Fullbody Snow Geese....WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Tony Vandemore]

2005/2006 Hunting Journal Entries

Date: February 18, 2006

Location: Missouri

Sunrise: 7:00 AM

Weather: Partly Cloudy

Temperature: 2° F

Wind: 10-20 mph NE Wind

Equipment Used: Avery® Floating Gun Case, Avery® Expandable Guide’s Bag, Avery® Finishers, Avery® Killer Weed, Greenhead Gear® Fullbody Snow Goose Decoys, Greenhead Gear® Fullbody BlueGoose Decoys, Greenhead Gear® Lesser Canada and Speckle Belly Fullbody Goose Decoys, Avery® GameHog Game Strap, Avery® Ankle Garters, Avery® Floating Pit Bag, Avery® Neo-Bottle, Avery® Neo-Tumbler, Avery® PolyPropylene Underwear, Avery® Fleece Neck Gaiter, Avery® Fleece Yukon Hood, Avery® Field Staff Cap, Avery® Fleece Skull Cap


Hunters: Clint Roby, Warren Aholt, Mike Zell, Aaron Eich, Avery® Pro-Staffer Tyson Keller, and Avery® Pro-Staffer Tony Vandemore

Journal Notes: In laying a little background for this hunt, late last fall I got an email from Tom Matthews with a plan he had for putting together a big fullbody snow and blue goose spread for the spring. He wanted to test how snow geese, the toughest of all waterfowl to hunt, reacted to big spreads of Greenhead Gear fullbodies. I jumped at the chance to head this up and was anxiously awaiting the spring conservation order.

It is such a pleasure to work for a company that creates the best decoys and equipment in the world…but I was shocked to hear of Tom’s plan and the money Avery would have to spend to put it all together. To the best of my knowledge, there are no other decoy manufacturers out there that are willing to go to these lengths and expenses to test their products to the fullest. This is the reason Avery will always hold the bar, then raise it on their own accord just because they can.

Avery® Pro-Staffer Tyson Keller and I made plans for him and his crew to come down Friday afternoon before the hunt to scout a little. Thursday, a semi truck came in town and dropped off just shy of 1100 Greenhead Gear® Fullbody Snow and Blue Goose Decoys. Myself and two others worked until the wee hours of the morning getting them assembled. Tyson was also bringing around 600 Greenhead Gear® Fullbody Snow and Blue Goose Decoys.

Unfortunately, Mother Nature decided she wasn’t quite done with the cold winter weather for the year. A storm hit on Thursday and the temperatures plummeted. Tyson and his crew were coming anyway and we were going to give it a whirl regardless of the weather. We scouted a field that had maybe 10,000 snows using it but didn’t see many around the area. Friday night Clint secured permission and we all met up at camp and headed out to set decoys. The wind was blowing about 20-25 mph and snowing while we were setting out decoys, and the temps were heading on the south side of double digits. We could hear geese flying south while we were setting decoys and thought we were in for a long few days. We finally got the decoys set around 1:30AM and jumped in the sack for a short nap.

The wake up call came early, but we all jumped up and got ready to roll. Avery® PolyPropylene Underwear was donned, as the thermometer read two degrees. One thing was for sure, we likely weren’t going to have to worry about anybody else out hunting!

We got to the field, parked trucks, and got the blinds just as light was cracking in the east. We no sooner got guns loaded and thought we could hear a bunch in the 15-20mph winds. Sure enough, we spotted them and they were on their way. They locked up from several hundred yards away and the first tornado of the morning got started. The birds wasted little time and only circled once and the shot was called with feet flipped out at 10 yards. Ruff made quick work of the birds and just in time because the next bunch was already on the way.

The morning flight didn’t last but 45 minutes to one hour, but the birds we did see came diving into the spread with reckless abandoned. The end result was 43 snows and blues, with all but a few of them being fully mature adults! Tyson and I both appreciate being given the responsibility of finding out what role Avery/GHG can play in managing the dangerous population levels of snow geese and want to thank those involved that made it happen.

