# SD



## Feather Freeks 2 (Jan 13, 2009)

I know the weather is warming fast, but is it warming fast enough for the birds to be in southern south dakota by the 11th or 12th?


----------



## teamshakeandbake (Oct 14, 2008)

I think we will start seeing a few smaller flocks starting to arrive by then


----------



## WhiteRockDecoys (Dec 29, 2009)

Its going to be close. The one big problem will be every SD guide, hunter will all be in a small area with limited numbers of geese.


----------



## cavy (Feb 4, 2010)

were going on the 13th supposed to be in sd but we will be going where ever the birds are.


----------



## WingedShooter7 (Oct 28, 2005)

By the 20th there should be huntable numbers throughout the middle of the state? (Mitchell-Sioux Falls)


----------



## drakespanker12 (Aug 28, 2006)

the only chance i have to go to SD this year is the 1st of April anybody think that will be a good time for some huntable numbers? or should i head to ND?


----------



## Horker23 (Mar 2, 2006)

You should be alright


----------



## the professor (Oct 13, 2006)

drakespanker12 said:


> the only chance i have to go to SD this year is the 1st of April anybody think that will be a good time for some huntable numbers? or should i head to ND?


huntable numbers sure...the masses? might be pushing I-94 by then.


----------



## SNOW DUSTER (Jan 24, 2009)

play it by ear boys I usually leave on the 12th through 20th but may leave the 19th through the 27th! usually there filling up right now in the southern part of state by the thousands but not this year! all depends on Monday through wensday reports for me! Soon boys soon it will be all about the decoy divers! :thumb: :sniper:


----------



## Snowgooseman__SD (Jan 22, 2010)

All depends on this weather, but were suppose to have an inch of rain this week and either the snow will suck it in and when it freezes its gonna be hard as a ball or else its gonna eat the snow. i'm thinking if were really suppose to have an inch of rain that will eat the snow and put alot of weight on the lakes and help them melt faster. we still have a Good 13 inches of ice on these lakes if not more. i suppose we might see some snows this next week other wise i'm shoooting for the 17th for them to start. cant wait for them!


----------



## bluegoose18 (Jan 9, 2008)

What I need to know is this
if a guy is planning on being in sd 
march 12-22 will the mass of whities be there 
I know everyone sAys the same thing 
but if they are now At squAw they should be close to leaving squAw by then and dumping into sd right????
My buddy seems to think that they stay at squAw for 2 weeks before they even think about heading to sd
is there any truth to that. Them staying 2 weeks?


----------



## the professor (Oct 13, 2006)

bluegoose18 said:



> What I need to know is this
> if a guy is planning on being in sd
> march 12-22 will the mass of whities be there
> I know everyone sAys the same thing
> ...


all depends if the birds decide to wait down south or if they fly around the snowline...wait and see i guess.


----------



## sd5.0. (Mar 13, 2008)

Snowgooseman__SD said:


> All depends on this weather, but were suppose to have an inch of rain this week and either the snow will suck it in and when it freezes its gonna be hard as a ball or else its gonna eat the snow. i'm thinking if were really suppose to have an inch of rain that will eat the snow and put alot of weight on the lakes and help them melt faster. we still have a Good 13 inches of ice on these lakes if not more. i suppose we might see some snows this next week other wise i'm shoooting for the 17th for them to start. cant wait for them!


I dont know where in SD you are finding 13 inches of ice? In East central SD I am still driving my truck on and almost had to put the extension on the ice auger.



bluegoose18 said:


> What I need to know is this
> if a guy is planning on being in sd
> march 12-22 will the mass of whities be there
> I know everyone sAys the same thing
> ...


You are forgetting one of the best places in the country to hunt. Rainwater Basin in Nebraska. The birds usually show up there shortly after they leave squaw. I talked to a large number of guides last year that picked up from MO and headed to SD surpassing NE. Less guides less pressure. We were still killing birds at Lake Byron the first week of April last year.


----------



## bluebird (Feb 28, 2008)

They are a calander bird (they have a small window to breed) and if they are behind schedule they will attempt to make it up if they get the chance, if mizz is frozen the birds will push east or west to get around it. Thats just what i think. I will be in SD on the 19th for sure.


----------



## the professor (Oct 13, 2006)

last lake in eastern sodak i fished a few weeks back was running 29" of ice...


----------



## teamshakeandbake (Oct 14, 2008)

im thinking the 20th- 30th of march will be a good time for snows in sodak this year


----------



## lader (Feb 3, 2010)

31 inches of Ice on Lake Thompson last night, JMO huntable numbers will be here around the 20th or so


----------



## Hoppsa (Mar 26, 2009)

I agree with BlueBird. They have to be to a certain place by a certain date or they will be behind schedule and they know it. With the warm temps no the snow will be melting fast, and it will be one muddy mother.


----------



## sodakhunter13 (Feb 2, 2007)

The birds will get here when they get here. That is all anyone can really tell you. Your guess is just as good as theirs. We have really thick ice still but the snow is melting fast all over the state. I was in Vermillion last weekend and they have a lot less snow than we do here in Brookings already so it shouldnt be long before they are snowless!


----------



## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

That's about it...you just don't know.

I'd like to see how fast the snowline would be cut if an area got 1 inch of rain? Things can always change quick.


----------



## jpallen14 (Nov 28, 2005)

Lake Andes area has little snow right now. I'm sure their will huntable numbers in that area by early next week. Very liitle snow all the way thru central Nebraska


----------



## GVGoose (Oct 8, 2005)

bluegoose18 said:


> What I need to know is this
> if a guy is planning on being in sd
> march 12-22 will the mass of whities be there
> I know everyone sAys the same thing
> ...


To prove the 2 week statement is false...

Last year there was 1.5 million at Squaw on March 8th or 9th. On March 13th there was close to that many on the Missouri River in Southern SD...Realistically, these birds probably only need to stay at a major roost for a day or two at the most and they'll likely have enough nutrients to refuel and make it to the next roost. Sometimes they don't even stop at major roosts and just feed their way north


----------



## Snowgooseman__SD (Jan 22, 2010)

sd5.0. said:


> Snowgooseman__SD said:
> 
> 
> > All depends on this weather, but were suppose to have an inch of rain this week and either the snow will suck it in and when it freezes its gonna be hard as a ball or else its gonna eat the snow. i'm thinking if were really suppose to have an inch of rain that will eat the snow and put alot of weight on the lakes and help them melt faster. we still have a Good 13 inches of ice on these lakes if not more. i suppose we might see some snows this next week other wise i'm shoooting for the 17th for them to start. cant wait for them!
> ...


Hence i said "if not More" and i was saying "good solid ice". usually the bottom or top layer will get rotten with rain and warming.
and when i went ice fishin last weekend there was only 20 inches on the lake i went too. but yet i can go to a slough and fall right through so thats what these snows are gonna sit on is sheet water and shallow ponds with cattails that got stuffed up with snow in december/january. the snow geese are not gonna wait for the lakes to open up its how much snow is on the ground. with the how much rain we have gotten so far there is gonna be a crap load of flooded areas again this year. JMO


----------



## 12guagesnows (Jan 4, 2010)

i think all of you are forgetting that snows will sit on ice...i would be more concerned with the snowline than how much ice remains... with all the rain comin to sd the fields will be open enough to feed within the next couple days. snows could very well be showing up in SE SD within the next week


----------



## ArcherOfLoaf (Aug 5, 2007)

I'm also going to throw my hat in the next week ring. The rain is really eating the snow right now


----------

