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Light Geese?
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02-17-2009, 02:32 PM
Does anyone know where to find the Snow Geese in the north goose zone for the hunt tomorrow? First year the DNR has had this late hunt so I'm sure lots of you are stumped like me. Thanks!
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02-17-2009, 03:27 PM
The light geese have not moved this far north yet according to a friend of mine that manages one of the local refuges. The only white birds in the area are swans, pelicans, and of course seagulls. When they do come in the main concentration will be in the west corrine area that is basically private clubs. It is usually around the first of march before we see the snow geese in northern Utah. The weather always has alot to do with the timing. gshorthair
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02-17-2009, 03:33 PM
Yeah I kinda figured they wouldn't be moving in until the weather gets a little better. I know there will be a ton down by Delta in early March. I'm thinking that will be the best bet. Other than that I imagine Salt Creek WMA or Public Shooting Grounds out west of Corinne or even BRBR for us northern folks.
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02-17-2009, 08:33 PM
Hey dukester, the state has a viewing day for public education during the last part of fedruary for birds in the Delta area. Then they will move north if they can find fields that are open enough to feed in. This storm today isn't helping any. Be sure to check your regulations if I remember right the federal refuge at bear river is closed for this hunt. The state is allowing hunting on Salt Creek and public shooting grounds. Last year there were very few birds in the north zone before March 10. gshorthair
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02-17-2009, 08:51 PM
Yes you are right, BRBR as well as many other WMA's are closed to light geese hunting feb. 18th-mar. 10th, however SC and PSG areas are open and are in the north goose zone. You can only hunt in the north goose zone feb. 18th -mar. 1st, then it opens statewide mar. 2nd-mar 10th. So the annual Utah Snow Goose festival won't be bothered, which takes place feb. 20-22 just west of Delta by Gunnison Bend Reservoir. I imagine the weather we are having and will continue to have won't help with this goose hunt. But hopefully we get some Snow Geese moving through soon.
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02-17-2009, 09:12 PM
small flock in hooper yesterday. on 7500 just keep checking the feilds.
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02-28-2009, 12:49 AM
got lots out in hooper right now seen a few hundred tonight. change that to a few thousand
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03-02-2009, 08:37 PM
Perfect! Problem is you can't hunt on the WMA's out there like Howard Slough and I don't know anyone that will let me hunt on their property. But the hunt went statewide today! Let me know if you know anyone out there that allows hunters.
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03-03-2009, 12:09 AM
i would think the farmers would let you hunt, after all the birds are destroying there fields thats the whole reason for the hunt.
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03-03-2009, 02:35 AM
That is NOT the mentality around here.[frown]
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03-05-2009, 01:38 AM
lol called a couple of the outfiters today and the day fees there wanting its probly just cheaper to drive to colorado and hunt them there.
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03-05-2009, 01:53 AM
Atleast you would have a good chance at killing birds. Saw several thousand this morning but nothin even close enough for the rifle.[mad]
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03-05-2009, 07:00 PM
Some of them must be flying low enough. The DWR estimates 1000 birds harvested in the delta area the first day it opened. I believe that was monday. Monday night and tuesday alot of birds moved into the northern zone. Counts at Gunnison bend resevoir went from 30,000 birds sunday to 15 monday afternoon. In the northern area access for the average hunter is a real problem. As much as I would like to go I don't have the connections. It is a little frustrating. gshorthair
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03-06-2009, 02:44 AM
I agree I would love to go pound the snows and help put a dent on the population. I think that it should be more of a public event or open up some more public areas so we can make a difference. The extended season isnt even going to do much good for the birds if we cant access any of the places on their flyways, I thought that was the point.
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03-06-2009, 08:39 PM
Hey fod, there are some reasons why the public areas are closed. The canada geese have started nesting and the division didn't want to hurt production of our local birds. There are a few nests that have eggs in already.
