# Spring Predictions?



## nodakoutdoors.com

I hate to say it but I'm already getting the itch for spring and we've got a loooooooong winter to go. With that being said, got any spring predictions on how it will all play out?

My guess is Nebraska will hold more for longer this year with the Dakotas filling up with snow.

I'm also guessing someone will have a 500-bird harvest on a hunt in ND (assuming they have enough shells).

And of course, it's going to be a VERY wet spring!


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## Chuck Smith

I agree on it is going to be wet, wet, and maybe a little more wet and muddy this spring.

Suppossably the juvie hatch was again killer.

The Nebraska basins will be very full of water and hold many birds. But like all springs it will depend on how fast the snow and ice move out and how warm it gets.

But I am like you....i can't wait.


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## goosegrinder

> The Nebraska basins will be very full of water and hold many birds


 They will hold ALOT of birds but we better get some water or they better pump ALOT if they are gonna be very full of water. We haven't had enough snow to help with the water levels. As it is right now,driving in fields will not be an issue this year. As long as the Dakotas have snow/ice, life will be good here in Nebraska. oke: :beer:

Alex


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## mikehaines70

i cant wait!!! i look for snow goose pitcures and listen to there recorded sounds every single day!!!!! and i think south dakota will get every single bird in the state at the same time and stay for a full month haha im dreaming but it would be nice. Has nebraska gotten very much snow at all?


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## goosegrinder

> Has nebraska gotten very much snow at all?


No. I think I've shoveled maybe 3" total off the driveway here in Omaha so far this winter. More out west but not enough IMO. I know there is a pile of snow geese in Kansas as of 10 days ago. Lakes are running anywhere from open water to 8" thick depending on where you are at on the waterbody.

Alex


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## snowstopper

We have had very little snow here in NW Missouri. We were even able to drive into the field last week after it warmed up a bit while canada goose hunting. I've received several reports of a lot of snows and blues just south of Cameron, Missouri. I suspect they are roosting on Pony Express or Smithville lake. I'm predicting (hoping) for a drier spring with endless amounts of decoying juvies!!!!


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## mikehaines70

u guys are lucky we were having days of 5 to 8 inches and it hasnt gone away with this fricken cold warmed up into the 30's last week melted the snow off my roof and thats about it, and its probly not over yet :eyeroll: well hopefully u guys get to have some great hunts then!!!!


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## bluebird

Well after Canada this year i would say this spring is going to be a fun one!!!


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## PJ

No snow in Iowa City or West through IA.


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## mjschuette

I wonder what the farmers almanac says for sd in march? So excited to hunt this years juvies! Let it RAIN! Already booked with a guide in sd, I let him pick my week of hunting. :sniper: My guess would be that the main flocks hit southern nd march 30th, with the juvies in the southern to middle of sd at that time. Sand will be holding 750,000 at that time.


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## the professor

I predict that I will hit less washed out holes in roads than last spring.


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## Rick Acker

We only have 8 inches of snow pack on the ground according to WDAZ in GF. Hopeing the flyway shifts east like it did the first ever Spring Season and I was hammering the birds by Thompson! :beer:


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## Toonhunter

Hard to say what's going to happen in Sask this spring Chris. I think alot of it will depend on A) snow pack and B) how wet of a spring we have. Last fall was just horrendous for rain and if we get even small amounts of rain it could spell access issues. If the fall flight was any indication though there should be a ton of stupid Jeuvies to aim at if all goes well. I would say that it was easily a 90% kill ratio for Jeuvies to adult birds for me and the people i routinely hunt with. my last hunt of the fall was with my wife and we took down 39 birds ( one shy of our 2 person limit). Of those 39 birds, 34 were Juvies ! Talking to a few of the farmers that let me hunt their land, they said in certain areas EVERY rainfall this spring will most likely leave top water on the fields. Yes! ,they were that wet and saturated last fall. With a good Jeuvie hatch and a warm dry spring things will be boom. Are you planning on coming up this way Chris? If so let me know and i will shoot yah some p/m's as we draw closer as to what is happening :beer:


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## nodakoutdoors.com

I've always really wanted to go to Sask in the spring...the problem is by May I have plenty in the freezer already and the walleyes are biting in the back yard. :thumb:


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## Toonhunter

Thats' why i usually hit em hard the last 2 weeks of April if they are here ! Gotta love them toothy eyes in butter and garlic on a cast iron fry pan :beer:


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## Kssalmon

Im from ne kansas last yr we held alot of birds during the spring however late harvest & cold temps kept disking to a min and germanation of waste grain to a min. My point is we had food everywhere, this year however had early harvest and most fields were disked. We have had snow on the ground for a little while so hoping the wheat does well of im afraid it will b spoty at best.
If the weather works out and the snow receids just to the north of us in march it would b a great help! I am hoping to hit se neb. For the first time this yr I just dont know if I can swing it or not


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## goosegrinder

10"-12" on the ground in eastern nebraska now.

