# dakota blizzard



## mnfowler42 (Mar 30, 2009)

Just wondering what everyone thinks the birds will do with all this snow expected. Do you think they will sit tight and wait it out or keep heading south until they get out of it? Looking to head to nd this coming weekend just curious what everyone thinks.


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## Nick Roehl (Mar 7, 2002)

If we get a foot of snow they aren't going to sit tight!


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## remidog (Oct 15, 2008)

they will settle down somewhere in sd prolly, it will be interesting. im heading out in little over a week so hopefully they will be very concentrated where ever they end up


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## Dak (Feb 28, 2005)

Floods. Blizzards. Could care less what some snow geese do...

Happy hunting. :beer:


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## Sd snow goose killer (Jan 20, 2007)

The geese will head south, no doubt, cold temps+ lots of snow+North winds= birds moving to the south, i really think southern SD will be the hot spot for the next week or two.


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## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

Head south, SD should be having a great year of hunting snows.


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## averyghg (Oct 16, 2006)

Dak said:


> Floods. Blizzards. Could care less what some snow geese do...
> 
> Happy hunting. :beer:


 :bowdown: Thank you! finally someone post something intelligent in the snow goose forum!


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## recker (Oct 12, 2003)

Buddies hunted today near Sand Lake and no Juvies. Only old ones flying around.With the snow coming I hope it hit it right next weeked on the young ones.


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## SDwaterfowler (Mar 2, 2006)

averyghg said:


> Dak said:
> 
> 
> > Floods. Blizzards. Could care less what some snow geese do...
> ...


I agree. I think we can chalk that one up as the most intelligent post of the year! :beer:


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## duckp (Mar 13, 2008)

Agreed.Too bad the guys from about 4 states(including NoDak by the way)tearing up/down our already torn up muddy road system don't agree.


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## hammerhead (Dec 22, 2004)

Have to agree with you duckp. Nothing ****** me of more than to see someone in a muddy truck. Knowing somewhere there is a mad land owner because his roads or fields are all rutted up.


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## T Shot (Oct 4, 2002)

hammerhead said:


> Have to agree with you duckp. Nothing ticks me of more than to see someone in a muddy truck. Knowing somewhere there is a mad land owner because his roads or fields are all rutted up.


x2

Ask a landowner what he thinks of tore up backroads when he is trying to harvest and/or begin spring work...


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## Nick Roehl (Mar 7, 2002)

T Shot said:


> hammerhead said:
> 
> 
> > Have to agree with you duckp. Nothing ticks me of more than to see someone in a muddy truck. Knowing somewhere there is a mad land owner because his roads or fields are all rutted up.
> ...


Gravel roads and section lines are going to get muddy no matter what when it's this wet.... So you are telling me you have never drove down a muddy road during a hunting season. Wow you have to tell me your trick!


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## hammerhead (Dec 22, 2004)

When it's as wet as it is this spring, and in the fall when we do get a lot of rain I stay off prairie trails and section lines. So I guess the trick is to use a little common courtesy.


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## headshot (Oct 26, 2006)

Courtesy goes a long way in being able to retain permission on private land. I always try to leave no evidence that I was hunting in an area, but I will drive on public roads if there is not a ban on all travel. I think the migration will slide west to avoid the winter weather. Here in west/central Sask there is very little snow left and the ducks and honkers are showing up in big numbers as we speak.


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## Nick Roehl (Mar 7, 2002)

hammerhead said:


> When it's as wet as it is this spring, and in the fall when we do get a lot of rain I stay off prairie trails and section lines. So I guess the trick is to use a little common courtesy.


Yeah I stay off section lines too when it's wet.


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## T Shot (Oct 4, 2002)

Wingmaster said:


> T Shot said:
> 
> 
> > hammerhead said:
> ...


Here it is....wait for it... COMMON SENSE!


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## T Shot (Oct 4, 2002)

Also, I never said I haven't drove down a muddy road, I just know when to stay off them. Crazy huh...


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## duckp (Mar 13, 2008)

Yes indeed,its all about COMMON SENSE.Here,in my area of SoDak most farmers are supportive of hunting and will let people on their land to do so.Unfortunately a very few selfish hunters can ruin it for all.
Here most roads are township ones.Paid for and maintained by the township residents(mostly or all farmers/ranchers).When there was a farmer/rancher family on almost every 160acres,the burden was spread and doable.Now though,its different,all those abandoned farms you see are not only shattered dreams,they don't pay taxes.The burden gets heavier and heavier on those still hanging on.The State formula helping Townships is inadequate so more and more Townships have to formally 'Opt Out'and increase their assessments.We try to keep our own roads open by plowing and blowing,we mow our own ditches,yet assessments keep increasing and the costs of building and maintaining roads go up.We ask for 'bids'to do these things and may not even get any.
So what..you say?Well you pay nothing to tear up the roads.Nothing.We say-no we EXPECT- common sense and decency from you in return.Its not difficult,if you're slipping/sliding and having to use 4WD,stay OFF!If its hard to turn at corners,stay OFF!If there's water on the road,stay OFF!Its not rocket science.
As to driving in fields-well that ought to be obvious.If it isn't,you shouldn't be allowed to carry a gun anyways.There's one Mn pickup stuck in a field nearby that will be there awhile.No trespass or getting it out til it dries up.Serves the 'hunter'right.


