The first full spring in the heart of the northbound migration was a learning experience to say the least. I jumped in with both feet and we had a group that relentlessly pursued every tornado that touched down. That group may have changed over the last couple years but the relentless passion hasn’t. We’ve had good days and bad. We tested decoy numbers anywhere from 100 to 2900. We tested spatial patterns, different weather conditions, various sound tracks, speaker placement, blinds versus white coats, location of blinds in spread, etc. Some things made sense and were consistent and some weren’t, some can be explained and some can’t. About the time you think you have them figured out they prove you wrong again.
That being said, I have found that some things can put the odds in your favor. Often times, a snow goose hunter isn’t necessarily hunting the X since the birds can’t even decide where the X is themselves. Therefore, if you can set up in a field that allows the birds to come from downwind you’ll set the odds in your favor. Next, like any other waterfowl, you’ll want to set the spread as realistically as you can. I’ve found that a large mass with an open spot just downwind of it for the birds to land is best. Then trickle decoys downwind of you much like a teardrop shape with the wide part being upwind. You can throw little groups of decoys off to the side to break up the decoy look and bring the spread to life. The birds will hone in on the mass anyway. You’ll want to be careful not to get too many decoys downwind if the wind speed is high. With high winds and a low ceiling the birds tend to come in low and its best to be on the downwind side of the spread when they commit. Alternatively, you can get away with decoys stretched a long ways downwind on light wind days. Snow geese like to work vertically on these days and often times they appear like they overshoot their mark. The longer you can stretch the spread up and downwind the more of a “runway” it gives them to come down.
Movement and the appearance of movement are key with these birds. Snow geese are always flapping, stretching, playing leap-frog to get to the front of the group, and running through the field looking for left over grain lay about from the previous fall. Flagging can be as much of a useful tool in the spring as it is in the fall with Canada geese. Motorized decoys can come in handy on low wind days. There are also a variety decoys on the market that imitate flying snow geese.
Sound can play a very important role. A good high quality sound system with realistic sound tracks can make all the difference. A lot of guys want to blast the volume and let the sound carry. This is severely over-rated. Play with different sound levels and try a variety of sounds until you find what’s working. Listen to live birds and hear what they sound like when they are at their most content. That can be very hard to do in most areas since the birds are very wary and getting disturbed often. I think you’ll find that they are quite often getting into domestic disputes and using low grunts and moans and not as many high pitch loud roars.
Frustrating doesn’t begin to describe a spring of chasing snows. If you can handle the heartache the rewards can be worth every cent and hour spent on the road. Don’t let anyone kid you. If you’re truly a hardcore snow goose hunter you will have more bad days than good. I encourage everyone that has the opportunity or desire to sit in a snow goose spread to try it. Just because you don’t have thousands of dollars and a big trailer to haul thousands of full body snow goose decoys doesn’t mean you can’t be successful.
So, how does one go about getting started with a sport that seems so expensive to participate in? A successful spread can be as simple as 400-600 decoys and an e-caller. Snow geese are an extremely active bird. They move through a corn field swiftly as they scour the surface for carbohydrates that build up reserves for the rest of the northward flight and reproduction. Movement can be a more important characteristic of realism than the realistic look of a full-body decoy. Don’t get me wrong, full body snows are great but they aren’t the only option out there. The other thing a guy should consider when getting a spread started is getting a small core group of guys together and each person buy a little gear. If you got four guys together and each buys 8-10 dozen decoys you’ll have a sufficient spread for the endeavor. A well built e-caller can be put together for around $100. There are also very sophisticated commercial e-callers on the market like the new Squawk Box TM which will be available shortly on the website. All the other trinkets and gadgets out there to aid in snow goose hunting are useful and can help complete the entire spread but they aren’t necessary to put a guy in the middle of a tornado when the budget is really tight. Buy a little gear at a time and eventually you can build an impressive spread.
Get out there, be persistent, respect other hunters, and enjoy the show. Once you’ve had that feeling of hundreds of wings cupped and feet dropping in, you’ll have a hard time shooting snows in any other way. But beware; the addiction can be dangerous to your health, affect your job, and you just might be single by the end of season!