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[Tony Vandemore]

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[Tony Vandemore]

Scouting Saturday night we found a field with only 6-7,000 snows in it and saw very little left in the area. The weather man was calling for calm winds and cloud cover and the temperature was six degrees....not what you want as a snow goose hunter. To say our expectations were low would be an understatement. We had a little trouble come up with one of the trailers, so we only set about 800 decoys on this day, until we could get the other trailer back in action.

Tyson, Aaron, Clint, and I met Warren at the field in the morning. We had frost on the decoys and no wind. This usually means it is all she wrote over other snow goose decoys I have hunted over in the past. To our suprise, the birds actually worked the spread pretty good and were getting down inside 20 yards if we were patient and let them work.

We also ended up seeing more geese than we had the previous day. The action was pretty steady, 90% of the geese that came over the field came in and worked. We were all shocked when we started counting and had 75 birds in the bag!!!! Once again, this is a testament to the great decoys Avery/GHG are putting out. To finish bunches of snow geese in the daylight on a REGULAR basis with no wind is pretty much unheard of, at least to me.

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Ruff and Max had a ball fetching geese all day.
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[austinjbrown]

Dear Tony, i agree that the full body snow geese look good but do u know anywhere that u can get a discounted rate? i mean it is snow geese and u have to have a lot of decoys to hunt them its hard for most people to pay 120 dollars for six decoys???
austin

[Ryan Thomas]

WOW Tony ... you lucky dog. Those decoys look amazing and looks like you had a good hunt. Keep up the good work!! Any bands???

[Tony Vandemore]

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A beautiful ending to a good day in the field...
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Clint and Max settled into their blinds...
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[Scott Moates]

Tony, that is great. The set-up looks awesome, how long did it take you to set up?

[Rusty Hallock]

Tony,



Very good journal entry and photos.

[xdasher19]

wow! that is a lot of decoys..and snows

YOU ARE SO LUCKY

[Tony Vandemore]

The last day of Tyson's trip proved to be the best! Clint, Tyson, Aaron and I found a field with 10K or so geese in it and went to the work of putting the decoys out yet again. It was a late night but we were all anxious for what the next day might hold.

Our enthusiasm was slightly curbed when we awoke with zero wind and a heavy frost. Weatherman was calling for a 10-15mph wind, but we wouldn't have it for the morning shoot. At shooting time we started working geese and had a pretty decent morning shoot, with 30 birds in the bag. We decided to run and grab a bite to eat and then come back to the spread.

We were expecting to see migrators coming back out of the south on this day but it didn't happen. However, we did get a good 10-15mph wind in the afternoon. At 4:30PM the birds started coming off the roost, by 5:30PM the four of us had added another 105 birds to the pile!!

It was pretty amazing the birds were coming from behind us and the wind was from behind us as well. A bunch would peel around the front and make the hook and do it on the first pass! We would shoot them and another bunch would be coming a few hundred yards away and couldn't hear the shots I guess, because they would make the hook and put it in too. It was chaotic to say the least. Ruff didn't have time to get all the birds knocked down in between bunches so we opted to quit at 5:30 and get pictures and what not with one hour of shooting time still remaining!

Out of the 135 geese, only 10-12 were juveniles. I have never seen adult birds dive into a decoy spread like they are doing over the GHG fullbodies. I don't know whether it is the movement or the paint schemes, whatever it is, it is working. Shooting all these mature birds up close and personal has been a true testament to the effectiveness of these decoys.

Tyson and Aaron, thanks again for coming down, it was a blast. Looking forward to the rest of the spring...!!!

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[Goosman]

Tony,
Looks and sounds like and awesome hunt, I never hunted snows before but I heard they are the hardest to decoys, there is defintly proof in your pics that the GHG snow and blue goose decoys work.


Jon

[MONUBE]

was the spread worth more than the trucks used to haul them to the field?

They look incredible and that had to be a great day...but I am pretty sure I would never be able to justify even 1/30th of that spread.

[Tony Vandemore]

The group killed a leg iron on an adult snow goose...

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[John Traiforos]

Tony, you certainly put together some wicked spreads and this is no exception... Looks super lifelike, just awesome !!!

