Spring Snow Goose Guide in Missouri

Squaw Creek Refuge – One of the best staging areas in the spring

Our spring snow goose hunts take place near major staging areas in Kansas, Missouri, and South Dakota. Several hundred thousand birds are common and, given the right conditions, peak counts can exceed a million snows. These staged birds, combined with untold numbers of migrating flocks, provide great decoying action. Peak hunting occurs mid-February through early April during the Conservation Order. This special season has liberal laws allowing the use of electronic callers, unplugged guns, and generous bag limits. 

Kansas is a new stop for us this year. It is home territory for my guide Curt Schrader. He has wanted me to expand to this area for a number of years. It has excellent hunting without the pressure that we see in Missouri. 

Missouri usually leads the nation in total spring snow goose harvest. NW Missouri is without a doubt one of the most consistent and productive regions in Missouri. Most of our Missouri hunts take place in this corner of the state. 

Our South Dakota hunts have grown in popularity over the years. These hunts typically have higher averages, hunting pressure can be considerably less, and the migration is massive if your timing is right. The extraordinary number of migrating birds is a result of a natural funnel forcing the majority of the Mid-Continent snow goose flock to migrate through a narrow band of eastern South Dakota. It is a favorite hunting spot of many of our Up North Outdoor guides. 

The hunts take place on private leases over large spreads of Deadly Decoys full bodied windsocks. I co-designed these decoys with my business partner Damian Kuzmin. Together we design, manufacture, and sell them through our partnership in Deadly Decoys, Inc (Check out our Snow Goose Decoys). They are an ultra-realistic windsock decoy that has an internal BackBone™ support that gives them a full body appearance, striking feather detail, and unrivaled realistic movement. The blinds we use are lay down blinds. These blinds provide excellent concealment, comfort, and mobility. Our electronic callers are capable of producing sound quality of the utmost clarity without background noises or distortions. A large spread of realistic decoys, movement, and sounds are the keys to successfully decoying snow geese. We have put a major emphasis on refining these areas over the years. Additionally, we have several subtle tactics that we use to set us apart from other guide services. These little things are what make our hunts more consistent and successful than the competition. We take pride in being able to successfully decoy these wary birds. Our snow goose hunts are run during the most productive parts of the spring snow goose season but weather can play a significant role in our success. When weather issues develop we rely on our years of snow goose hunting experience and the weather forecast to try to predict how conditions will affect the geese in our area. Our policy is we hunt under all weather conditions unless they become hazardous. Occasionally we postpone hunts. If a hunt is postponed it can be rescheduled in the remainder of the current or a future season as the schedule allows. We do not refund money. When you booked the hunt you intended to go on a snow goose hunt. When we took your reservation we intended to take you on a snow goose hunt. The weather is not your fault nor is it mine. Nothing has changed but the date of the hunt. Most of our hunting is done over semi-permanent sets. This means we hunt the same fields often, moving when necessary based on the harvest, migration, and weather. We hunt near very large concentrations of staged and migrating flocks, decoying them as they fly over our spreads. Throughout the past 11 spring seasons this has proven to be a very successful strategy. Our measure of this success is not only the 36,000 snow geese we have harvested but also the high percentage of repeat clientele. 

Our 2011 spring season was one of our better years. The hatch, the weather, and our harvest was much better than 2010. We shot 11 leg bands, one white neck collar, and  3 blue phase Ross geese. All of these trophies went home with the hunter who shot them or won them in our band draw. Missouri: The last few years we have seen a trend of groups wanting to hunt mid March. It is a good time, but it is certainly not the only time hunting is good. We have had hundred bird days from early February to late March in Missouri.  Weather is the biggest factor on hunting success. Adverse weather can happen at any time. There is some very good early hunting that is getting missed. A prime example is our first full day hunt on Feb 21, 2011 when 70 birds were shot. The next two days were 24 and 50. That’s good hunting! We only had one group of hunters booked at that time. South Dakota: Birds were late arriving in northern SD. We pushed back some hunters but two groups were already in route so we pulled up stakes and moved them south.  By the second weekend the birds were within driving distance of the lodge. There was a lot of windshield time but it paid off. South Dakota was very consistent hunting. 

Our 2011 total harvest was 5366 geese. Over the past 11 years our annual harvests have been 5366 (2011), 1890 (2010), 5471 (2009), 3850 (2008), 5653 (2007), 4442 (2006), 3653 (2005), 3583 (2004), 1266 (2003), 1049 (2002), and 469 (2001). That is 36,692 snow geese harvested.

If you would like video proof of the quality of our guided hunts you can purchase “Snow Flurries 2”. It was filmed during the 2009 spring season with several of our clients featured as shooters. It is exactly what you will experience on a good day hunting with us. You can purchase the video by calling 563-382-0530. 

