# North Dakota Spring Snow Goose Harvest



## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

From the NDGF:

More than 11,000 Light Geese Harvested During Spring Season

Hunters harvested a significant number of snow geese during North
Dakota's 2005 spring light goose season, according to Mike Johnson,
migratory game bird management supervisor for the state Game and Fish
Department.

A post-season survey indicated an estimated 2,500 (1,600 residents and
900 nonresidents) hunters actively participated during the statewide
spring season, held Feb. 21 - May 8. Hunters spent an average of 2.95
days each in the field and harvested an estimated 11,170 light geese.

The number of hunters in 2005 was up 6 percent from last year.
Nonresidents from 21 states participated in the spring season, and 65
percent were from Minnesota.

At least 36 counties had hunter activity, with 40 percent of hunter-days
reported in Ramsey, Dickey, Stutsman, Sargent and Richland counties. The average seasonal bag was 4.4 light geese per hunter, with the highest
seasonal bag reported at 450 birds.

Basic regulations for the spring season were the same as a regular
waterfowl hunting season except hunting was allowed until one-half hour
after sunset; electronic calls could be used; shotguns capable of
holding more than three shells were permitted; there was no bag or
possession limit; and a federal duck stamp was not required.

About 54 percent of hunters used unplugged shotguns, and 28 percent
reported using electronic calls. More than 69 percent of hunters agreed
that unplugged shotguns, jump shooting and pass shooting were effective
techniques for harvest light geese in the spring.

The spring conservation order was established as part of the United
States and Canada's effort to reduce the Mid-Continent Light Goose
population. At this time, an eighth Conservation Order allowing a spring
light goose season is anticipated for 2006.


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## gandergrinder (Mar 10, 2002)

> with the highest seasonal bag reported at 450 birds.


..........and that hunter was mallard.


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## GooseBuster3 (Mar 1, 2002)

It has got to be..


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## Bandcollector02 (Oct 4, 2005)

For you guys that have hunted in the spring, do the birds seem less weary. I've hunted those damn things a number of times over the past few years in the fall and my group has gotton maybe a total of 10. They are the weariest bird I've ever hunted.


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## scissorbill (Sep 14, 2003)

You are correct they are wary, and one of the reasons is this assinine spring season. Probably the most ridiculous wildlife mgmt decision ever made. There are whole industrys now set up just for the spring season mark my words it will never go away. E callers,unplugged guns, no limits, cow decoys, belly crawlers ,water swatters it all makes me want to puke. Real sportsman wont take part is this nonsense. uke:


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## Leo Porcello (Jul 10, 2003)

scissorbill said:


> You are correct they are wary, and one of the reasons is this assinine spring season. Probably the most ridiculous wildlife mgmt decision ever made. There are whole industrys now set up just for the spring season mark my words it will never go away. E callers,unplugged guns, no limits, cow decoys, belly crawlers ,water swatters it all makes me want to puke. Real sportsman wont take part is this nonsense. uke:


Yeeeeeeeeehhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwww its going to get good!!!


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## charles (Mar 20, 2004)

PorkChop said:


> scissorbill said:
> 
> 
> > You are correct they are wary, and one of the reasons is this assinine spring season. Probably the most ridiculous wildlife mgmt decision ever made. There are whole industrys now set up just for the spring season mark my words it will never go away. E callers,unplugged guns, no limits, cow decoys, belly crawlers ,water swatters it all makes me want to puke. Real sportsman wont take part is this nonsense. uke:
> ...


SB if that isn't called baitin I don't what is.......you gotta be just sittin there waitin for replies from your comments.............


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## mallard (Mar 27, 2002)

gandergrinder said:


> > with the highest seasonal bag reported at 450 birds.
> 
> 
> ..........and that hunter was mallard.


Maybe 8) .I was never surveyed last spring.


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## gandergrinder (Mar 10, 2002)

scissorbill wrote


> You are correct they are wary, and one of the reasons is this assinine spring season. Probably the most ridiculous wildlife mgmt decision ever made. There are whole industrys now set up just for the spring season mark my words it will never go away. E callers,unplugged guns, no limits, cow decoys, belly crawlers ,water swatters it all makes me want to puke. Real sportsman wont take part is this nonsense.


Why should we listen to biologists? They don't know anything anyway. :roll:

Real sportsman know how hard it is to decoy them in the spring. Thats why they do it. :wink: Sounds like someone doesn't have the skills to decoy them so it must be a bad thing.  Seriously, if e-callers should be illegal on snows than shortreeds should be illegal on Canadas.

If there are enough snow geese to handle a spring season then why wouldn't we have them into the future? They are a renewable resource. As long as you don't overharvest. It doesn't matter when they are harvested.



> Real sportsman wont take part is this nonsense.


I wouldn't normally respond to this type of drivel but the last line was just to over the top.


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## dblkluk (Oct 3, 2002)

Amen Gandergrinder!!! :beer: 
Why don't you give it a try this spring scissor?? ONLY "real sportsman" will drag hundreds of decoys 1/2 mile out in a field with mud up to their knees in the predawn darkness. Set the spread up in more muck and lay there for 12 hours in hopes of decoying a few birds into shooting range. 
Yep Spring snows are not for "real sportsman"... :eyeroll:


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## HonkerExpress (Sep 23, 2005)

I really enjoy shooting the crap out of those rats with wings, lol. Thats my theory on them, pretty close to it anyway. We shoot the crap out of them and I tell you what I agree, its probably one of the hardest hunts of the year. Its tough on your rigs big time, but hey, if you didn't enjoy it get the h$ll out of the field and take up a sport like tennis. No one wants to hear about someone that can't decoy birds talking smack about it to guys that love it. Just my opinion. :strapped:


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## Goose Guy350 (Nov 29, 2004)

SB
Check this link out:
http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/issue ... afteis.htm


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## djleye (Nov 14, 2002)

It is definately not for the weak or the old.........Oops, I am close to that!!!


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## h2ofwlr (Feb 6, 2004)

scissorbill said:


> You are correct they are wary, and one of the reasons is this assinine spring season. Probably the most ridiculous wildlife mgmt decision ever made. There are whole industrys now set up just for the spring season mark my words it will never go away. E callers,unplugged guns, no limits, cow decoys, belly crawlers ,water swatters it all makes me want to puke. Real sportsman wont take part is this nonsense. uke:


So you are calling me unsportsman since I hunt the spring season? 

I hunt over decoys, and do alot better than the average they said above in the report.

I sure as hell do not like being lumped in with the belly crawlers or roost shooters or the run and guns. They really F it up for us decoyers for sure. :******: In SD I come over a hill and the geese are a 1 mile off and they get up---all because of the high pressure of the road hunters have put on them. :******:

So I take exception that because I partake in the spring season that I thrown in with the idiots that are too damned lazy and/or cheap and/or stupid/inexperienced to hunt over decoys. Most of these guys are clueless and are NOT Snow goose hunters but are at best they are "shooters" --there is a huge difference between a hunter and a shooter IMO. And this is from a guy that has hunted ND in 4 different decades and considers anybody hunting Snows since the inception of the spring season nothing more than snot nosed Johnny come latelies and I know plenty of other veteran Snow HUNTERS that feel the same way.


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## Niles Short (Mar 18, 2004)

:stirpot: AND IN this corner weighing in at.......................


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