[Jeff "Pitboss" Coats]

very nice!

jeff

[Tony Vandemore]

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[Tony Vandemore]

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[MONUBE]

your ears must still be ringing form that many that close. Great looking pics, have the dogs recovered form that workout yet?

[xdasher19]

Those are great pictures and a very good journal entry. How did you set that many dekes up (just blobs or what?) ? Did you guys shoot any bands?

[Tyson Keller]

To say the least, the past 5 days of hunting were incredible. As Tony said, nearly every bird harvested was mature. The birds that we were hunting were at the leading edge of the migration, which means that they are the oldest and most decoy shy birds of all. In order to believe how well these decoys work, one has to witness them in action. Nearly every bird shot was under 25 yards and was committed with landing gear down. After avidly hunting snow geese over the past several years, I am completely convinced that the GHG Fullbody Snows and Blues are essential for true decoying action.

Tony, thanks again for all of the great hospitality and a hunting trip that I will never forget.

Tyson Keller, Avery Pro-Staff

[Tony Vandemore]

Tyson, I got a feeling it is just the tip of the iceberg....first of many.

The spread took us about 2-2 1/2 hours to pick up and tear down. The migration wasn't on so we were picking it up and tearing it down daily to switch fields.

[Keath Wetovick]

Incredible FB Snow spread! Way to put the hammer down on 'em!

[T.J. Owens]

Tony,

WOW! You do your home work! Congrats and best of luck,T.J.

[Cory Johnson]

Truly Awsome. The Spread Looks Sweeet, way to put the smack down on the Snows.

[Eric Stanke]

see ya in a week...yeeehaaaawww....

[goosehunter26]

that is a great looking spread. you guys look like you had a great time keep up the good work. keep the pics comeing.

[Tim Bouchard]

WOW. That is simply amazing. Great spread and pictures. Very cool that they worked so well on such hard decoying birds. Did we really need to test them to know that : ) Just look at them.

[Rick Frisch]

I am glad you guys are doing your part to save the tundra.

Tyson, you better not ace me out on that Huron deal this spring - you follow!

Thanks,

[Duckslayercam]

Looks like an great hunt, congrats.

Cam

[Jeff Zierden]

Here I thought my spread of 8.5 dozen would be a good spread. Looks like I better start saving for another trailer full for next spring! 1,100 decoys thats just down right insane. If I was a snow goose I would definately commit suicide to a spread like that. They are by far the most life like snow goose decoy out there!!

[CanadaCaller]

Tony,
You must eat with goose gods!!!

WOW!!!

[Jim Thompson, Jr.]

Great story and photos Tony.Cant wait to see Tysons pics also.

[Eric Larsgaard]

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

All I can say is move over rags... That spread looked incredible. Fullbody Snow goose decoys is where it is at..

That's is incredible...... Thanks for the pictures. Tony we are going to hook up and do some hunting this next year if not yet this spring..... We will leave Travis at home...

Tyson you best keep me in the loop to where you are hunting....

Eric

[Wabo1]

Tony,

Thank's for the fun and I'll be intouch, some Great hunting was had that is forsure! My hands have dried out so much from that cold they still hurt, with next to Zero temps or below the GHG dekes took ALOT of abuse with style.

[Craig Boyd]

Dang dude, good job on the kills. And and awesome looking spread also.

[Curt Wilson]

Great posts and pictures. Looks like one heck of a hunt. Keep after those geese and keep posting the successes over those white decoys. Awesome!

[Doug Steinke]

Eeeegads...and another 105 in the afternoon! That sound is my head being banged repeatedly on my desk. Never turn down an invitation from this guy, ever! What a great couple of days, congrats on a wonderful memory for you guys.

Tyson, can you show us some illustrations. Didn't you also yank 103 canucks out of Nebraska in three days? Nice job fellas. The setup looks sweet as well. Take down took 2 1/2 hours? Remind my to show up late if I hunt with you or Jones.

[Tony Vandemore]

Hey Eric, you got any turkeys up there...?!!!