Alex


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## Original Goosebuster

All I can say for Eastern ND all the way through Devils Lake region is WET WET WET this spring


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## hwdeuce

i have a good feeling this spring for snows you guys in north dakota really dont have a whole lot of snow now so thats good and hopefully it stays that way we have double what u guys have south of the river in minnesota so it should be good for getting into those fields


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## goosehunter21

We have sixty inches, I think that is plenty :eyeroll:


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## Original Goosebuster

No kidding it seems like it snows twice a week! even dry snow is still wet come april


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## Andy Weber

hwdeuce said:


> i have a good feeling this spring for snows you guys in north dakota really dont have a whole lot of snow now so thats good and hopefully it stays that way we have double what u guys have south of the river in minnesota so it should be good for getting into those fields


 :rollin: :rollin: :rollin: :rollin: Ya your right. NE SD and SE ND really don't have that much snow...the birds are going to go right through everybody better just cancel their trips that are planned.. :rollin:


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## KEN W

hwdeuce said:


> i have a good feeling this spring for snows you guys in north dakota really dont have a whole lot of snow now so thats good and hopefully it stays that way we have double what u guys have south of the river in minnesota so it should be good for getting into those fields


You evidently haven't been out here.


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## jcnelsn1

I predict a really big bill for shotgun shells and a neck collar.


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## MNwaterfowler15

I think its kind of hard to say whats going to happen. Just hope its a good one because i have alot of shells to burn up!


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## goosenoose

I predict there is going to be a lot of happy goose freaks come march!


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## KEN W

I predict there will be a lot of unhappy hunters in eastern ND.There is so much snow that roads will be undriveable.You will have to walk into fields.Should be better when all those juvvies show up at the end.


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## kill em

I predict it will be a good year here in Nebraska. Lake MacConaughy is full so there will be plenty of room for them!!


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## hwdeuce

It will never be as bad as it was 2 years ago in ne ND i can bet it and when u hunt there its true u will do anything to kill those beautiful birds and i cant wait to be out there i'll be there soon


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## hwdeuce

KEN W said:


> hwdeuce said:
> 
> 
> 
> i have a good feeling this spring for snows you guys in north dakota really dont have a whole lot of snow now so thats good and hopefully it stays that way we have double what u guys have south of the river in minnesota so it should be good for getting into those fields
> 
> 
> 
> You evidently haven't been out here.
Click to expand...

i have been t there plenty and probably worst conditions and hammer birds


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## KEN W

To say...."north dakota really dont have a whole lot of snow now" tells me you haven't been here.I live here.I drive a mail route here.We have a lot of snow here and there is still 6 weeks of winter left.


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## gaddy getter

KEN W said:


> ....and there is still 6 weeks of winter left.


How can you possibly say that until tomorrow? :wink:


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## KEN W

Good point. :rollin: :rollin:


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## goosegrinder

Another 4-6" of snow here in eastern Nebraska and temps right around zero this morning. Gotta love mother nature. :beer:

Alex


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## bluebird

gaddy getter said:


> KEN W said:
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> 
> 
> ....and there is still 6 weeks of winter left.
> 
> 
> 
> How can you possibly say that until tomorrow? :wink:
Click to expand...

Spring is coming early, Says the little furry guy!!!!


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## the professor

bluebird said:


> gaddy getter said:
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> 
> 
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> KEN W said:
> 
> 
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> ....and there is still 6 weeks of winter left.
> 
> 
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> How can you possibly say that until tomorrow? :wink:
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Spring is coming early, Says the little furry guy!!!!
Click to expand...

Translation: Quick melt, flooding, and horrible hunting conditions.


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## nodakoutdoors.com

In other words - get tracks for your ATV.


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## dakotashooter2

We may not have as much snow but ND is still gonna be one big lake when it melts. If you want to hunt them you better dig out the waders and boat cause it might take that to get at them. Last fall many of the roads were impassable. Melting snow is gonna make that worse.

Chris I'm not sure even tracks are gonna cut it.


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## Original Goosebuster

We all need to get airboats with blinds on them :thumb:


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## bluebird

With this latest storm and temps chillin off again first half of next week how will this affect the migration?


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## dfisher

I'm predicting that I won't shoot a snow goose this spring, as much as I'd like to.  
Good luck,
Dan


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## Blue Plate

I predict hovercrafts, sand bags and water pumps with be useful items in ND this spring.


