Atlantic Flyway Snow Geese

[Mike Bard]

DATE: 2-25-07

LOCATION: Central New York

SUNRISE/SUNSET: 6:49 am

WEATHER: Mostly cloudy w/ periods of sun

TEMPERATURE: 12-31°F

WIND: 5-10 SW

EQUIPMENT USED: Avery® Shadow Grass Finisher Blinds, Avery® Power Hunter Blinds, Avery® Finisher Blind Bags, Avery® Calling Gloves, Avery® Fleece Skull Cap, Avery® Floating Gun Case, Avery® DIY Lanyard, Avery® Neck Gaiter, Greenhead Gear® Snow and Blue Goose Full Body Decoys, Greenhead Gear® Pro Grade Full Body Canada Decoys, and Avery® Snow Goose Power Flag

HUNTERS: Arliss Reed, Ron Zega, Rick Murphy, Arliss’ cousin Matt, Rick’s Dad and Avery® Pro-Staffer Mike Bard

JOURNAL NOTES:
After a few weeks off from hunting and several feet of snow accumulating in the area, I feared the spring snow goose season would be a total loss. The spring season is short and typically ends just when the weather turns and the birds begin to show up, so there aren’t many guys who chase them as seriously as Canada geese in the fall months. About ten days prior to our hunt, I found myself driving to an hour south on business and noticed how much less snow was in this area, so I took the scenic route home and noticed a group of a couple thousand snow geese roosting. Upon returning home, I shared this information Arliss, who was really looking forward to getting out after the snows. Over the next week, Arliss, Rick and others put in some additional scouting time and secured permission on a farm in the area where snows, Canadas and ducks had been feeding on exposed patches of soy bean stubble. The plan was then set to give it a shot.

I have to admit, I wasn’t very optimistic given the low numbers of snows in the area, but as Arliss says, “The glass is always half full.” Saturday came and I was stuck working unexpectedly with a new client, so I couldn’t make it. The boys slammed them by NY standards, putting 19 in the bag, to include a mature blue goose. Of course, they had to call me and razz me about the missed opportunity. I managed to get home and get my gear set in time for Sunday’s hunt though.

After a short night’s sleep, Sunday morning arrived and I drove out to the designated meeting spot/Krispy Kreme Donut vendor. We headed down to a hillside field half corn and half soy bean. Being on the hillside, we could see parts of the lake where the snow geese had been roosting. We finished setting the spread right around shooting time and that’s when the ducks started flying. Hundreds of ducks and Canada geese passed over the field, circled, and some even dumped into the rig.





It wasn’t long after the snows started to fly as well. They all seemed to get up at once and come over us in just a few very large groups, all looking, but none biting on our spread. They split and began filling up two nearby fields, which we knew wasn’t a good sign. Once the majority of the snows were feeding, stragglers – small groups, pairs, and even singles started to be scene hoping from one field to the other or getting a late start from the roost. First we had a single suck into the spread from behind us. Next another single cut across the spread trying to land between the snow goose decoys and the Canada decoys. We were able to knock them both down avoiding the skunk, which is what I call a successful snow goose hunt in NY.



A couple hours passed through the middle of the day. The ducks and Canada geese continued to fly, but the snow geese remained settled in the nearby fields feeding. It wasn’t until mid-afternoon when the first group of snows decided to head back to the roost. Not long after, just like the morning flight, group after group headed back towards the roost, when our rig caught the attention of one of the smaller groups of maybe thirty geese. The flew over, then circled back getting lower, circled again, even lower, but then seemed to hang up around thirty-five yards out. Knowing this might be out last shot at them today and being a smaller group, we opted to take the thirty-five yard shot and added three mature snows to the bag. With the majority of the birds back to the roost and five snow geese in hand, we decided to call the hunt.



A successful spring hunt with a great group of very dedicated waterfowlers.

[Kevin Addy]

Nice job Mike. You guys really hold some waterfowl up there.

[Aaron Hitchins]

Great work, those are beautiful birds, and to be able to hunt when you should be snowed in to your house is definetly a good thing, regardless of how things go!

Aaron

[Jason Mears]

Nice hunt Mike.

[David Rearick]

It's on, 20 dozen FB's and well chase them EC style...

[Ron Zega]

Nice journal entry and pics Mike, they were great hunts, but imagine what the first day would have been like with a spread of all GHG FB snows,...... oh yeah, and if you werent working.

[Joe Fladeland]

Great job. Looks like a great time.

[T.J. Owens]

Congrats on your hunt guys! Thanks for the JE Mike.

Best of luck,
T.J.

[Ray St. John]

Congrats guys. Those are some nice looking geese.

[GERRY MAZUR]

Great article and pics, way to bang'em.