The spread was set by both Tyson and myself. We tried to pack them together in certain areas, while leaving pockets and fingers in other areas. Tyson really knows his stuff and it was a good time to get to hunt with him, it was a fun crew. Aaron was definitely on top of his game as well. I think this was the first time the SoDak boys got to hunt in the hills, they are used to the flatlands and didn't quite know what to think of it. I think they thought we were nuts.....especially when it came time for the 'hill climb' with the trailers....I wish I had pics of that!

I can't say enough how durable these decoys are. Two degree temps aren't easy on any decoy and with that many out we were far from babying them. They withstood being piled in and out of trailers everyday, getting beat around in the back of trailers across worked fields, gravel roads, cold temps, etc. There is nothing like them on the market right now. Here are a few more pics of the decoys in the field and being loaded, etc.

The only complaint I have is that you need to take a rag with you to the field to wipe the blood off them because they get CLOSE...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bueller?...Bueller? HA!
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[Tony Vandemore]

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Little frosty this morning...
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[Tony Vandemore]

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[Keath Wetovick]

Man Tony how do you do it!

[Cory Johnson]

I love the pic with the blood, that is " truly Awsome".

[Wayne Radcliffe]

That is one of the best post I have ever seen. All I can say is WOW, you guys are on your game.

[NDboy]

Thats how much
w/tax $33,060.06

[HeatherReddemann]

Wow Tony. Great post! Enjoyed the readings and the photos.... Looks like you guys made some great memories! Way to put a dent in the population... Just awesome!

[Brobones]

Congrads on the hunt guys, what a amazing spread. I have never had a chance to hunt in a corn field but I would have to say that it looks very easy to conceal ones self compared to low stubble grain or peas, those blinds disappear. Fantastic pictures of the spread, the layout of the spread looks great you guys do know what you are doing.. I am sure that there will be many more great hunts with those fullbodies..

[Mike Hungle]

Absolutely spectacular!

[Duster]

That spread is something to be envied by all who hunt snows! Great job, great pics, great story!

[Jeremy Kriese]

WOW! that spread makes me not even want to put my 1200 windsocks out!!! That is amazing! Congrats on the excellent hunt! That many fullbodies is unreal!!

[Ward McGee]

How many can you fit in a 16 ft. trailer? Also, how many e-callers were you using.

Very impressive is an understatement.

[chop_05]

1700 decoys total!!! thats about 34,000 dollars worth. WOW.:eek:

[Rob Jepson]

Tony,

Great posts and photos! Snow goose hunting will never be the same...

[Jeff Kreit]

Thanks for the great photos -

[Jude St.John]

Awesome hunt Tony. thanks for sharing!

[Tony Vandemore]

Dear Tony, i agree that the full body snow geese look good but do u know anywhere that u can get a discounted rate? i mean it is snow geese and u have to have a lot of decoys to hunt them its hard for most people to pay 120 dollars for six decoys???
austin

Austin, it doesn't take huge numbers of decoys if you are willing to put your time in scouting. The effectiveness of these decoys is unbelievable. I have hunted over just 5 dozen several times and had good shoots with birds flipping their feet out. This pic came from a hunt with only 5 dozen out...
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[Mike Bard]

Tony & Tyson - simply amazing spread and hunts!!!!

[grinder]

simply amazing is right.. That would be a hunt of a lifetime to shoot snows over that kind of spread

[Rick Frisch]

If Travis had been there, you could have used his yellow gloves to wipe off the decoys.

[SwampHunter]

Tony,
Great spread, great hunt, and great story!


Folks,
I had typed out a reply from memory, but it seems my computer has a mind of it's own and likes to delete things right before I hit the submit button. I have told this a time or two before on the net so I had to copy and paste it rather than type everything over again from memory.