There has been a lot of hype created around the spring snow goose season. Some of its warranted. Some of its overblown marketing. As you can see from the pictures we have many truly amazing days in the field each year. These are above average days and show the potential. It takes the right conditions and a little luck to have those 60, 80, or 100 plus bird days. Hunters should come expecting to harvest between 15-35 birds/field/day with a potential for much larger days. These are decoying birds with most shots being called in the 25-50 yard range. In reality, snow geese are the toughest of all waterfowl to decoy. The enactment of the spring season and its liberal laws are testament to this fact. We are highly successful but we don’t guarantee birds. Slow days or even a rare zero are a part of hunting. 

Rates & Discounts:

We recommend hunting a minimum of 3 days. Our Standard packages are a 3 day (Fri-Sun or Mon-Wed) or 4 day (Mon-Thur or Thur-Sun) hunt. We prefer booking the hunts as listed. We also realize that it’s not going to work for everyone. If you require something outside this structure call me. Normally I can make something work for both of us. 

You can get up to 15% off our hunts. Discounted price is figured for you in the pricing section. We encourage you to take advantage of all of them. Please call if you have any questions. 

1. Early Bird 5% Discount: Book and pay (deposit or full payment) by Aug 31.
2. Large Group 5% Discount: Book a party of 6 or more.
3. Full Payment 5% Discount: Pay in full when booking your hunt. Our normal payment option is a 50% deposit at booking with the second 50% due in January. All members of a party must pay in full to get this discount. If the party size increases the new members must pay in full when added.

Every day in the field is a chance at a band or a neck collar

Have a chance to see A LOT of geese!

Use large, realistic decoy spreads

$488.75 (15%) Best Value & Youth Rate $517.50 (10%)                                              $546.25(5%) 

$658.75 (15%) Best Value & Youth Rate $697.50 (10%)                                               $736.25 (5%) 

$170.00 (15%) Best Value & Youth Rate $180.00  (10%)                                              $190.00 (5%) 

1. The 3 & 4 day hunts are full days that run until sunset except the last day which is a half day that lasts until noon.
2. Prices are per hunter and don’t include lodging, license, or gratuity.
3. Party size of 6 hunters guarantees your own field. Groups of less than 6 hunters can reserve their own field for an additional fee. Otherwise groups of less than 6 hunters will be combined with other smaller sized groups to reach 6-8 hunters per field. No dogs are allowed on combined group hunts. If you have your own field, well mannered dogs are allowed.
4. Youth are those 12 to 17 years old and must be accompanied by an adult. Those under 12 are allowed as non-hunters at no charge provided you have your own field and the number of hunters & non hunters doesn’t exceed 8. 

Payments:

One person in your party needs to be the contact person. I will need this person’s contact information. They will be the one sending me payment, receiving the confirmation letter, and any other communications concerning the hunt. 

A deposit of 50% is due within 14 days of booking your hunt. Full payment is due by January 15th. Those booking after January 15th are required to make full payment. Payment can be made with personal check, money order, or credit card (Visa/MC/Discover). 

All monies paid are non-refundable. If you can’t make the trip it is acceptable to find a replacement as long as the party size doesn’t change. If you can’t make the hunt and can’t find a replacement you forfeit your deposit. If full payment has been made then the 2nd half of payment will remain as a credit for a future hunt. If we have to postpone the hunt it will be rescheduled in the current or future season as the schedule allows. When we postpone a hunt, it is with your best interest at heart. This payment policy is fair. Most of your payment is used to pay expenses incurred in preparing for your upcoming hunt. By sending payment you are agreeing to these terms. 

Lodging:

• Kansas, Missouri, & South Dakota Snow Goose Hunts: Lodging is at the local motels. I will provide you with the local motel numbers once you book the hunt. It is your responsibility to call and make those reservations.

License & Dates:

• Kansas Spring Snow Goose Hunts: February 13 - March 4: There is no daily or possession limit. Unplugged guns and electronic callers are legal. Non-Resident Hunting License or Apprentice Hunting License (see below) ($71) or 48 Hour Waterfowl Hunting License ($26) (For a 3 or 4 day hunt you will need two of the 48 hour licenses. You can pick the start and end dates), State Waterfowl Stamp ($5.50), HIP permit ($1.00), & Federal Duck Stamp ($15 A Federal Stamp is not required by the US Fish & Wildlife Service but it is by the state of Kansas). Hunter Safety Certificate for anyone born on or after July 1, 1957. If you have not completed a hunter’s safety course but are required to have it you can still hunt by purchasing a one-time deferral Apprentice Hunting License. All hunters age 16 to age 27 must carry proof of hunter education while hunting.
• Missouri Spring Snow Goose Hunts: February 20 – March 18: There is no daily or possession limit. Unplugged guns and electronic callers are legal. License: Conservation Order Permit ($40 non-residents/$5 residents) & Hunter Safety Certificate for those born on/after 1-1-1967. If you have not completed a hunter’s safety course but are required to have it you can still hunt by purchasing a Apprentice Hunter Authorization ($10). This Authorization waives the hunter’s safety requirement for a year.
• South Dakota Spring Goose Hunts: March 16-April 5: There is no daily or possession limit. Unplugged guns and electronic callers are legal. License: Spring Light Goose: Adult – $45, Youth under 16 – $25 plus Hunter Safety Certificate.

Follow Our Season: