# Afternoon Hunting



## Leo Porcello (Jul 10, 2003)

Well it was another Sat afternoon of idiots thinking they are invisiable trying to jump snows, trucks racing down the road to get under the fleeing flocks, ozone layer birds being shot at, birds getting shot sitting on the water, and empty shells all over the roads. I guess the chance to shoot 20 birds brings out the best of a lot of guys. uke: Really are numbers that important to so many? I probably would not be as surprised if it was kids but a lot of middle age and old males doing. You would think they would be at Level 5 by now. Oh well so long my white and blue friends. I will be waiting for you this spring!

For the guys that say its not about the numbers why don't I see guys jumping honkers?


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## huntingdude16 (Jul 17, 2007)

So, what were YOU doing there then? oke: :lol:


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## Leo Porcello (Jul 10, 2003)

Well yesterday moring I was in the decoys. But I got downwinded by two guys in ND vehicles and one in a WI. They set up by a rock pile with I am guessing 150 decoys. I could see them plain as day with my binocs so I am assuming the snows could see them.

Yesterday afternoon I was on a rock pile pass shooting having zero effect on the feeding birds. I shot a few. But there was 3 vehicles that I could see that kept driiving back and forth. Then the shooting began. Two trucks were sending each other signals with there lights. By the sounds of the shooting there was a few guys.

I am assuming if you saw me then you saw them or you may have been one of them.


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## headshot (Oct 26, 2006)

> Two trucks were sending each other signals with there lights. By the sounds of the shooting there was a few guys.


Last spring we couldn't drive within a mile or the birds would fly, sounds like lots of people want to be "cool" and shoot snow geese but don't want to put in the time and effort to do it "right". I know how frustrating it is Leo to spend time trying to scout them, secure permission and set-up and have other asshats ruin it all.


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## Leo Porcello (Jul 10, 2003)

And I should clarify more. I was out to scout but I saw the 3 trucks so I knew what was going to go down. That is why I ran to the rock pile. Had I been to the pile earlier it would have been an easy 20. You would think those jumpers would have seen the birds flying low over the fields. I guess a 300 yard walk is too much. After the snows left the canadas came and I got into that action as well.

Be advised though after talking to the warden today they are not very hot on guys racing their trucks under the fleeing flocks and jumping out and blasting. Just a word for the unwise.


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## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

Leo Porcello said:


> Be advised though after talking to the warden today they are not very hot on guys racing their trucks under the fleeing flocks and jumping out and blasting. Just a word for the unwise.


It's amazing how much of this goes on.


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## diver_sniper (Sep 6, 2004)

I think it's a combination of people seeing such a big flock of birds, and knowing perfectly well that they won't ever be able to decoy them. Not because it's impossible, but because they will never put the time into it.

The more I go out, the more I see and meet people that just want to shoot. It's not about fooling the birds, it's not about clean shots, it's about boom boom boom. I'm constantly reminded that a lot of hunters out there aren't real great hunters, but excellent shooters. I feel your frustration Leo.


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## dblkluk (Oct 3, 2002)

And yet people wonder why we have such a quick snow goose migration? :eyeroll:

This is one of the biggest factors, IMO.

It has gotten so bad in the tradional snow goose areas when the birds show up, that I stay clear of them. We have had better luck targeting non-traditional areas and smaller flocks. Much less jumpshooting and harassing going on. The birds seem to stick around a bit longer and are more likely to decoy.
Although a guy can never totally escape the jumpshooters. 
I was pulled over watching a group of snows saturday night when a two guys pulled alongside me (with a truck bed half full of snow snow geese).

The first thing they said as I dropped my binocs is, "Are you going to crawl down that fenceline?, we'll come at them from the other end, we should be able to lay into them!!"
I told them I was planning on decoying in the field in the morning and that I hoped the birds would keep on feeding undisturbed. 
One of the guys then asked "Why in the hell would you go through all that work of setting decoys to try and kill a snow goose??", "We've been jumping them since this morning and have over 50 birds"

"Now we just have to figured out what the hell to do with them" they laughed.
I rolled my eyes at that comment and went back to glassing the flock.

Luckily for me and my hunt in the morning, they spotted another feed working in the distance and with only a few minutes of light left they took off.

Like others have said most people have no resect for snows. (Hence the terms "sky carp", "tundra maggots" etc.. ) Even more people are just to lazy to try to decoy them effectively..others just want to pull the trigger and "kill" more birds than they will ever use..

And for the record, most are not NR's or guides, but "locals" who seemingly take a day off from target shooting road signs, and throwing beer cans out the window, to "kill them damn sky carp".


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## ND_duckman (Feb 17, 2006)

I enjoy shooting snows over decoys, but I also have no problem with jump shooting them. I don't have a trailer full of decoys or the gas money to properly scout for a field hunt. So if I do happen to find a field that snows are using I will jump it. If I don't see anyone scouting that field I don't see a problem with jumping them.


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## dblkluk (Oct 3, 2002)

Jump shooting is perfectly legal. With that being said, The biggest problem I have is that it seems as though 99% of jumpers are there simply to kill. 
I have yet to meet a jumper who has given me a reason to believe otherwise. You never here of a jumper who won't shoot unless they get within 10 yards or, is only out there to obtain whatever other challenge that could be met. 
They are there to get as close as they can, to kill as many as they can.



> I don't have a trailer full of decoys or the gas money to properly scout for a field hunt.


C'mon..like I said jumping is perfectly legal. There is no need to make up excuses for doing it.
If you have the gas to chase flocks around to shoot, you have the gas to scout. Theres no need to have a trailer full of dekes to be successful either. We had a great hunt over 10doz sillosocks yesterday.


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## Leo Porcello (Jul 10, 2003)

So with today's weather conditions it should have been the perfect decoying day. But my birds were useing a posted field I could not get into so I took a gamble. I picked the field I did was because the snows have been in there everyday (but they have been getting jumped everyday as well)

Well anyway the jumpers showed today. It was very comical watching them park, drive, park, drive, drop a guy off, pick a guy up. This went on for several hours. I knew the birds would be heading back to the roost soon so with the 45 mph gusts I knew it could be a pass shoot and a half!

I know the route these birds are taking so I start across this field when all the snows go up (jumpers). Another truck with a trailer had joined the jumpers or atleast it was parked in the same area.

So anyway I am laying there in the field watching the birds on the deck coming right at me. Flock after flock. I knew it was going to be good. BUT all of a sudden the birds start landing right in front of me. I could not believe it. Thousands of snows were just down wind of me and then migrators started coming in. Well as I am laying there I could see the white truck pulling the trailer watching me. He drove off. Then the other two trucks that had been trying to get these snows all morning show up (Goldish Frontier and a White Sierra. Both had caps on them) They parked the Sierra and drove off in the Frontier. Well they must have seen my vehicle or something because then they came back and started watching me. Well after 30 or minutes all the birds went up and flew right over me. What a moment. I am sure those guys were dumb founded when I never even raised my gun. :lol: Only the Good Lord knows how many birds I could have dropped but... If those guys would have only gotten in the flight path of those birds they would have trickled back to the roost like they have been doing everyday for over two weeks and if their shooting was on they surely could have gotten their limits.

And if by chance you guys in the Frontier and Sierra read this I will give you just one tip on jumping. Parking your vehicles right next to the feeding birds is not the smartest thing to do. It makes them jumpy and your chances for success go way down the toilet.


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## h2ofwlr (Feb 6, 2004)

Leo Porcello said:


> Well after 30 or minutes all the birds went up and flew right over me. What a moment. I am sure those guys were dumb founded when I never even raised my gun. :lol: Only the Good Lord knows how many birds I could have dropped but... .


Leo, you are my type of hunter. I am so glad to see another hunter has done the same as me. Some guys just do not get it, and probably never will, as the sight and sound of so many overhead is so awe inspriring, you never even think to shoot as you soak it all in. Besides why educate 10K+ birds just the shoot a few?

I had it happen last spring again. some of you perhaps remember the banded Ross I got last spring. On that same day in the same field hours after that Ross, I had the flock feeding within 70ds of me. I could have easily crawled and shot them since they were on the down hill side of me. Instead every so often the whole flock would get up and fly from 10 to 60yds (layered) and hang over me and settle back down. I was looking for a neck collar. Never did see one on the 7-8 times they hovered right above me in that 2 hours. Each time it was thrilling to see and hear them so close, and figured the only way I'd shoot was if there was a neck collar on one. It gives me goose bumps just remembering it. Some guys just are naive or are ignorant on what they are missing out on. They are a poorer soul as a result of not experiencing it.

