# First Snow Sighting



## jcnelsn1 (Oct 28, 2008)

Spotted 2 snows mixed in with a flock of Canadas in a pea field on Friday. Bring on the season.


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## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

I have seen some all summer. 8)


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## goosehunternd (Mar 10, 2006)

been quite a few that stayed all summer


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## jcnelsn1 (Oct 28, 2008)

These birds had not been in the area all summer. Hunted the area a dozen times already this season and spent many more days scouting and had not seen them before.


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## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

They could be early migrators, but there were alot of snows that stayed all summer for some reason.


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## headshot (Oct 26, 2006)

The SOB's are trickling in here now. First big push in a week or 2 from my past exp.


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## R&amp;B OUTFITTERS (Feb 25, 2004)

was out spotting this morning in southern sask. saw a flock of snows
about a dozen. thats a start...


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## ndoutdoorsman (May 13, 2004)

I have seen a few all summer long. even seen a flock of about 75 that stayed all summer. But sure cant wait till season starts on them, kinda thinking about finding where them 75 are gonna go and hunt them around opener.


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## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

ndoutdoorsman said:


> I have seen a few all summer long. even seen a flock of about 75 that stayed all summer. But sure cant wait till season starts on them, kinda thinking about finding where them 75 are gonna go and hunt them around opener.


Were they juvies? Did any of them breed?

I always assumed a lot of them that stay could be cripples, but I remember seeing them around before the spring season started in the summer.


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## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

Most of the 25 or so I saw where all adults except for 3. I think they were wounded during the season, but who knows.


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## cbas (Apr 3, 2007)

Around 40 flying north over Regina this morning.

Guess its time to get the gear ready .


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## shig (Aug 23, 2005)

Just got word from the CO's that first few flocks showing up in Dauphin, MB-- 200 miles north of the border, 2 weeks earlier than normal. Crops are 25% done--2-3 weeks behind schedule. Depends on weather on crops and bird migration over the next month. Get ready!!

Shig
Hevi-Metal rules!!


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## ndoutdoorsman (May 13, 2004)

Chris Hustad said:


> ndoutdoorsman said:
> 
> 
> > I have seen a few all summer long. even seen a flock of about 75 that stayed all summer. But sure cant wait till season starts on them, kinda thinking about finding where them 75 are gonna go and hunt them around opener.
> ...


Most of the ones that i seen were all juvies.....with a few wounded adults i imagine. Havent seen any babys yets so im thinking they are just all none breeders. Every year it seems like i have been seeing more and more that are staying around, not always wounded birds either. Just gonna have to go check up on them geese this weekend make sure they are still around hopefully put the hurting on them opening weekend.


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## teamshakeandbake (Oct 14, 2008)

Ya i would assume they are wounded birds and i also will be out opening morning to put a pounding on some of the stragglers. :sniper:


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## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

Interesting. We've been seeing lessers now for almost a week. We saw our first cranes on Aug. 16th. Seagulls and blackbirds are thick and have been for awhile...same for the doves now in terms of how big the flocks are. I've been starting to notice some trees starting to change colors too.

Will we finally start seeing freezing temps in early Oct like the old days? Anyone's guess but this year has been pretty wet/cold overall.



shig said:


> Just got word from the CO's that first few flocks showing up in Dauphin, MB-- 200 miles north of the border, 2 weeks earlier than normal. Crops are 25% done--2-3 weeks behind schedule. Depends on weather on crops and bird migration over the next month. Get ready!!
> 
> Shig
> Hevi-Metal rules!!


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## headshot (Oct 26, 2006)

There is a ton of snows here now. Not my first sighting but the numbers are in the 100's of thousands in this area.


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## Flight Cancelled (Oct 8, 2008)

Those pics made my day  ...day by day they get closer


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## goosehunternd (Mar 10, 2006)

Looks like fun, I cant wait to set my first snow spread of the fall! :beer:


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## teamshakeandbake (Oct 14, 2008)

headshot do u mind if i ask where you are located near. not exact location obviously jw where the geese are at in there migration process? once again not scouting just curious.


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## brobones (Mar 10, 2004)

teamshakeandbake said:


> headshot do u mind if i ask where you are located near. not exact location obviously jw where the geese are at in there migration process? once again not scouting just curious.


O boy here we go!!!!!!!!!


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## SDwaterfowler (Mar 2, 2006)

teamshakeandbake said:


> headshot do u mind if i ask where you are located near. not exact location obviously jw where the geese are at in there migration process? once again not scouting just curious.


Please don't go there. He had this same problem on another forum where he was posting migration reports and people were harassing him about locations. If people keep harassing others about locations, they won't post reports at all. If you know anything about the migration in Canada, it shouldn't be difficult to determine how far north the migration is right now.


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## Andrew Bremseth (Aug 1, 2007)

We had an eaglehead land in our canada spread this morning, fed for about 5 minutes.... too bad we couldn't shoot it.


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## bigblackfoot (Mar 12, 2003)

SDwaterfowler said:


> teamshakeandbake said:
> 
> 
> > headshot do u mind if i ask where you are located near. not exact location obviously jw where the geese are at in there migration process? once again not scouting just curious.
> ...


Basically the intent eh? :roll:


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## headshot (Oct 26, 2006)

Teamshakeandshiver:

The geese are at their first pitstop on the trip. It's all about location in this game. If you don't know where the migration routes and approx time it takes the birds to get there you are gonna be stuck looking at other people's photos. I put a lot of miles on to find birds, but rest assured they will eventually head south.


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## Matt Jones (Mar 6, 2002)

Chris Hustad said:


> Were they juvies? Did any of them breed?
> 
> I always assumed a lot of them that stay could be cripples, but I remember seeing them around before the spring season started in the summer.