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## Original Goosebuster

This early Feb. thaw is helping all us North Dakotans out tremendously. Gonna make april much easier providing litlle or no more snowfall


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## deadwaterfowl_lead

With this latest storm to hit sd mn and nd NE should have some fun killing birds. Hopefully this snow pack line in south dakota holds together so they stick around longer here.


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## INhonker1

bluebird said:


> With this latest storm and temps chillin off again first half of next week how will this affect the migration?


 :withstupid: It ll probly send em screaming north hard all the way to the artic circle :withstupid:


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## Original Goosebuster

Sounds like SODAK is gonna be muddier than NODAK this year oke:


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## Bob.Mathena

I'm from Delaware and new to the snowgoose thing but I was wondering why nobody talks about my state we have tons of those birds!!


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## Buck25

Bob.Mathena said:


> I'm from Delaware and new to the snowgoose thing but I was wondering why nobody talks about my state we have tons of those birds!!


why wouldn't delaware be a hot topic on north dakota outdoors... :-? idk.


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## bluegoose18

Prediction is field full of decoys freezing cold birds dropping like hail on st pattys day somewhere in ne sd


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## the professor

bluegoose18 said:


> Prediction is field full of decoys freezing cold birds dropping like hail on st pattys day somewhere in ne sd


you better pray for some serious snow melt in the next 7 days if you think there will be birds that far north.


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## guythathunts

I predict the first snow geese taken in SD will be on the 13th of March.


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## the professor

guythathunts said:


> I predict the first snow geese taken in SD will be on the 13th of March.


The first snows in SD probably will shot before sunset tonight if not already this morning.


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## guythathunts

the professor said:


> guythathunts said:
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> I predict the first snow geese taken in SD will be on the 13th of March.
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> The first snows in SD probably will shot before sunset tonight if not already this morning.
Click to expand...

I'd be ok with that too!


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## guythathunts

the professor said:


> guythathunts said:
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> 
> 
> I predict the first snow geese taken in SD will be on the 13th of March.
> 
> 
> 
> The first snows in SD probably will shot before sunset tonight if not already this morning.
Click to expand...

I predict that nothing got shot on the 4th in SD and that The first ones shot will be on the 13th. I'm going to stick to my guns on this one. I have not taken tons of snows in my life, but I have my fair share of NOT shooting them under my belt  . If you prove me wrong, I commend you. I think they will filter in around the 11th and will be hunted by the 13th succesfully.


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## brandtr

guythathunts said:


> the professor said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> guythathunts said:
> 
> 
> 
> I predict the first snow geese taken in SD will be on the 13th of March.
> 
> 
> 
> The first snows in SD probably will shot before sunset tonight if not already this morning.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I predict that nothing got shot on the 4th in SD and that The first ones shot will be on the 13th. I'm going to stick to my guns on this one. I have not taken tons of snows in my life, but I have my fair share of NOT shooting them under my belt  . If you prove me wrong, I commend you. I think they will filter in around the 11th and will be hunted by the 13th succesfully.
Click to expand...

I agree the 13th will be a good start to huntable numbers


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## SDwaterfowler

the professor said:


> guythathunts said:
> 
> 
> 
> I predict the first snow geese taken in SD will be on the 13th of March.
> 
> 
> 
> The first snows in SD probably will shot before sunset tonight if not already this morning.
Click to expand...

I predict that the guys hunting that day probably did a lot of bird watching and little shooting. I used to play that game of hunting the very leading edge. Lots of work with little reward. Only positive is the ground was usually still pretty frozen.


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## Horker23

X2


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## the professor

SDwaterfowler said:


> the professor said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> guythathunts said:
> 
> 
> 
> I predict the first snow geese taken in SD will be on the 13th of March.
> 
> 
> 
> The first snows in SD probably will shot before sunset tonight if not already this morning.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I predict that the guys hunting that day probably did a lot of bird watching and little shooting. I used to play that game of hunting the very leading edge. Lots of work with little reward. Only positive is the ground was usually still pretty frozen.
Click to expand...

Hopefully will get wind of how they did when i get to work tomorrow; I was moving all weekend so I didn't get a chance to drive south and take a look for myself, but I did notice another influx of darks & mallards into town this weekend. Rumor has it some guys shot a few southwest of Ft. Thompson though.


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## possumfoot

i will tell ya that the juvy numbers this spring are great..


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## bluegoose18

17th central sd will be huntable ne sd will have the scouts on sand


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## gamberc

I predict im not going to use an atv this year im just gonna use the boat :rock:


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