The spring of 2007 was an above average season. Our Missouri hunts got off to a muddy start but bird numbers were strong and the hunting was good. South Dakota was great but short lived. We arrived in northern SD about the same time as the birds. There was wave upon wave in the air however the abrupt weather change from cold with frozen ground to temps in the high 60’s and 70’s with a strong south wind resulting in a massive migration. The birds moved as far north as Canada which is a pretty rare occurrence for March. We kept thinking there has to be one more storm to push them back. It was just too quick. A quick look at the rainy weather forecast convinced me to cancel the last three days of our hunts. After speaking with several outfitters that ran hunts over that weekend I was very glad we cancelled. Their success was poor. One week to the day of canceling the hunts a snow storm moved through much of Canada, ND, and SD pushing large numbers of birds back into the areas we hunt. Too late for us to reschedule but never the less it is a good example of how weather can affect the hunting.
Our harvest was up more than 1200 birds over 2006. The total harvest was 5653 snow geese. We had two fields shoot zeros. Both occurred on half day hunts, one in MO and one in SD. Five fields broke the century mark, two 100-bird, two 101-bird and one 103-bird days. It was also a good band year for us. We shot 20 leg bands, 7 neck collars, one $20 reward band, and one tarsus band.
Butch1
Snow goose hunting in South Dakota this year was incredible for the first few days.
This field was very muddy in early March but the hunting was very good once you got into your blind.
Siemens Party Band
Snow goose guide Jake Groth and friend DJ enjoyed an afternoon hunt in Missouri.
DJ
Another picture of the blue goose with the white neck collar. Notice the missing leg band.
Dave from Sundance Hunt Club in CA treats his guides to a Missouri snow goose hunt. They have snows in CA but hardly any blues. A blue goose is a real trophy for these guys. The 75 bird day they had here isn’t so bad either.
Here is a late March Missouri snow goose hunt… 48 snow geese.
A muddy but successful early March Missouri snow goose hunt.
85 Ironwood
Another group of fathers and sons but this time on our South Dakota snow goose hunts.
Reno
Deadly Decoys™
These guys didn’t do all that good in the morning. About 3pm until 5pm it was non-stop action ending the day with an even 100 snow geese.
Colorado Boyz
Deadly Decoys™ Trailer 2
Deadly Decoys™ Trailer
Here is a late February Missouri snow goose hunt. They shot 101 snows and it is also the day the white neck collared blue was shot.
Fathers and sons enjoys a Missouri snow goose hunt.
Snow Goose Hunting
Not sure how this blue goose ended up with a white neck collar on it. I have never seen or heard of this combination before. The other odd thing was it didn’t have a leg band. Very strange but cool!
Butch & George
Siemens Party
South Dakota
These snow goose hunters left at noon on their last day with nice pile of snow geese. Up North Outdoors snow goose guides Curt Schrader, Jim Weston, and owner Tracy Northup hunted the afternoon. Total for the field that day was 101 snow geese.
DJ front right is a friend of one of our snow goose guides. This is the second year in a row that his field shot a red neck collar in the same field to boot.
This mixed party group managed to be the high field for the year with this 103 bird day on a South Dakota snow goose hunt 3/24/07