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## NDMALLARD (Mar 9, 2002)

I hunted in SD this weekend and the roads looked terrible. I say looked terrible becasue I am not STUPID and I rarely drive down a prairie trail or accross a field road unless I know I won't make a big mess out of the road or my vehicle. If it's your land or you know the land owner - have at it, but quit messing up my hunting and relationships by messing up the roads.

One thing I must say in defense of hunters is sometimes a few local folks with oversized tires and egos like to go tear up and down the trails and we as hunters get the blame. I believe this is the exception rather than the rule.

If you think your muddy vehicle is not noticed as you drive around than you should register for the Special Olympics because you are mentally impaired :wink:


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## kdcustomcalls (Feb 26, 2009)

so how about that blizzard.........


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## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

We're getting seriously dumped on with this storm in Bismarck. I'm told we have over a foot already since last night and it's not stopping soon.

There is a lot of moisture in this storm.


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## SDwaterfowler (Mar 2, 2006)

duckp said:


> There's one Mn pickup stuck in a field nearby that will be there awhile.No trespass or getting it out til it dries up.Serves the 'hunter'right.


Wow, the stupidity of some people never ceases to amaze me. I don't think I have ever even attempted to drive into a field in the spring. I was up in your area last week and I can't even imagine someone would have tried driving into a field up there. Before the cold snap on Tuesday night, I was concerned if I would even be able to get my wheeler into the fields.


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## Dak (Feb 28, 2005)

I am guessing we have somewhere around a foot. Hard to tell. If it isn't in a drift it's moving. :lol: Not much snow right now but they say some more is coming.


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## T Shot (Oct 4, 2002)

Nothing in SE SD at this point, although we are near the edge of the system. They are still calling for us to get anywhere from 6"-12" of snow by Tuesday evening.


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## SDwaterfowler (Mar 2, 2006)

I'm starting to wonder what the snow goose production is going to be like this year. I know where the masses are right now and by the looks of this storm they are going to have to fly a whole state south. That will use up a lot of their fat reserves and put them behind schedule. Strange thing is, birds were all pushing north on Saturday. Apparently, they weren't able to sense the upcoming blizzard yet. My gut feeling tells me that next year we won't have another "year of the juvies" but in the end it is better for the snow goose population to not have good hatches.


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## jcnelsn1 (Oct 28, 2008)

I am new to the state and learning the "rule of the road." I obviously understand not driving in a muddy field, but are you guys saying to stay off the regular country roads also? What are the section lines or prairie roads you are talking about?


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## hammerhead (Dec 22, 2004)

Basically stay off anything that is not graveled. You need to pay attention to all roads this year, with all the snow melt that will be coming there is a chance that roads will wash out, not all roads are traveled every day and the wash out may not be marked.


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## goosebusters (Jan 12, 2006)

jcnelsn1 said:


> I am new to the state and learning the "rule of the road." I obviously understand not driving in a muddy field, but are you guys saying to stay off the regular country roads also? What are the section lines or prairie roads you are talking about?


When in doubt, the sign that reads Minimum Maintenance Road means "Do Not Enter".


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## goose_caller (Jul 5, 2005)

Ya know, I see these guys with mud ALL over their trucks and wonder where they have been driving and who is now ****** off at ALL hunters.

I honestly can't remember EVER getting stuck in SD/ND while hunting, my rule of thumb is if I can't feel good going down a road in 2x4 then I should not be traveling down it....and I probably put more miles on then 95% of hunters since I am at it 7 days a week....there is no reason to drive down soft roads, heck even some of the gravel right now should not be traveled.....after this storm I would say 90% of the roads in northern SD/southern ND should be off limits as this weekend I would say 50% in Brown county where off limits and it is going to get really bad now. Heck even the shoulders on really good gravel roads are TERRIBLE right now.

I wish I could find out who all these guys are rutting up these roads so I can go over to their house in the summer and do break stands in their front yard and ripe up their pretty grass they care about so much.


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## Conservit (Mar 25, 2009)

goosebusters said:


> jcnelsn1 said:
> 
> 
> > I am new to the state and learning the "rule of the road." I obviously understand not driving in a muddy field, but are you guys saying to stay off the regular country roads also? What are the section lines or prairie roads you are talking about?
> ...


Good advice...unfortunately in my area a minimum maintenance sign could just as well say "If you have no respect, and lack common sense...this roads for you"
I usually let people hunt my land, but when they come pulling in my yard with mud dripping off there truck it is easy to say NO :splat:


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## BeekBuster (Jul 22, 2007)

This thread got badly jacked... :eyeroll:


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## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

BeekBuster said:


> This thread got badly jacked... :eyeroll:


Yessir it did.

I think everyone is right about the road conditions...can't imagine the fields right now. Combine that with the weather keeping even more hunters out of the field and we all get a bit jumpy.

I think it's been well noted about the road/field conditions. But that doesn't mean we still can't talk snow goose hunting without it being brought up in every thread.


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