# What would you do?



## Sask hunter (Sep 11, 2008)

I am wanting to hunt snows this spring, but the problem is I have 9 snow decoys and about 3.5 dz canada decoys, if that matters. Also I have a mouth call and a Johnny stewart E-call for snows. So should I stick to pass shooting or should I try to decoy them over water or over land? Any tips on any of the methods would be apreciated. Thanks in advance.


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## FRR (Nov 23, 2010)

Do you have access? If so, when the white birds show up scout the piss out of things. If you find an x or an X, hunt it...are you kidding me?


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## flight cancled (Aug 28, 2007)

throw out the decoys camo the blind really good and let the show begin  you could also try meeting up with someone. if you ever make it to nodak i would be willing to take out out


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## Sask hunter (Sep 11, 2008)

Ok my next question is should I run just snow decoys and an E-caller or my canadas and snows but have to use a mouth call?


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## shooteminthelips (Jun 13, 2007)

If you have a ecaller use it. That is the most important part. In canada if you could afford 150 -300 sillo socks. You would kill more snows then you could eat. My suggestion is you have about 2 -3 month before they get to you. Start buying a some socks. But if you use your caller and the spread you have now you should be able to shoot a few. I guess a day laying in the decoys is better then a day of laying on the couch.


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## headshot (Oct 26, 2006)

> My suggestion is you have about 2 -3 month before they get to you.


Holy cow are you serious. I always hunt snows in central sask in the second week of april.


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## teamshakeandbake (Oct 14, 2008)

this spring is going to be a bit different then any other for the fact that there is more snow than usualy in the dakotas with more predicted so who knows when the geese will be anywhere


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## Sask hunter (Sep 11, 2008)

I sure hope they get here before 2-3 months as season closes April 30.


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## shooteminthelips (Jun 13, 2007)

Well I am headed up to my fall stomping grounds in Mid May. So I was using that as my estimation of time.


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## Original Goosebuster (Jan 12, 2006)

Sask hunter said:


> I sure hope they get here before 2-3 months as season closes April 30.


sounds like shoot em is gonna be a few weeks late!


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## shooteminthelips (Jun 13, 2007)

Nope I will be right on time. Just depends on where you go in Canada. Some places are open until the end of May!


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## Original Goosebuster (Jan 12, 2006)

Where in sask are you goin? PM me with details if you need some more crew members!


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## Toonhunter (Apr 12, 2009)

You do NOT want to put Canada goose decoys out in Saskatchewan in the spring. If you do you will be another statistic for fined for illegal hunting. The regulations clearly state the use of white/blue phase decoys in the spring only. Surprised no one has mentioned this to you yet. Also in Sask we have to make sure of what we are shooting at! the regulations also state that Ross's geese are not huntable in the spring conservation season! What i generally do is shoot the blue phase out of the flock first and avoid the whites. If ya do shoot at the whites make sure they are close enough that you can A) see the laughing line on the mouth or B) judge that the body size is right! As for the season it is open Apr 1st to April 30 WEST of 106 degrees but is open from April 1st to end of May EAST of 106 degrees. If you only have nine decoys that are white i would recommend a very specific set up and SCOUTING is gonna be key for this. When i used to shoot over a small spread i would scout for a location that was inbetween 2 fields that the birds are feeding on. I would set the decoys up off a small slough just about 20 yards out. Using the slough high grass/cattails as my blind cover. If ya have an e-caller USE IT. you will be surprised how many of the geese will fly back and forth between the 2 fields that they are using for feed. With a small spread they will often come down low enough to look at em to be within shooting range. They may not decoy right in but you should get LOT"s of quality shooting opportunities. Hope this helps ! :beer:


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## Toonhunter (Apr 12, 2009)

FYI i rechecked the regulations and it does NOT state that dark decoys are not usable in spring . It does however state (Use any goose decoys decoys that represent canada geese or whitefronted geese while hunting with electronic calls during the fall season.all decoys must represent white and or blue phase snow geese decoys only) so i am not 100% positive about the spring season. Any other Sask residents know for sure? If not it would be a good idea to talk to the Sask ministry of enviroment to be certain. I only use snow decoys when hunting snows so is a grey area for me. Just don't want another Sask resident to get tagged if it can be avoided ! :beer:


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## Original Goosebuster (Jan 12, 2006)

Toonhunter said:


> You do NOT want to put Canada goose decoys out in Saskatchewan in the spring. If you do you will be another statistic for fined for illegal hunting. The regulations clearly state the use of white/blue phase decoys in the spring only. Surprised no one has mentioned this to you yet. Also in Sask we have to make sure of what we are shooting at! the regulations also state that Ross's geese are not huntable in the spring conservation season! What i generally do is shoot the blue phase out of the flock first and avoid the whites. If ya do shoot at the whites make sure they are close enough that you can A) see the laughing line on the mouth or B) judge that the body size is right! As for the season it is open Apr 1st to April 30 WEST of 106 degrees but is open from April 1st to end of May EAST of 106 degrees. If you only have nine decoys that are white i would recommend a very specific set up and SCOUTING is gonna be key for this. When i used to shoot over a small spread i would scout for a location that was inbetween 2 fields that the birds are feeding on. I would set the decoys up off a small slough just about 20 yards out. Using the slough high grass/cattails as my blind cover. If ya have an e-caller USE IT. you will be surprised how many of the geese will fly back and forth between the 2 fields that they are using for feed. With a small spread they will often come down low enough to look at em to be within shooting range. They may not decoy right in but you should get LOT"s of quality shooting opportunities. Hope this helps ! :beer:


What about snow/ross hybrids? Can you shoot those or no?


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## Toonhunter (Apr 12, 2009)

I wouldn't think the conservation guys would nail ya for shooting a hybrid, as that would be a near to impossible task to identify in my opinion. I personally haven't shot one yet so not even sure what it would predominently portray more. Does it look more like a regular snow or more like a Ross ? Interesting question to be sure. :beer:


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## Snowgooseman__SD (Jan 22, 2010)

they said it was a mistake???? about the shooting ross's.


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## headshot (Oct 26, 2006)

SERM claims there is no such thing as a hybrid goose or a BPR. I do not see how they can issue you with a violation for shooting a mythical animal. For what it is worth you can run any decoy you want unless you use an e-caller then it has to be all snow decoys in any of the color variations snow geese come in. Please don't spout off about the regs unless you r sure. Ignorance is not a defence in a court....it is up to you to know and follow all hunting regulations.


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## PJ (Oct 1, 2002)

For the Squak Guy......you only need 5 decoys and an e-caller in Canada!


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## 870 XPRS (Mar 12, 2003)

Pretty solid for having to run traffic on a migrating day like that....... :wink:


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## Toonhunter (Apr 12, 2009)

Headshot that is EXACTLY why i posted the follow up with the reccomendation to contact them as the regulations are ANYTHING but clear after i re-read them. It does not state anything about spring goose season and what does or does not apply, but hey thanks for piping up and being a jerk about it. Thought it was solid advice about contacting them. Obviously we don't know it all like you :roll: . Also if you re-read my post i stated i wasn't sure because i don't use anything other than snow goose decoys to hunt them. I even went as far as to post what EXACTLY it did say about the fall regulations, and that i wasn't sure what or if that implied for spring season. Again with the advice to contact Sask enviro. Show me where it states what you did about the spring regulations? It's not in the reg guides ...... :beer: .


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## Toonhunter (Apr 12, 2009)

Headshot, i talked to Randy Forsythe who is the Federal Conservation officer for the Saskatoon area for clarification on running Dark IE Canada Goose or Speck decoys in a spring spread. Why did i call the Federal conservation officers, because the spring goose season is actually federally controlled as per what the Sask conservation officer i called said. Here is the interesting point, according to Randy the ONLY decoys you are allowed to use in the spring snow goose season are decoys that represent snow greese. Either blue phase or whites. It is deemed illegal to use ANY other decoy in this season as the other birds are not open for hunting. If you wish p/m me and i will give you his direct line so you can talk to him. As the reg book states the only license required for this season is your 2010 federal miratory game permit and stamp. That is because it is a federally controlled season not a provincially controlled season. As you stated earlier please make sure of the regulations BEFORE you post. I couldn't remember exactly when i originally posted because i ran into Randy 2 seasons ago while fall hunting and asked him about the spring season.Was difficult to recall the exact conversation at the time, but i was pretty sure dark decoys were not allowed. :beer:


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## Toonhunter (Apr 12, 2009)

headshot said:


> SERM claims there is no such thing as a hybrid goose or a BPR. I do not see how they can issue you with a violation for shooting a mythical animal. For what it is worth you can run any decoy you want unless you use an e-caller then it has to be all snow decoys in any of the color variations snow geese come in. Please don't spout off about the regs unless you r sure. Ignorance is not a defence in a court....it is up to you to know and follow all hunting regulations.


