Spring hunt for Snow goose

[Red Bullets]

I see it is two weeks until the spring hunting season for snow and ross goose. The limit is 50 birds. Only in certain WMU's. I've never hunted for either but wonder if anyone partakes? Are the birds worth eating in the spring? I would think they would be lean in spring.

This interactive map may be of interest to someone planning to hunt or bird watch this spring. It is the satellite tracking map of 7 individual snow geese with trackers. The tracking updates so the map could be used to know where a flock is during migrations. Enjoy, I'm sure your some of your hunting and fishing dollars spent helped fund the map.

https://www.ab-conservation.com/wild...ras/goose-gps/

Sort of amazing that last fall one goose (no.3) flew from the NW corner of Nunavut to central Alberta in two days. Seems like the geese maybe don't get to Alberta until early to mid April.

[calgarychef]

I’ve only had a few in the spring but they tasted good enough to me!

[NFTrapper]

Spring snows are very healthy and have loads of fat on them. They make great roasting birds for sure. You won't be disappointed!

Good luck and happy eating!

[Big Lou]

This will be my first crack at Sky Carp in the spring. We are doing the big, semi permanent spread type deal and will be trying to pull down migrating flocks. It’ll be fun and provide lots of protein for goose jerky.

[MyAlberta]

We’ve made a sizeable dent chewing through our fall harvest. Won’t need to recharge until right around Sept. Then it’s two months of blasting and canning.

[Drewski Canuck]

That is one surprising map!!!

I have shot a few banded birds from California and could never understand how they are crossing the mountains to Alberta. A few of these snows are wintering in northern California, and then heading north to the Western Arctic through Alberta. Now I can see that there is some sort of crossing down in the Arizona area over the Rockies.

As for the Spring hunt, the Texas Winter Wheat gets hit hard by the wintering flocks along the Gulf Coast.

Down around Katy, Texas the shoots are done with extended tube magazines, basically 10 rounds at the flock from each shooter. The numbers of birds taken fill a truck box on one shoot.

Despite the shooting it doesn't stop the Snows. 5 K of Snows can strip an emerging field of Winter Wheat in a matter of days.

Drewski

[calgarychef]

Originally Posted by Drewski Canuck

That is one surprising map!!!

I have shot a few banded birds from California and could never understand how they are crossing the mountains to Alberta. A few of these snows are wintering in northern California, and then heading north to the Western Arctic through Alberta. Now I can see that there is some sort of crossing down in the Arizona area over the Rockies.

As for the Spring hunt, the Texas Winter Wheat gets hit hard by the wintering flocks along the Gulf Coast.

Down around Katy, Texas the shoots are done with extended tube magazines, basically 10 rounds at the flock from each shooter. The numbers of birds taken fill a truck box on one shoot.

Despite the shooting it doesn't stop the Snows. 5 K of Snows can strip an emerging field of Winter Wheat in a matter of days.

Drewski

It’s amazing that they get to use so much more firepower than we do on the same flocks of birds.

[Joezam18]

Originally Posted by Red Bullets

I see it is two weeks until the spring hunting season for snow and ross goose. The limit is 50 birds. Only in certain WMU's. I've never hunted for either but wonder if anyone partakes? Are the birds worth eating in the spring? I would think they would be lean in spring.

This interactive map may be of interest to someone planning to hunt or bird watch this spring. It is the satellite tracking map of 7 individual snow geese with trackers. The tracking updates so the map could be used to know where a flock is during migrations. Enjoy, I'm sure your some of your hunting and fishing dollars spent helped fund the map.

https://www.ab-conservation.com/wild...ras/goose-gps/

Sort of amazing that last fall one goose (no.3) flew from the NW corner of Nunavut to central Alberta in two days. Seems like the geese maybe don't get to Alberta until early to mid April.

Very cool map. Thanks for sharing. I wonder if there are any other critters that have their movements tracked and shared like this. If you can think of any, please share.

[Dale S]

The lakes the snow geese show up at first are froze over hard. Even with these warm temps. and wind in the south it will be a least a week. Probable 2 weeks, like normal.

[nighttrain]

Cool map, thanks for sharing!

[32-40win]

Wonder what happened to goose # 7? Appears to be kinda stuck around Luseland.

[Dale S]

I was by the lakes March 9 still iced up. No snow geese.

[bsmitty27]

Im not hitting the geese this spring but if anyone in the Edmonton - Vegreville area is after them, and wouldnt mind keeping a few wings for me. I would appricate it. I want to try fletching some arrows with goose feathers.
Thanks
Brad

[Dale S]

None to be seen yet. The lakes are frozen over still.

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[freeride]

Originally Posted by 32-40win

Wonder what happened to goose # 7? Appears to be kinda stuck around Luseland.

Update: The collars of the following tagged lesser snow geese are no longer functioning: Snow Geese 4,7 and 8. The last recorded transmissions for these three birds were from late October to early November in 2019.

[Frank_NK28]

We shot around 600 last spring. As the spring goes on into warmer and warmer weather the birds actually get softer and kind of gross to clean. The fat under the skin trapped under those feathers really heats them up quick and the fat actually melts. Your hands look and feel like you had them in a vat of oil soaking. Sure makes for soft skin on your hands though cleaning a batch. I find though that come May the meat is too soft and not nice to work with for cleaning. Also with so much fat and being so soft when they hit the ground many of them peel like a banana and you end up with breast meat marinated in mud but man they are fun to hunt and having a second waterfowl season in each year is a huge bonus!

[Dale S]

They just showed up in Taber. 200 just flow over town.

[anthony5]

Originally Posted by Dale S

They just showed up in Taber. 200 just flow over town.

You just had to go and do it didn't ya.
Now work is really gonna suffer.

[Dale S]

Lots flying around today.

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[Dale S]

Originally Posted by Dale S

Lots flying around today.

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Ok you bird hunters. How many birds are in the picture. Quick guess. No counting.

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[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by Dale S

Ok you bird hunters. How many birds are in the picture. Quick guess. No counting.

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Quick guess 200-300

[270person]

Originally Posted by Dale S

Ok you bird hunters. How many birds are in the picture. Quick guess. No counting.

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95

[wbl170]

I was going to say 250 or there abouts.

[SouthWestRanger]

140

[threeforthree]

170

[astepanuk]

Looking forward to getting into some Spring Snows this year anyone starting to see these suckers in Alberta. Tracker shows them still holding tight south of the boarder need a big South wind to push them north.

[Strix]

Here is a video that will get the blood running; however it is from Pennsylvania

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSmg_yuhPQ0

Ninety thousand Snow Geese at Middle Creek, PA