# Fly over?



## sodakhunter13 (Feb 2, 2007)

When you say the geese are going to fly over a state does that mean the hunting is going to be terrible or just not as good as normal? I understand that they are on a schedule to get north but they wont completely pass over a state will they?


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## dblkluk (Oct 3, 2002)

The term "flyover" is generally used when refering to a very quick migration through a particular area. The quick migration makes hunting opportunities limited.
Its unlikely that the entire continental popoulation will totally pass over an area but if conditions are right for migration, and they are behind schedule, you'd better be ready to hunt at the drop of a hat.


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## Goose Guy350 (Nov 29, 2004)

With NE and MO building concentrations and the fact that there were decent numbers in southern SD the first week of March last year and this year being buried in snow I'd keep the dust off the decoys and be ready to hunt in a momments notice, but also remember the juvies/nonbreeders are bringing up the rear and stage a lot more. No one knows for sure but the weather has been keeping all of us on the edges of our seats and will continue to do so.


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## PJ (Oct 1, 2002)

It could to interesting to see what happens. Before the storm I thought they were going to fly right through because of the lack of snow.


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## SASKATOONGOOSEHUNTER (Aug 25, 2005)

So how are the snow conditions in N/S Dakota and Montana. There's a ton of snow here in Sask. , the weather's been cold and it's going to be a long while before there's fields open enough to feed in. Does this mean that the geese are going to stack up south of the border?


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## Triple B (Mar 9, 2004)

yes, they will stay in ND for about 4 weeks!!!! lol, i guess I'd highly doubt that, but hey i can dream right! :beer:


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## mallardhunter (May 15, 2004)

Here in mitchell, SD we got 5 inches on the weekend and right now its really comming down we were suppose to get 2 inches today, but we have more then that right now and its still comming down.


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## Triple B (Mar 9, 2004)

anyone know what they have for snow in friendly manitoba??


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## mallardhunter (May 15, 2004)

its done snowing now, we ened up with about 6 more inches


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## Zekeland (Oct 6, 2005)

Triple B...I would love to give you a number....Snow cover was average before the last couple of storms to move through. I have a hard time telling people that we have more snow than last year. I think we do!! Brandon missed the last big one but everywhere around us got hammered last week. Has not been warm enough to melt much....

A quick thaw could mean trouble for some homeowners...Every front yard on my street has over 4' on the ground. Have not really checked outside of town!!


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## Zekeland (Oct 6, 2005)

MB update....

More snow on the way...from the south...forcasted over 6 " for next day with snowfall amount up to one inch per hour...

Coming down thick right now.


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## Triple B (Mar 9, 2004)

zeke, how far is brandon from the border, and how close are you to morden?


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## USSapper (Sep 26, 2005)

Brandon is about 60-70 miles north of the border


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## USSapper (Sep 26, 2005)

And its 204km from brandon to morden-on roads


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## tombuddy_90 (Aug 5, 2004)

well i live here right next to the missouri river in the middle of iowa and they are talking 4-8 ines of snow and 6-12 about 30 miles away, with around 2 inches left in the fields, GETTING TIRED OF THE SNOW

thomas


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## Gary Bottger (Nov 24, 2004)

6 to 10 inches forcasted for along(north /south - along nebraska) the missouri river and 10 to 16 inches further east of sioux city. They are saying it could be one of the worst blizzards in a long time.

btw, KC is still sitting at 50 degrees.


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## mallard (Mar 27, 2002)

SASKATOONGOOSEHUNTER said:


> So how are the snow conditions in N/S Dakota and Montana. There's a ton of snow here in Sask. , the weather's been cold and it's going to be a long while before there's fields open enough to feed in. Does this mean that the geese are going to stack up south of the border?


You are very lucky too live in the are you are in. You dont have too wish for a snow line too stall a massive migration,you have the tree line which is allways there.


