2006 Spring Snow Goose Extravaganza

Just got back last night from 7 days in South Dakota on our now annual spring snow goose hunting trip……and it was a memorable one, for more ways than one!!! Just how many adventures can you squeez into 7 days?……..well, more then we bargined for ….

The trip started out at 4am monday morning…….we awake to find ourselves in the middle of one of the biggest snow storms of the year, but we’re so pumped up nothing’s going to stop us from heading out ………..NEVER have I seen road conditions like that…..the 2 1/2hr trip from Mankato to Sioux Falls ended up taking 6 1/2hrs!!!

and although we did not go in the ditch, we did help pull a fellow traveler out ……..call us stupid for not waiting until the storm cleared, but……well, yeah…..I guess you can just call us stupid

Here’s a pic of my buddy scrapin off the windsheild in the middle of the interstate….

not everyone made it through the storm…..

not everyone made it through the storm…..

but we did make it……and it didn’t take long to find geese!!!!

In fact, the geese were EVERYWHERE!!! Incrediable numbers as soon as we got through Sioux Falls…..I can honestly say I saw more geese on this trip than any of the previous years……it was awesome!!!

and so the sneaking started…..being the middle of the week, there was very little pressure on the geese, and we had plenty of success.

but we did make it……and it didn’t take long to find geese!!!!

In fact, the geese were EVERYWHERE!!! Incrediable numbers as soon as we got through Sioux Falls…..I can honestly say I saw more geese on this trip than any of the previous years……it was awesome!!!

and so the sneaking started…..being the middle of the week, there was very little pressure on the geese, and we had plenty of success.

Tuesday night ended on a high note……a little Bling Bling for Jake

Tuesday night ended on a high note……a little Bling Bling for Jake

By Thursday morning we had 51 dead geese……but the trip was about to take a sudden turn for the worse

at about 9:30am, my explorer (that I had just purchased 4 months ago) started running a bit rough…..by 10am the check engine light came on and started blinking at me continuously……by 10:30 the explorer was clearly VERY sick

We limped the vehicle 10miles to Madison, where we got the bad news…….diagnosis= 3 completely dead cyliders……most likely the drive belt?…..unfixable…….in need of a completely new engine ……we weren’t driving my baby ANYWHERE .

That turned the trip south in a hurry….and after a couple hours of phone calls, we made the decsion to have my buddy come out and tow her back to Rochester.

But we still had to get that last pile shot

By Thursday morning we had 51 dead geese……but the trip was about to take a sudden turn for the worse

at about 9:30am, my explorer (that I had just purchased 4 months ago) started running a bit rough…..by 10am the check engine light came on and started blinking at me continuously……by 10:30 the explorer was clearly VERY sick

We limped the vehicle 10miles to Madison, where we got the bad news…….diagnosis= 3 completely dead cyliders……most likely the drive belt?…..unfixable…….in need of a completely new engine ……we weren’t driving my baby ANYWHERE .

That turned the trip south in a hurry….and after a couple hours of phone calls, we made the decsion to have my buddy come out and tow her back to Rochester.

But we still had to get that last pile shot

But I still had 3 more days of goose huntin left….and I wan’t about to let “a little car trouble” interfere

I met up with a couple other good buddies Thursday night and we were set for the decoying part of the trip……I had found a nice big corn field covered with sheet water that had been loaded with geese (by the thousands) the last week…..so we set up the 700 northwinds late thursday night (yeah, it was a long day) and had high expectations for the morning.

Unfortunately, friday brought the first windless day I’ve ever experinced in South Dakota …..hard to work birds close with limp socks…….

we had thousands upon thousands upon thousands fly over and work down to that 100yd mark, but got very few to get closer……we were able to scratch 10 by taking some longer shots.

But I still had 3 more days of goose huntin left….and I wan’t about to let “a little car trouble” interfere

I met up with a couple other good buddies Thursday night and we were set for the decoying part of the trip……I had found a nice big corn field covered with sheet water that had been loaded with geese (by the thousands) the last week…..so we set up the 700 northwinds late thursday night (yeah, it was a long day) and had high expectations for the morning.

Unfortunately, friday brought the first windless day I’ve ever experinced in South Dakota …..hard to work birds close with limp socks…….

we had thousands upon thousands upon thousands fly over and work down to that 100yd mark, but got very few to get closer……we were able to scratch 10 by taking some longer shots.

LOOKS LIKE THE HUNTING WAS GREAT, TO BAD ABOUT THE TRUCK. BANDS ARE GOOD

LOOKS LIKE THE HUNTING WAS GREAT, TO BAD ABOUT THE TRUCK. BANDS ARE GOOD

the specks and ducks sure wanted in though!!!! It was just an incrediable spectacle all day long

the specks and ducks sure wanted in though!!!! It was just an incrediable spectacle all day long

Saturday brought wind and clouds, but the birds were still being difficult, working about the same……ended Sunday with 11…..mostly juvies and rossies

Here’s the two days take

Saturday brought wind and clouds, but the birds were still being difficult, working about the same……ended Sunday with 11…..mostly juvies and rossies

Here’s the two days take

we finished out the trip Sunday with 5 more in the dekes by 10am…..then picked up the dekes and headed home……..found a sneak that was to good to pass up just north of Sioux Falls and ended up whacking a few more.

Ended the trip with 80 birds total (54 sneaking/pass shooting and 26 over the dekes) for about 5 days of actual hunting.

Despite the $2000 loan I’m gonna have to take out to fix my truck, it sure was an awesome trip!!! shot plenty of birds….burned through more than enough shells…….and made memories that will last a life time

and for all of you who think “it’s all about the sunrise’s” …..here’s one of the best I’ve ever taken

we finished out the trip Sunday with 5 more in the dekes by 10am…..then picked up the dekes and headed home……..found a sneak that was to good to pass up just north of Sioux Falls and ended up whacking a few more.

Ended the trip with 80 birds total (54 sneaking/pass shooting and 26 over the dekes) for about 5 days of actual hunting.

Despite the $2000 loan I’m gonna have to take out to fix my truck, it sure was an awesome trip!!! shot plenty of birds….burned through more than enough shells…….and made memories that will last a life time

and for all of you who think “it’s all about the sunrise’s” …..here’s one of the best I’ve ever taken

way to go jake, looks pretty fun

way to go jake, looks pretty fun

Awesome report Jake,sure looks fun.
Ryan Hale

Awesome report Jake,sure looks fun.
Ryan Hale

I traveled through eastern SD to central part of the state this weekend. I was thinking about you Jake. Actually, I thought I better send you a PM to let you know the geese are definitely around. I can’t tell you how many thousands I saw.

Always amazing how the mallards and specles will decoy this time of year isn’t it?? Oh, and for the love of pintails!! HOLY COW were they thick.

I traveled through eastern SD to central part of the state this weekend. I was thinking about you Jake. Actually, I thought I better send you a PM to let you know the geese are definitely around. I can’t tell you how many thousands I saw.

Always amazing how the mallards and specles will decoy this time of year isn’t it?? Oh, and for the love of pintails!! HOLY COW were they thick.

Your right Kootster…..my GAWD the pintails . Where are they in the fall?

Your right Kootster…..my GAWD the pintails . Where are they in the fall?

and what really makes it all worth it……Garlic and olive-oil parmeseana noodles and goose…..MMMMMM……delicious

and what really makes it all worth it……Garlic and olive-oil parmeseana noodles and goose…..MMMMMM……delicious

Jake. That was a great report and awesome pictures. Looks like you guys had a great time!!