I have 10 dozen of the GHG Snows and Blues. I got to goose hunt one day this year. I didn't set the hunt up but a friends of a friend did. We meet this guy and followed him to a field. We pulled into the field and I started asking about where the geese had been feeding in the field. The guy said the gees hadn't been using the field. He said the field the geese had been using was 2 miles away. So I figure this day would be a huge bust. We started setting up anyway and we could see two other groups doing the same in other fields. We finished setting up and relaxed and waited on shooting time. We could hear the geese on the roost in the distance. Once the sun came up the roost came alive. Wave after wave milled around and as soon as they got to the edge of our field they would lock up and set right on in. It was bad windy and alot of our shots never connected but we managed 27 geese before the other groups started skybusting at the passer-by flocks. After that most of the birds wouldn't even head our way.
I had another buddy that borrowed my decoy one day and they killed 30 something birds on a no wind blue-bird day. These guys know nothing about goose hunting, calling or anything and they did better than alot of folks do that decoy snows regularly. Again it was not a pre-scouted field either... they were just in the area of birds.
Back along time ago when I guided for Snows we had a client that brought Carrylite Snow and Blue fullbodies. We killed around 75 birds on a pre-scouted field.
I really and truely like fullbodies for Snows. I will be adding some windsocks(Be nice if Avery made some.) for those days that we can't get on the X field and have to rely on being seen at a distance.


Don't think just because you don't have a spread of 1000 decoys that you can't kill birds consistantly. It simply ain't true. As long as you are on the X(or within resonable sight of the birds), are well hidden, and have realistic looking decoys I believe you will kill birds.
I can't wait until next year when I am able to use these decoys more.

[Brad H]

Looks like you have a hell of a spread!!!! I am going to So.Dak in March and will be hunting over 30dz GHG FB SOB's and I thought that was alot!!!!

[Eric Larsgaard]

Tony,

Of course I have turkeys, but in my unit you have to archery hunt.
You are more then welcomed to come stay at my house and hunt my area.
I had 42 toms and jakes out in the field other day.

Keep the pics coming!

Eric

[Tony Vandemore]

Archery only huh? I haven't picked up a bow in three years. I need to get to SoDak one of these days and get my Merriams.

[Jeff Truitt]

WOW! I've always wanted to know what a 100% GHG spread would do and now I guess we know!

[outside]

I admit I'm jealous of the spread and the success but according to my calculations 1600 GHG full bodies at retail price would be about $34,000. Heck even my sister whose never fired a gun in her life could kill her limit sitting in that kind of spread....

[Tony Vandemore]

There's no limit in MO, send your sister over. Just kidding, but if you read it we didn't set it all everyday. One day we had trailer trouble and set out about 800 and had a good shoot. I hunted over 5 dozen of them this fall, granted there isn't the pressure their is in the spring, but they are still white geese...they ate it up.

[Justin O'Dell]

Looks like a plan came together for you guys. Congratulations!! Hard work pays off. There's a little more to it than just throwing decoys out.

Tony were you guys on the West or East side of the state of MO? I'm patiently waiting for them to get here. Let's just say they will be in for a surprise.

[Travis Mueller]

Tony, thank you for all of your hard work the last few weeks. Avery thanks you for being a team player. Truly thank you.

[chad belding]

Unbelievable work guys! I wish I was there. I guess it is obvious that the decoys are working. Keep em' coming.

Good Hunting!

Chad Belding
Avery Outdoors

[GVGoose]

all I can say is WOW!!

[Rob Cater]

This is why I check this forum every day. to learn something

[Tony Vandemore]

You been out Rob?

[Brobones]

There is a rumor going around that you guys had a couple of those vortex machines in your spread?? If so how did that work for you guys??

[Jeff Gudenkauf]

Word on the street is that the snows have been dumping into Squaw the last couple of days by the truckloads. I hope the Avery boys have been able to sneak out into the field a bit this week-wanna see some more pics.

Last count I heard was 380,000 as of today - there were supposedly only 30,000 as of last Friday when we were down there.

Go get 'em boys.

[Rob Cater]

Tony,
I had Back surgery early Fall of 05 and have not set a decoy all season. It is slowly healing but no way I will shoot a gun till mid summer. This forum has been so helpful for my attitude. The postings of that Snow Goose hunt made me feel like I had some small part of sharing the excitment. You have no idea how much reading that post and this forum adds to my day. Again, "thank you"

[Rob Cater]

several small bunches moving after dark wednesday night 6-8pm as soon as the wind swiched to the NW after 10:00pm I could not hear any after that.

