It’s winter, it’s boring…..let’s share tips and tricks for hunting the wild SOB’s in the spring. Newbies or seasoned expert, we all do it a little different and can learn from each other. 
#1….always bring enough bullets!
#2….SCOUT and move.
#3….Learn to read and play the weather.
#4….Don’t get antsy and waste vacation days too early in the season. The hunting is always better later in the migration.
#5….If the flyers aren’t working, ditch em!
#6 If you think you have #1 covered buy one more case.
Flock a cow silhouette, put a coyote choke tube in and get some heavy shot, outta get ya close and put the 
down!!!
Mark
Im a greeeen horn when it comes to snows. I certainly dont have the mass of decoys it takes to get them to come in. so Im either pass shooting or trying something else. So no B.S. does the cow thing really work? or are those days long gone.
#7…..don’t waste your time with a cow board 
Honestly, we had one for 3 years, tried it maybe 7-10 times……and got it to work once (scratched two snows out of a small mixed flock of specks/snows). That one time was funny as hell though. The birds just kept feeding, and we walked right up to them laughing our 
off.
We put the cow to rest spring of 04?…..but have seen a few situations that it probably would have worked since (birds mixed in with cows). Although I’m not sure I would have the guts to ask a farmer to hunt the geese right out of the middle of his herd.
#8……SD/ND AAA tourism book helps with finding motels on the fly.
#9……insulated knee high rubber boots!
#10….ALL our blinds are X-landers. We hunted with a couple guys from ND one year that had even cut their Xlander frames in half……GET LOW AND GET CAMOED!
#11….Back pillows in the layup blind are amazing!
Traveling 300 miles a day isn’t uncommon to find the right flock/spot to hunt.
Granola bar and MRE’s are your friends.
Double check and test your Electronic calls, speakers and batteries. Have a variety of calls loaded as well. Nothing can end a hunt quicker than a dead battery, the wrong call or bad speakers.
Don’t be lazy, charge your back up batteries and make sure you have a back up e-caller that works!!!
5 guns can pull down singles at a surprising distance.
If it’s -20deg when you wake up, go back to bed….oh wait that was this morning…..is it March yet? 
Quote:
#7…..don’t waste your time with a cow board
Honestly, we had one for 3 years, tried it maybe 7-10 times……and got it to work once (scratched two snows out of a small mixed flock of specks/snows). That one time was funny as hell though. The birds just kept feeding, and we walked right up to them laughing our
We put the cow to rest spring of 04?…..but have seen a few situations that it probably would have worked since (birds mixed in with cows). Although I’m not sure I would have the guts to ask a farmer to hunt the geese right out of the middle of his herd.
Jake:
I am glad you gave it some kind of blessing!!! As you mentioned, it is one of the hunts to film for its hilarity. My brother and his crew has used the cow the last three years in NoDak, though last year was kind of a bust after the big cyclone, the year before provided some interesting hunts for the camera.
The nice thing is that the birds are likely to leave you get close as they do feed in fields that have cattle in them, so do not feel real threatened by the cow. On the camera, before the cow was flocked it was like looking at a mirror on the camera.
Mark
It’s COMING!!!!!!!!! 
300 Rags tied and ready to go last night. one more night and we will have a spread of 1,700. 
I just realized I have to set out about 1/3 of those, and then be responsible for moving 1/3 of them when we need to.
I had 50 degs on my truck thermometer yesterday…….Ice fishing poles are going away…..It’s beginning to feel a lot like March!
I put the ice gear away yesterday myself. packed up the clothes. Making and freezing meals this week. Lets go weather man!!!!!
Just bought another case of Kent 3″ BB’s from Rogers……..smells a lot like spring out there! 
thanks Jake I have been trying to remember that site all day! I was going to do the same thing tonight but I forgot the site, have it bookmarked at work.
I gotta believe the white wonders are headed north as we speak. SD won’t have much snow left by the end of the week. Highs in the upper 40’s the next 3 days.
Just read reports of the 1st birds starting to make thier way through MO. yesterday, and a few way out in the lead in NE. It’s almost go time.
#12 In ND, guns in the front seat, uncased, at all times with 2 shells in the clip. You can jam the third one in before they get up.
(This is for birds in an unposted field within range of the road, or for low flying birds crossing the road).
Some year I gotta make it out there in the spring.!!
#13 ND is a waste of time… the birds just blast through.
Talked to my dad last night. He was in the Tulare area. He said from Aberdeen to Tulare, the state is just lousy with snows and blues. He said west of Tulare there was a flock a couple miles long he figured.
With the new snow in the Aberdeen area, it might slow down the birds a bit in SD and allow some great hunting!! 
I think it’d be safe to say that 90% of the central flyways population of snow geese are in between I-90 and HWY 212 right now…..frickin incredible.
We did ok last weekend…..heading out tomorrow for round two!
Got a new fancy camera this year….sneek peak. The birds have been working close! We’ve never had to worry about shooting the dog while snow goose hunting before. Good problem to have
Great stuff Jake!! I love to the speckles!!! I really need one for the wall. Too bad I can’t seem to find them come fall. 
Good luck this weekend.
I think one could argue, this is your Super Bowl Jake. Enjoy, I’m jealous once again. 
jake I think that photo with the snow right above your deeks is about to put my out some serious cash.
Simply awesome pics Jake!
Awesome pics Jake
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