FIR ISLAND SNOW GOOSE HUNT FIRST YEAR DRAWING IT

[WASHBCBOOK]

IM LOOKING FOR SOME HELP I DREW THE UNIT 10 B SNOW GOOSE HUNT IN DEC 22,23,24,26,27 HAS ANYBODY HUNTED THIS HUNT ALSO ANY GOOD TIPS ONLY IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HELP THANKS WASHBCBOOK

[Ray]

Get a couple hundred wind sock decoys and try to sit in a ditch or cover within shooting range of the decoys or maybe better... in the decoy spread.

I wonder if the geese will be wise to decoys before then.. A lot of it depends on what the geese want to do. I've seen them wait until people pick up their decoys before landing and I have seen them come right in to them. Either way it is a good hunt.

[Ray]

I should mention that the first big swarm of birds coming from offshore usually happens just after dawn. You'll probably hear them making a lot of noise before they lift off. Be ready before then. Be patient because the birds move around from field to field during the day and even across the water from other areas. So if you don't get any action right away it doesn't necessarily mean you should pack up and go home.

[coyotemadness]

In my experience, it will be feast or famine. Like Ray said, it is late in the season and decoys may or may not work well. Pray for bad weather and that those geese are flying that day. Not much for advice but that seems to be the way they work.
Good Luck

[WDFW-SUX]

So what do you guys do with the Sky carp after you get one?
 

[OltHunter]

im my opinion, large decoys spreads are a waste of time, especially that late, use the minimum to save you time.  now if you could set up about 5000, that might turn some heads, but from what i've found, they are as decoy shy as any bird will be by then.

i had 10D in 2006, and 6A last year.  10d we had in nov and 6a in january last year.  i think the program is great, but the hunting is hit or miss.  it all depends where they decide to land to feed that particular day and will stear clear of decoys.  when i was in 10d, luckily the flock decided to land in the middle of the 10's.  all out of range of the four groups of decoys/hunting groups.  an eagle flew down and the entire flock flew about 30 yards in front of us, and circled everyone in range.  you might get lucky and get a lone juvenile to decoy, but as for the flocks, they will fly about 100 yards high, and fly inbetween the decoys.  if you get a bunch of wind though, they will fly low and scattered which is the best time to be on the ground.

last year, my buddy shot at one and killed it, we only went once.  on the hunt fields it basically a wait and see if they are gonna land somewhere near your field and see if you can get any to circle close enough in range, it seems like one field a day will just slaughter them, while the others don't even shoot

in january our field was basically a mud pit, found where the geese were landing and i think around that late in the year, any landowner will want them gone, and we asked for permission, got it, walked down in a ditch, poped up, and shot our two limits in about 10 minutes.  the way to go if you ask me  

[Ray]

I have seen them avoid large decoy spreads later in the year. Meaning in mid December and later in the season.

Earlier in the year we sat next to a field which was spread with about 500 decoys. Right after dawn they came straight into that spread and those guys limited right away.

Later in the year on another spot north of the island the birds would circle for about an hour looking for a good spot to land. As soon as the other fellows picked up their decoys and vacated the field the birds trickled in and we got our birds.

It really can be hit and miss and it can really depend on what the birds want to do. However once the birds are decoy aware then just leave them at home.

[BIGBULLBALLS]

As a local this quality hunt program is a joke.  Before the QH program the birds decoyed great all year long.  Now that the geese get to see 8-10 decoy spreads every day of the hunting season ( and two decoy spreads that are never taken down) they are decoy shy as all hell.  We were the first in the valley to use the moster spread (1300 decoys) and it worked great.  The first year of the QH program our spread worked up until the end of November.  Last year we never even setup the spread because it was quite obivious decoys no longer work on this flock of birds.  My advice to a QH hunter, put out 2 decoys in your field so you are legal, get as far away from them as possible and pass shoot the birds as they bounce from field to field.  Just my thoughts

[WASHBCBOOK]

hey thanks for all the ideas any more please write this will be a whole lot of fun or a whole lot of nothing
anyways thanks to all washbcbook

[Jekemi]

I got a green 4 X 8 inch, written authorization to hunt Snow Geese in Island, Skagit, Snohomish counties. Area 1 snow goose season. Is this the same thing you got or is it something different. I'm looking for someone to hunt Snow Geese with. I'll get some snow geese decoys but not a couple of hundred. Perhaps someone would like to participate in the hunt.

Dave

[Ray]

Dave I can lend decoys (I have about 200) and might even join up with you. Timing always dictates.

[WDFW-SUX]

Seriously, How are they as table fare?

[Ray]

Pretty good. I believe it's what we had last Christmas for dinner at home.

[GEARHEAD]

i got drawn for a quality(?) hunt too, Wash.  the area i was drawn for is 17-C, in early November. i have been googling and searching wdfw, for the exact area this is, with no luck so far. anybody hunt 17-C or are familiar with it, or maybe can make me aware of a resource to research it?

[Jekemi]

Ray (huntwa). That would be great. I'd really enjoy hunting some snow geese with someone who knows what they are doing. Let me know when you are available, I can make myself available anytime.