Mark(mo)
Active member
This past week I was asked to follow along and play guest host to the Migration Nation TV show as the cameras rolled to South Dakota following the migration north. We hooked up with Drake Field Expert Aaron Eberle on a spring snow goose hunt. First things first, time to stop by Cabela’s in Mitchell, SD to pick up a hunting license.
After an afternoon of scouting we found several good fields but with all the snow, travel on any of the back roads was a crap shoot.
The locals were getting out and stretching their legs with the melting of most of the snow and didn’t seem to mind the mud.
Many times you could find a flock but no way to get within a mile of the field.
Some were not so happy to see us!
We figured most of the birds were pushing north, Aaron called a buddy of his Adam Toboyek who had found some birds working a dry cut cornfield. When we rolled in the next morning the skies had cleared and the wind had shifted out of the NW so when the rig was set it would mean staring straight into a late morning sun so we would have to make the most of the early opportunities.
We had several bunches and lots of 3 packs and pairs come to the decoys. It was a steady shoot but as the sun climbed in the East sky the cameras had no choice but to call it a morning.
Aaron had spent the next day scouting a field that was on a good morning feeding pattern and located far enough from the roost to not spook the birds when the shooting started. Tough when there is a potential roost pond every 100yds or so up there.
Decoys were set the night before so the only thing left was to hide the cameras when we pulled into the field.
As we had guessed at first light the birds started to pour out of the roost first in small bunches and continued to build in numbers as the morning passed. Flock after flock of flipping, side slipping, cupped wings committed to the decoys.
When the morning flight finished up the count was quite impressive.
The cameras rolled for two hours straight without being turned off the action was so furious. Once over, the hard work of pulling the spread started.
Seed bags were loaded into sleds and as fast as the 4 wheeler could run from the field to the trailers we bagged and loaded the rig ready for the next hunt.
All in all a great few days with good company, hats off to Aaron and his crew and, hey, if you’re a waterfowler and don’t like decoying birds and beautiful scenery then east central South Dakota is not for you!
The show should air later this summer on the sportsmans channel.
After an afternoon of scouting we found several good fields but with all the snow, travel on any of the back roads was a crap shoot.
The locals were getting out and stretching their legs with the melting of most of the snow and didn’t seem to mind the mud.
Many times you could find a flock but no way to get within a mile of the field.
Some were not so happy to see us!
We figured most of the birds were pushing north, Aaron called a buddy of his Adam Toboyek who had found some birds working a dry cut cornfield. When we rolled in the next morning the skies had cleared and the wind had shifted out of the NW so when the rig was set it would mean staring straight into a late morning sun so we would have to make the most of the early opportunities.
We had several bunches and lots of 3 packs and pairs come to the decoys. It was a steady shoot but as the sun climbed in the East sky the cameras had no choice but to call it a morning.
Aaron had spent the next day scouting a field that was on a good morning feeding pattern and located far enough from the roost to not spook the birds when the shooting started. Tough when there is a potential roost pond every 100yds or so up there.
Decoys were set the night before so the only thing left was to hide the cameras when we pulled into the field.
As we had guessed at first light the birds started to pour out of the roost first in small bunches and continued to build in numbers as the morning passed. Flock after flock of flipping, side slipping, cupped wings committed to the decoys.
When the morning flight finished up the count was quite impressive.
The cameras rolled for two hours straight without being turned off the action was so furious. Once over, the hard work of pulling the spread started.
Seed bags were loaded into sleds and as fast as the 4 wheeler could run from the field to the trailers we bagged and loaded the rig ready for the next hunt.
All in all a great few days with good company, hats off to Aaron and his crew and, hey, if you’re a waterfowler and don’t like decoying birds and beautiful scenery then east central South Dakota is not for you!
The show should air later this summer on the sportsmans channel.
If it hadn't been for interstate traffic we could have picked up enough good looking ones to pay for the trip. 