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## tombuddy_90 (Aug 5, 2004)

getting hammered here in iowa along the river for sure, can't see 40 yards, with 10-15 inches of snow expected. STARTING TO GO CRAZY DOWN HERE :snow: :snow:

what does everyone think, with iowa getting all this snow, and nebraska losing theres will iowa just be skipped with all the birds going through neb?

thanks thomas


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## Squeeker (Apr 1, 2004)

mallard said:


> SASKATOONGOOSEHUNTER said:
> 
> 
> > So how are the snow conditions in N/S Dakota and Montana. There's a ton of snow here in Sask. , the weather's been cold and it's going to be a long while before there's fields open enough to feed in. Does this mean that the geese are going to stack up south of the border?
> ...


But we do have to have 20/20 vision to be able to distinguish between a Snow and a Ross in flight... :wink: Pretty much makes Spring hunting in Sask. worthless.

This snow is definitely going to make things interesting around Saskatoon and area when it starts to melt. You know things are bad when even your father and father-in-law can't remember more snow in their lifetime. I have not heard a single "I remember in 19 blah blah blah, it was so much worse" from either one of them this winter.


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## h2ofwlr (Feb 6, 2004)

As for the original topic. Yes flocks of S&Bs will psss completely over a state, even several states at a time. A few years back some went from OK and went stright through to SK. Strong upper air South winds and thermals meant they were going over 100MPH (flight speed + tail wind) But generally they hop 100-200 miles at a time.

This year we need to aware of they could do the MO river slip. Meaning basically minimal snow west f the MO river, they could slide west and be in SK while the eastern Dakotas still have snow on the ground. This is especially is true if the snow continue into mid March in the eastern Dakotas and the west end receives none, as been happening most of the winter so far. And IA could experince the same principle, the geese shifting West.

As for the Snow depth topic. I know currently areas North of eastern NDL in MB is getting snow. As for CA snow depth. Well Zekeland, Brandon Airport Mar. 1, 12:00 am 12.8 12 72cm (28") I am not saying you are wrong, but somebody is off. :wink: According to this map southern MB has 50-74cm at most. For the US guys 2.54 CM to an inch. Basically 50CM is 20" of snow. http://www.theweathernetwork.com/featur ... ndexsk.htm But look in SK and NW ND No snow to speak of. Thus the concern for the "MO river slip". SK & AB and interlakes region of MB really need some snow storms - otherwise a bleak looking nesting conditions for big parts of the provinces. (Same for the Dakotas).


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## sodakhunter13 (Feb 2, 2007)

Even if they do "fly over" hunting oppurtunities will still be there correct?


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## Triple B (Mar 9, 2004)

i'm not so sure on the missouri river slip idea. I can see where some of the birds may shift west a ways, but from what i've seen it seems that it is minimal and most will wait out the snow melt, I know last year i was shooting birds in the far eastern part of the state well after everyone on this site assumed the birds had passed through ND, now i'm not saying this idea doesn't have some legitity, but i don't think they will shift all that much regardless of snow conditions to the west. my .02


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## Triple B (Mar 9, 2004)

sodakhunter13 said:


> Even if they do "fly over" hunting oppurtunities will still be there correct?


o yeeah, no doubt, usually the birds that will give a flyover are the leading edge birds. they are the breeders that are pushing to get to the nesting grounds, generally these are the birds that are tough to decoy, unless that is you have 1500 fb's at you disposal, nonbreeders and juvies in a sense are more lacksidasial and seem to take their time, stopping longer and feeding more predictably than the adult birds, these birds usually won't flyover states at a time unless the winds and conditions are totally favorable, but they are in no hurry, so to answer your Q, yes there will still be plenty of opprotunities


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## Squeeker (Apr 1, 2004)

h2ofwlr said:


> As for CA snow depth. Well Zekeland, Brandon Airport Mar. 1, 12:00 am 12.8 12 72cm (28") I am not saying you are wrong, but somebody is off. :wink: According to this map southern MB has 50-74cm at most.


I'm guessing that Zekeland would be referring to the "after I broke my back shovelling snow off my driveway" depth. It's about all we have to go by up here since it is difficult to judge how much has come down over an entire winter. Around Saskatoon, everyone has between 4-5' of snow piled up in their front yards. This does not represent actual snow fall, but more the freakin' back breaking work we have to do to survive winter. Last year's busted and taped hockey stick propped into the snow bank is often used to gauge the depth :wink:

Just north of Saskatoon in a bedroom community:


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## Squeeker (Apr 1, 2004)

Get ready for the North Dakota Hop.