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## Toonhunter (Apr 12, 2009)

Still chuckling to myself about your court comment. Gee i wonder why  oke:


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## Horker23 (Mar 2, 2006)

Really? oke:


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## headshot (Oct 26, 2006)

Toon hunter: I know there is a village somewhere in Sask that is missing their idiot......Please go home. I hunt with a Sask CO quite regularly. He patrols in the spring enforcing the rules of the spring season. Please check again.....If you have permission to be in a field you do have the right to put out any decoy you want, but you can only shoot what is in season. The ecaller is the only piece of equipment that dictates what decoys you have to use. In a few weeks we will see who is shooting geese and from what I have read it won't be you.


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## Toonhunter (Apr 12, 2009)

If your looking for the village idiot check the nearest mirror closest to you. You posted false information, i called you on it and proved you wrong. Given that it falls under the Federal licensing and not provincial you may want to talk to Randy Forsythe the FEDERAL CONSERVATION officer (typed in caps so even the village idiot can understand) . Lastly when you get ticketed and taken to court remember your own advice. Ignorance is not a defence in court. Next time you go to a website with an attitude make sure of your facts first. It makes it alot easier to not be made to look like the village idiot. :beer: . Don't believe me call Randy Forsythe i did ! :beer:


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## Toonhunter (Apr 12, 2009)

One follow up just an fyi to those reading these posts. I talked to a Provincial CO and he was the one that put me on to Randy as specific spring regulations fall to Federal Co's . :rollin:


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## headshot (Oct 26, 2006)

So your saying provincial CO's don't enforce or monitor spring hunting regulations? Get off the pipe buddy.


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## Toonhunter (Apr 12, 2009)

Headshot i just actually got off the phone with Randy. He was REALLY interested in this post session and says by all means feel free to contact him for clarification. In keeping with that, i am p/m'ng you his direct line. Please take the time to phone him, he is an extremely polite and interesting man to talk to. His interpretation of hunting in the spring does not correspond with what you and your Provincial CO's interpreatations are. Forum sites should be about giving acurate information to those asking questions. That is the bottom line for me and in keeping with that this will be my last post in regards to this particular topic. If you wish to continue the discussion after having talked to Randy by all means please send me a p/m. best regards :beer: Edited for spelling :roll:


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## shooteminthelips (Jun 13, 2007)

Aparently Canadians like to fight about stuff that does't matter too! oke:


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## guythathunts (Mar 3, 2009)

shooteminthelips said:


> Aparently Canadians like to fight about stuff that does't matter too! oke:


This made ma laugh. Thank you

Sask Hunter - I will respond to your question. I am sure you get excited to see people posting to "Help" you when you open this tread every day!

Use your snows and see if you can gather some more. In my searching I have come across quite a few people that hunt with a small spread; under 100 decoys. I will say that I have never had them tell me they use 9 decoys, but hey - you could be the first! Use your e - caller and try making some decoys or buy a few more with what money you can scrape together. There are resonably priced decoys on this site and making them can be very inexpensive. If I were you I would start building a spread this year. Just add more and more year-to-year and before you know it you will be in businesss. As for the rules in your area - I have not read them. As for hunting, Just get out there and use the resources you can get your hands on. Hope this helps.


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## schmill (Jan 31, 2011)

:rollin: Now this is just too funny i think you both need to meet up have a beer or 6 and hug it out!!! :beer:


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## Andy Weber (Nov 18, 2009)

schmill said:


> :rollin: Now this is just too funny i think you both need to meet up have a beer or 6 and hug it out!!! :beer:


Why stop at 6?


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## Broke thanks (Feb 9, 2010)

This should help


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