even if you don't get any birds. Mother nature is always in charge. So time will tell. Snow geese are good eating. Not a liver man. Thanks Greg. Always enjoy hearing from you.
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Vince

Great sign! wish I had one like that of a wood duck. You do such great work along with so many people on here. I can't hammer a nail ! well not that bad, but you understand. I wish I could do the things with my hands like so many of you are blessed with. Thanks as always for the get photos.

Anthony
 

Anthony,

We have never met, but I do believe that your the type of guy that can do whatever he puts his mind to.

As a balance, I do not make, or put in place as many Wood Ducks nesting boxes as you do.

We both do what we love, and what the Lord put us here for. So it's all good.



I do have a Wood Duck Decoy sign as well....

It is over the pocket door entry to our small kitchen. May have to post a photo of it sometime.


VP
 
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