Saskatchewan is right now pretty much in full melt, from here in Saskatoon to the U.S. border. Not much snow down south (Regina) relative to what we have here. Weather conditions are great for the 5-day forecast.

Got the waders out and the pump ready to go. Our community just north of Saskatoon is preparing for the largest spring runoff in 30 years.

We still have lots of now around Saskatoon, but there is tons of room for them to stage between here and the border.


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## DJRooster (Nov 4, 2002)

I think some of you need a little lesson in history. North Dakota has not always been snow free in March. Yes the last 10 years or so we have had very little snow to melt and the geese have moved through in a relativelty short period of time. However, there was a time when we did have snow and the migration came a little later and because this year we do have snow all the way to the artic circle in my opinion the major migration will be more towards April because of snow conditions. Even though I would like to see it warm up fast I'm afraid the reality of our situation will dictate otherwise. I seriously doubt they will do a fly by through our state because of the same. It looks to me like there will be geese in our state for an extended period of time this spring.


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## Squeeker (Apr 1, 2004)

Not saying for sure, but I will stick with my prediction based on the following:

1. Very nice weather in S. Dakota for forseeable future. They will stage there nicely to get ready for the hop.
2. Full out melting in Regina and Estevan as we speak. Great weather in Sask. for the forseeable future.
3. There is approximately the same distance between the 94 and the U.S. Border compared to the U.S. border and Regina; LOTS of room to crowd into the safe haven with no snow.
4. Everyone and their dogs (literally) lining the ditches in N. Dakota.

If you were a Snow goose, how long would you stick around N. Dakota when paradise awaits you across the 49th parallel?

The main problem with this though is the huge snow accumulation in Southern Manitoba. I am speaking for Saskatchewan but realize the migration comes through both provinces. I am certainly curious to know whether a huge snow line in one of these provinces will prevent them going through the other. Or will it encourage it?

As you can see, I'm into taking the underdog. I would also like to say that the Oilers make the playoffs, but that's really stretching it. :beer:

Curious to know, does hunting pressure in S. Dakota increase during the spring with NRs? Or is it the same in the fall when they cap the number of NRs?


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## T Shot (Oct 4, 2002)

Squeeker said:


> Curious to know, does hunting pressure in S. Dakota increase during the spring with NRs? Or is it the same in the fall when they cap the number of NRs?


Increased pressure you ask? Um.....yes.


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

Pressure really destroys the hunting in NDak during peak movements.

But the hunting can be the best late when the tail end juvies and non-breeding birds are moving through. When everydody else thinks the push is over.

Its gotten to the point in my home area to not even go out during the big push due to ditch whores. Doesnt matter if we have a snowline or not, the birds are shoved all over the place.

Im leaning on the west being better than average this year if the weather holds like it is. But the weather can change in a hurry. Bismarck north could get pounded yet.


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## water_swater (Sep 19, 2006)

SD in the spring at least when I was there last year was way worse pressure wise than I have ever seen ND in the fall. Wardens could have written hundreds of tickets, nobody asked for permission, it was dangerrous, everybody was trying to get the big sneak, someone could have gotten killed it was that reckless. I don't think the pressure theory holds up for spring snow goose movement, I think its a feed/open water issue. SD has corn EVERYWHERE, if they get pushed from one field they can fly half a mile and be in another field with as much and the same quality of feed! Ethanol is going to at least momentarilly shift the ND landscape to corn and this may have an effect that keeps birds in ND longer it may not. Also Southern Canada has recieved less snow than eastern ND in the past few years, even if they are farther north they are melted at close to the same time as ND. I am a big believer in the pressure theory in the fall, but SD is rediculous if not worse than ND in the spring.


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

But just because the pressure doesnt move the birds out of the area doesnt mean it destroys the quality of hunting. Hunting birds that are skittish and extra wary due to being busted every half hour is right there with hunting birdless skies.

I cant wait for ethanol corn!! More deer, better goosin!


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