At one time they tried to start a resident flock of blues in the Chesepeake Bay region, because they weren't in the flyway so it'd be an oppurtunity for hunters to harvest one.

I guess it didn't work because snow geese have to migrate to breed. I guess the pinioned geese instict was so strong they started walking north...literally trying to make their way to the tundra.

Has anyone else heard about this? I'm sure there are exceptions. I vaguely remember someone talking about breeding snows up by Rock Lake???

Any biologists or anyone else who would know if there's a possibility for a breeding resident population of snows in the lower 48? You'd think with all the cripples from the CO there'd be more reports of local snows.


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## justund223 (Aug 28, 2006)

http://www.forum.minnesotawaterfowler.c ... &start=120

see the 7th page of this thread, guy in MN says these blues breed every year there.


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## USAlx50 (Nov 30, 2004)

headshot said:


> Teamshakeandshiver:
> 
> The geese are at their first pitstop on the trip. It's all about location in this game. If you don't know where the migration routes and approx time it takes the birds to get there you are gonna be stuck looking at other people's photos. I put a lot of miles on to find birds, but rest assured they will eventually head south.


Nicely done. :beer:


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## headshot (Oct 26, 2006)

The sky is starting to blacken in the area I hunt.


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

headshot said:


> The sky is starting to blacken in the area I hunt.


Hey man wheres some kill pics?


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## ndoutdoorsman (May 13, 2004)

Thats awesome sure cant wait till they get down here. Im ready to put the hurting on some of the snows. Migration underway thanks for the posts.


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## headshot (Oct 26, 2006)

I have yet to connect on the white birds. Permission has been hard to get because of the late harvest. Dark geese haven't been a problem.


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## SDwaterfowler (Mar 2, 2006)

Now that's starting to look good headshot! Thanks for the report. We will be up there in 4 days! What is the current ratio of harvested to unharvested fields up there?


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## headshot (Oct 26, 2006)

It's probly 2/3 done but there are a lot of swathed fields and the farmers are using the combined pea fields as bait to keep the birds away from their swaths. All nite and into today there are endless strings of birds. The migration is on big time.


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## Maverick (Mar 4, 2002)

:beer: Keep those pictures coming Headshot!

Love every minute of them!


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## kingcanada (Sep 19, 2009)

you guys up north are gonna make me cry! it's still another week before waterfowl opens in wyoming!  grouse will do for now. snow geese in north dakota will see my mug again in a month. always dreamed of the canada thing, next year it will finally happen, not enough funds this year. i have had my shot pellets land on canadian soil, but never been across to hunt. the past week i have been feeling snow goose withdrawal real bad.


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## headshot (Oct 26, 2006)

Finally got permission on a field holding a good number of white geese. My GF came out to help me set up the spread and a Ross' goose almost landed on her. We were in the field and the birds were trying to land all over the spread. I am either get a limit or none at all tomorrow.

Here's the field before we started to set up:










Here's my meager spread anxiously waiting the 20-30 MPH NW wind tomorrow morning.









Here are more new birds trying to get into the field:


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## snowbus (Mar 7, 2007)

Good post as it helps the days go by here. I can't recall seeing a sequence of pictures showing the live birds and the spread in basically the same extent on a picture. Nice job and good luck hunting.


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## teamsnover (Sep 20, 2009)

teamsnover has steadily been preparing to go north of the border. Our friends in Manitoba that we met 4 years ago said the snows are not yet filling the fields but several small flocks have been sighted just south of dauphin. Crops are starting to be harvested and it is shaping up to be an awesome season. The early duck reports were phenomenal. We just bought the bird breaster and it is the real deal. Also bought another 8 dozen deadlys from our main man Tracy. These decoys are the bomb. Good luck to everyone teamsnover is getting ready to lock and load.


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## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

More! My trip still seems so far out.


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## shooteminthelips (Jun 13, 2007)

Only 11 sleeps! Keep it coming!


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## headshot (Oct 26, 2006)

Shot 20 whites and 4 dark geese this morning. 6 snows (2 juvies and 1 eaglehead), 14 Ross', most were juvies. 3 beauty specks and 1 little Canada.


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## headshot (Oct 26, 2006)

Just like a kid a Christmas.


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## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

So jealous... 8)

Nice specks too.


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## snowbus (Mar 7, 2007)

The spread worked well! Might have to start calling you Bronones Jr.! He's always been good with recaps including photos. Also nice to see the extra pics. Thanks again!


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## SDwaterfowler (Mar 2, 2006)

Way to go headshot! Looks like a great shoot for 1 gunner.


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## headshot (Oct 26, 2006)

> Looks like a great shoot for 1 gunner.


I don`t want to think of the massacre that would have happened with 6-8 guys and FB dekes.


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## goosehunternd (Mar 10, 2006)

Tons of lessers and even some snows in nodak.


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## snowhunter16 (Mar 14, 2006)

Just wondering if any one thinks there will be some snows in south dakota by oct 1


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## teamsnover (Sep 20, 2009)

Just set up the trailer and bought some more canadas just in case. I am not sure if three cases of ammo will do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In all honesty I hope I just see some nice flocks instead of just in my dreams. I would settle for that. Anyone have personal success witht the vortex when used with sillosock flyers?????


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## teamsnover (Sep 20, 2009)

Any new sightings, good news from our friends by dauphin lots of birds on the move


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## teamshakeandbake (Oct 14, 2008)

My guess concerning seeing snows in south dakota by October 1st would be that you probably wont see any by then but should start to see some by the middle to end part of october but mass majority will be here probably around 1st to 2nd weekend of november.


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