The division still wanted to allow sportsman in the state a chance to hunt when the feds offered us a spring season. It pretty much is limited to harvesting them in the fields and not in the marshes. Unfortunately for the average guy most hunting is on private clubs that we don't have access to. g.shorthair [signature]
03-06-2009, 09:07 PM
yea I am just venting. I dont think we should mess with the nesting areas just think that if it were easier to access private property or cheaper and people coming together and helping each other we would have some impact on the populations that will be nesting in the arctic tundras. I dont think the mentality of land owners has realized they have to help out and let hunters to their part. I dont want to have to say it but GREED is going to detour any hunters that would have hunted snows this year had it not be so expensive to gain access and/or hire a guide. I know I wont be paying for a guide and all of his equipment when I would do just fine on my own(if I had my own land) but that is the problem.
If it were my choice id have a snow goose HUNTING festival. everybody would all go out like back in the older days of the rabbit infestations and just do any thing they could to thin out the over populated snows. It would be for their own good. [signature]
03-06-2009, 10:31 PM
Hey Fod the population of snows that come through Utah are not part of the group that is destroying the hudson bay region. This population has increased some but they aren't causing the same problem we are seeing in the central part of the continent. This short season will hopefully keep them in check so they don't overpopulate.
I totally agree with you on the greed factor. It is ruining most of our outdoor oppurtunities. At least on private ground. I have never hired a guide yet. I enjoy the challenge and hiring someone else to figure it out for me would take away the challenge so why hunt. gshorthair [signature]
03-08-2009, 12:45 AM
fod i agree with you but this snow goose thing is just getting going in this part of the state.not for this year but long term these geese are changing ther normal patterns.bcause of lack of food and presure.where i seen 4 or 5 hundred in hooper last year i seen thousands this year.how ever we need 100,000 thousands to get the farmers to pay attention when you get that many they will start going for the winter wheat crop,and when a few of the bozos see 3 or 4 thousand of them white locast swoop down on thwere field and devore it like a bowl of wheties they arent going to pay attention.these geese do not feed like canadians,they are more along the line of mormon crickets.so till it starts happening,just be pacinte they will be begging you in a few years to come to hooper and hunt.i gurentee it there is 2 guys out behind my house hunting now but hey aint gonna get nothin cause there just arent that many around right now.
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03-09-2009, 12:14 AM
It was been a joke to hunt snows. We have scouted and found geese but cant get access to hunt, everything is
private. I have had friends ( I couldn't make it but wanted too) drive to delta only to drive around wasting gas to find access to fields. You have to know somebody or be a member of some high dollar hunting club to gain access to hunt. I thought we had a field to hunt on the southern opener only to be bought out by the highest bidder $2,500. Not that I am mad at the owner but I the avg. guy can't hunt here in Ut. unless you know a property owner and that's not for sure. It has been a big disapointment for me. Thinking about traveling out of state to hunt looking for guys that want to come along and share the costs or have some ideas and want to hunt. DC! [signature]
03-10-2009, 04:34 PM
I live in idaho, I found a guy that would guide you for $200. I don't know why you guys have such a hard time with a guide all they do is tie up the land and supply decoys 50 doz fullbodys. You bitch about the cost of land and cant kill birds cause you cant get on the land think about thde cost of decoys these arent canadian geese these birds are smart they get hunted from sept 1st to the end of may the average snow goose is 14 yaers old these birds know what decoys are. You guys sound like the kind that just want to watch the hunting chanel and talk about hunting but never get off your but to do any. It cost money to have a good hunt if you dont want to pay to play go sit on the dike a loco springs and not kill any. I payed $200 dollars killed 10 birds by noon. Thats lot cheaper than buying decoys and finding land, and hunting with these guides is like hunting with one of your buddys. If you want to hunt out of state like some of you said look at what it cost to go to texas or colorado, or find somebody to let you hunt there land go out with your doz. decoys cause thats all you can afford cause there so expinsive and watch the snows fly over you all day cause you wont kill any with out a large spread of decs.
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