I know a few deer hunters like this too, they have an 8 point in their sights and just say to themselves, Pow. They know they could have killed him, but are looking for his Daddy. And in their mind they had a very successful hunt.

Sometimes, it is not at all about having the gun going off, but rather soaking it in and appreciating what nature has to offer.

Yeah, some hunters are that way :beer:


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## dfisher (Oct 12, 2007)

I got a friend in Ohio who will not hunt them anymore or even say anything good about trying to hunt them. I laugh when I hear him say this stuff and remember that 15 or so years ago it was the big thing for us. We went to Texas, he went to Arkansas a couple of times, I went to Hudson Bay, and we both came up to Canada to hunt snow geese. He always said he wouldn't drive all the way to Canada to shoot honkers, as we could shoot them in Ohio.

He found out that snows aren't as easy as he thought they would be. I think he thought that it was going to be a shoot'em up, whack and stack'em, limit everyday, kind of thing with these geese and he went for it. Now that he knows better he doesn't want to mess with them. He comes to Canada now and hunts honkers and lessers and talks about how great they do. It's always a numbers thing.

He's one of my dearest friends and always will be, but I think he's got the wrong outlook on snow goose hunting and perhaps hunting in general. I know a lot of people, besides him, who are like this too. Big numbers, a lanyard full of bands, and all the greatest equipment in the world, but down in the mouth when they don't shoot a boat load every time they go out. I often wonder if these folk's aren't missing the real essence of hunting.

I've always said that I don't care if I shoot a goose or duck, as long as I can go and see them. I enjoy watching them fly and they fill my mind with wonder as they come and go in the frozen sky. I also know that as long as I'm seeing them, I have a chance. When a flock finally does lock up and come in, it makes the scouting, decoy setting, and all the other work and perpetration worthwhile.

That's the nice thing about snows. There are a lot of them around and seeing them isn't the hard part. If you find a field of honkers and set up on them, more than likely, you're gonna shoot a limit, or several limits, of geese. If you find a field of snows and set up, there is still no guarantee that you'll be successful. All you know when you set up, is that the potential for the hunt of a lifetime was feeding in this very field the evening before. It's the hint of promise and the certain challenge of it all that makes snow goose hunting so God awful addicting to so many good hunters. That's where the kill, kill, kill crowd fall's short, as they are up for the big score and not the challenge of the chase.

Sorry for being so long winded and good hunting,
Dan


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## goosebusters (Jan 12, 2006)

This has been and extremely interesting topic and one that needs to be brought back up in the spring. Something that Diver_Sniper said once when we were hunting has really stuck with me, I don't remember it exactly, but somewhere along the lines of hunting for the picture. That is where so many snow goose hunters myself included have got caught up. The thing for me and other new snow goose addicts is that there is no greater feeling than shooting snows and blues. They are probably one of the most incredible birds in every single aspect: watching, hunting, shooting. I would doubt that anyone would take a flock of 20 canadas at 10 yards over a flock of snows at 10 yards.


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## ej4prmc (Dec 3, 2004)

goosebusters said:


> I would doubt that anyone would take a flock of 20 canadas at 10 yards over a flock of snows at 10 yards.


*WRONG* But then I also try not to chase lesser's of any species.


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

dblkluk said:


> And for the record, most are not NR's or guides, but "locals" who seemingly take a day off from target shooting road signs, and throwing beer cans out the window, to "kill them damn sky carp".


I think your right. Most of the "slobs" of this sort are your "weekend warrior" locals.

I think the bulk of the NR's that pull this sh*t are guys that come for ducks but wont pass up an easy snow sneak or something.

As much as I love snows, its become such a headache hunting them. Not because their tough to hunt (which they are) but because of the a-holes. Downwinding, puposefully roost busting, cuz if they aint gonna get any birds aint nobody gonna get any birds.

I happen to think the same way about your "average" deer gun hunters.

Ive said it before and Ill say it again, I think the guys on here (in any of the forums) are a "cut above" average. But for each one of you guys, theres five "weekenders".


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