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Hey, snow goose (light goose?) hunters. Please share your experience. Where do you hunt them? It's few days until the season starts. I never tried it, and don't think I saw them anywhere. Where are they? Thanks for any tips!

You will find some on the western border of the state. We don't get them like the Dakotas do.

I gave up on it because it is a matter of timing, when they come through, you have great shooting for a couple of days...but you don't know when it will happen, and with my luck, I always was sitting in a slush pile with no geese around, as I have to get time off in advance.

It can be worlds of fun if you hit it right, but what are you gonna do with 50+ snow geese?

crbutler wrote:You will find some on the western border of the state. We don't get them like the Dakotas do.

I gave up on it because it is a matter of timing, when they come through, you have great shooting for a couple of days...but you don't know when it will happen, and with my luck, I always was sitting in a slush pile with no geese around, as I have to get time off in advance.

It can be worlds of fun if you hit it right, but what are you gonna do with 50+ snow geese?

Thanks! I'll eat them as I don't have enough imagination what else to do with them...

Go west. Check out DU migration tracker.

yukonjasper wrote:Go west. Check out DU migration tracker.

Thank you! West, like 210? Or Fargo?

The migration reports will tell you where you need to be. As has been said, it's all about the timing. Depending on snow cover the migrat ion can be halted or slowed. Guides are helpful because the are out there checking and have a line on where the birds are and predicting when the flights will be heaviest. Like timing the northern mallard or bluebills in the fall, you have to be ready to go on the drop of a hat to get the memorable shoots. Sometimes you get lucky.

yukonjasper wrote:The migration reports will tell you where you need to be. As has been said, it's all about the timing. Depending on snow cover the migrat ion can be halted or slowed. Guides are helpful because the are out there checking and have a line on where the birds are and predicting when the flights will be heaviest. Like timing the northern mallard or bluebills in the fall, you have to be ready to go on the drop of a hat to get the memorable shoots. Sometimes you get lucky.

Got it, thanks!!!! Will be watching the reports.

As mentioned, snows are pretty scarce in MN these days. I shot a few around Lac Qui Parle back in the 80s and early 90s but that was more a fluke. The "best" numbers in MN will be found in the far northwest corner but even there they will be much lesser numbers than further west.

The best areas will be roughly west of U.S. 281 which is an hour or so across the border. East of there I wouldn't waste my time unless I had a reliable source and was already in the area as the birds are unlikely to stay long.

As mentioned, if planning a hunt it is best if one can leave at a moments notice. Planning ahead or having to wait more than a couple of days often leads to the birds moving to a different area. It is a bonus if it is dry for a while, it can suck putting out and picking up decoys in the mud not to mention laying out in it hoping that will be the day the birds come in.

I don't hunt snows in the spring much, I get enough in the fall to satisfy my needs. It is a fun experience if one times things right but I tend to run into muddy conditions more often than not in the spring and that takes some of the fun out of it.

smurfman wrote:As mentioned, snows are pretty scarce in MN these days. I shot a few around Lac Qui Parle back in the 80s and early 90s but that was more a fluke. The "best" numbers in MN will be found in the far northwest corner but even there they will be much lesser numbers than further west.

The best areas will be roughly west of U.S. 281 which is an hour or so across the border. East of there I wouldn't waste my time unless I had a reliable source and was already in the area as the birds are unlikely to stay long.

As mentioned, if planning a hunt it is best if one can leave at a moments notice. Planning ahead or having to wait more than a couple of days often leads to the birds moving to a different area. It is a bonus if it is dry for a while, it can suck putting out and picking up decoys in the mud not to mention laying out in it hoping that will be the day the birds come in.

I don't hunt snows in the spring much, I get enough in the fall to satisfy my needs. It is a fun experience if one times things right but I tend to run into muddy conditions more often than not in the spring and that takes some of the fun out of it.

Thanks a lot! I can go on a moment notice. However, I don't have decoys, and would like to stay in MN. I guess I'll watch the reports. Never hunted snows, so just wanted to see how it is. With Canadians I had quite a success by tracking them down and choosing right spot either near the field where they feed or near the roost. Still need to replace my 12 GA with 10 GA though, to increase outcome.

Thank you ALL for sharing! Very grateful. This forum is a great place.

Tried chasing them in the '90's out in North Dakota. We'd put on a ton of miles for a lot of shooting.

When they decide to cover ground, they are on the move. High and fast.

You'd follow a long ways before they'd come down .

Some incredible sights though.