Snow Goose hunt near Calgary

CalgaryNovice · #1 03-14-2019, 09:08 AM

Hey guys,

I am looking to arrange a snow goose trip around the Calgary area. As a novice snow geese hunter I am hoping to get a group together to pool decoys. If you are interested drop me a line.

1973 Moose · #2 03-14-2019, 02:33 PM

I have hunted lots of dark geese, but I have never hunted snow geese. I have 4 dozen snow goose dekes and 6 dozen dark dekes. I have heard that you need like 500 dekes for snows my 48 would be a start.

Justfishin73 · #3 03-14-2019, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1973 Moose

I have hunted lots of dark geese, but I have never hunted snow geese. I have 4 dozen snow goose dekes and 6 dozen dark dekes. I have heard that you need like 500 dekes for snows my 48 would be a start.

Don't put the darks out with the snows--will flare the snows off fast.

Silosocks will be your friend

CalgaryNovice · #4 03-14-2019, 03:12 PM

Sounds great moose, maybe we can put together another trip to utilize those dark decoys, or is there a way to enhance a snow goose formation by putting the dark decoys nearby? or will they just give the snow geese another reason to flare?

Anyone have a bunch of Silosocks decoys that wants to come? or perhaps rent out there decoys?

Justfishin73 · #5 03-14-2019, 03:21 PM

No darks at all--only whites

Zekeland · #6 03-15-2019, 06:00 AM

Not sure the AB spring laws....

Can use any decoys in the spring here in MB

I have no problem putting out some darks to make my spring spread more realistic. Now, 3-600 whites will have more pulling power obviously.

This spring I will hunt smaller ponds/sheetwater near the big feeds whenever they show up. Smaller but very natural. Probably will throw in a few darks. Going to be so wet this spring here, no way Im hauling 500+ dekes in the soup.

Been there done that. They will be pushing the snowline hard and should stick around here for a week maybe. All adults, terribly hard to decoy.

Small open pond is my ticket this spring.

YegFishing · #7 03-15-2019, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Justfishin73

Don't put the darks out with the snows--will flare the snows off fast.

Silosocks will be your friend

Well I cannot agree with you. While scouting, if you see the snows mingling with canadas and specks; why not put down some darks? I have shot a lot of snows over canada decoys mixed in with snows in the fall and in the spring. I also did not have over 800 decoys, only socks and about 300 socks and many of them were home made.

wwbirds · #8 03-15-2019, 03:52 PM

maybe it is just me but I have never seen huntable numbers of snows around Calgary. We keep seeing a few more each year around Weed Lake but I have never seen them feeding in fields by the thousands covering a whole quarter section like I have in Saskatchewan. it was probably only 3-4 years ago when I saw 3 snows come in with a flock of Canadas for the first time on my property and seeing a snow here was a big deal. Last year by far was the most birds we had seen in this area and there were several hundred hanging out in the middle of Weed Lake.

Diesel_wiesel · #9 03-17-2019, 07:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wwbirds

maybe it is just me but I have never seen huntable numbers of snows around Calgary. We keep seeing a few more each year around Weed Lake but I have never seen them feeding in fields by the thousands covering a whole quarter section like I have in Saskatchewan. it was probably only 3-4 years ago when I saw 3 snows come in with a flock of Canadas for the first time on my property and seeing a snow here was a big deal. Last year by far was the most birds we had seen in this area and there were several hundred hanging out in the middle of Weed Lake.

growing up in your at the edge of Langdon back in the 60's we only ever saw swans , huge flocks of them on weed lake , before they drained it
very rarely did we see snow geese
east of Brooks is where we started seeing snow geese,
I remember riding on the school bus between Langdon and Indus and Chestermere high schools the ponds and slews were loaded with swans
but never snow geese in the spring

Justfishin73 · #10 03-15-2019, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YegFishing

Well I cannot agree with you. While scouting, if you see the snows mingling with canadas and specks; why not put down some darks? I have shot a lot of snows over canada decoys mixed in with snows in the fall and in the spring. I also did not have over 800 decoys, only socks and about 300 socks and many of them were home made.

Ive never seen them mix---the Canada are always separated in my experience. Yeah, not much around Alberta for snows--headed to Sask in about a month to thin them out

YegFishing · #11 03-15-2019, 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Justfishin73

Ive never seen them mix---the Canada are always separated in my experience. Yeah, not much around Alberta for snows--headed to Sask in about a month to thin them out

I have many times near Villeneuve, Provost, Onoway, Oyen, Hannah and even Tofield area.

It is true though that there are huge numbers in Sask, but slowly they are moving west it seems. I have seen snow geese landing on Wabamun which is fairly west.

BuckCuller · #12 03-16-2019, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Justfishin73

Ive never seen them mix---the Canada are always separated in my experience. Yeah, not much around Alberta for snows--headed to Sask in about a month to thin them out

I find the lessers are more likely to mix with the snows and specs and the greater’s want nothing to do with them.

CalgaryNovice · #13 03-15-2019, 08:20 PM

We will definitely head east from Calgary. I am not sure how this cold weather has impacted migration. I am hoping they will be hungry and bold.

Saeed · #14 01-22-2021, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CalgaryNovice

Hey guys,

I am looking to arrange a snow goose trip around the Calgary area. As a novice snow geese hunter I am hoping to get a group together to pool decoys. If you are interested drop me a line.

Hi
I am interested to join the group for snow geese hunting.