[Wabo1]

Rob,

Sorry to hear about your back, someone told me about that a few weeks ago. My Father had that done and I remember the pain he had, he was back into framing and building houses shortly after so keep the chin up. We should meet sometime, as close as we live it is about time. I've heard your name several times from others and we've chatted several occasions on the web. I recently heard about your wetland and would like to visit it sometime with you, that is my stomping ground area.

[Rob Cater]

I love that Dalton Bottom, I had several swans spend the day on my WRP tract. Cool birds.
I have seen your posts on several sites I read also. I read alot and don't post very often.

[ACOMPTON]

Tony,

Your GHG Full-body spread is causing quite the stir in the White Goose fraternity! I feel like in a small way that I was privy to that historic event.

I was in the area scouting the day your crew was in the process of a 70+ goose day. I was following some birds that had left their bedroom and was looking for some breakfast on that cold February morning. They zeroed in on a corn top hill and began decreasing altitude from a quarter mile out. I watched them bank one time into the wind to line up with the flock that I assumed was on the ground. As they neared ground level the flock flared violently and several began to wreck and fall when I realized that I had been decoyed myself!

When I worked my way up to where I could see your spread a little better your two black dogs were just finishing the retreival chores. I knew I was looking at something special with that spread. I wish I knew it was you in command, as I would have came out and said hello.

I had work of my own to do though. The next day was Presidents Day and in honor of our country's presidents, and no school, my seventeen year-old and I was going to celebrate by saving some tundra.

We set up a mile and a half to the west of your position in a field where we had watched geese settle in to Sunday evening, probably due in no small part from your crew's pressure.

We set up 12dz non-moving full bodies of an undisclosed brand. We ground out 34 the next day and that was with my Benelli broke down for the evening shoot. Tanner had to gaurd the spread alone from 3pm on. He didn't seem to mind and he let very few committed geese live to tell the story.

My point is full-bodies work! I can't imagine how good we would have done if we had GHG movers working for us? I will definately be adding some to our spread before next season. And I agree with your comment to the getleman concerned that he could not afford large numbers of FB's. With the proper scouting, also known as being on the X, smaller spreads of realistic decoys with the gunners covered well can be very, very, effective.

One key point to this whole scenario, and a point that testifies to the effectiveness of your GHG FB's, is that there were not that many birds in the area in terms of light Goose figures... maybe 8-10,000 at the most. What would the death toll have been say you were under 500,000 birds? Shell manufacturers take note!

At any rate pass our thanks on to the Avery boys for such effective product development. I only saw one problem with your historic hunt. I did not see any old guys, like say Cater, or myself in your crew! I am sure that Avery wants to market to all age structures so give Rob or I a call!!! We can smile, shoot, scout and cook with the best of them and your young guns can do all the real work.

Other outdoor forums have contributors who are trying to discount parts of this event. I have shared a hunt with T.V. (does not mean television) on more than one occasion. If Tony says it took 2.525 houors to set the spread than that is what it took, period. He is a quality guy that treats others with respect and has helped my sons in their outdoor development more than once.

Good luck the rest of the season.

[Hoot]

Tony,
I had Back surgery early Fall of 05 and have not set a decoy all season. It is slowly healing but no way I will shoot a gun till mid summer. This forum has been so helpful for my attitude. The postings of that Snow Goose hunt made me feel like I had some small part of sharing the excitment. You have no idea how much reading that post and this forum adds to my day. Again, "thank you"

I agree, while I was in Iraq, and now that im in georgia, this forum does wonders for me, The photos and journal entries make you feel like you were sitting there in the blind next to the pro-staffers. I cant wait till canada this year!!!

Tom

[goosedropper06]

hey were planning on going out to sd in the middle of march and we dont have any full body snows but we do have canadas. do you they will work well enough if we have wind sock and sillouetes of snows out there or should we get some other products. if so is there any thing we can get to convert the canadas to snows?

[Tony Vandemore]

Arnold, you are more than welcome to join us any time.....especially if you bring the cook box! After seeing Tanner shoot on many occasions, I would say your spread was very well guarded with just him gunning that afternoon!