fir island snow geese

[D-Rock425]

I was on the game departments website today and filled out the stuff to shoot snow geese but i'm still not sure how it works or how the drawing hunts on fir island work can anyone help.

[Fishnclifff]

There is a section in the waterfowl reg book with details.
Random drawing.

[h2ofowlr]

Are they still doing the quality hunt this year??  I heard it was in question at the tail end of last season.

[The Weazle]

They are doing the drawing, but from what I understand, is its saturdays only guaranteed from the drawing, all other days are first come first serve...not sure about it, but that is what I have heard.   

[h2ofowlr]

Watched a lot of guys take the week off last year to hunt there quality snow goose field and never fire off a round.  Everyday is different.  Good luck on the draws.

[BIGBULLBALLS]

WDFW ruined hunting snow geese over decoys on fir island.  Before the QH program with a big spread of decoys you could shoot a butt load of geese.  The group I hunt with has 1400 decoys and we havent set them up for 2 years.  We just pass shoot when they jump fields.  A perminant flock of geese can't be decoy hunted 7 days a week or the get shy real, real quick. I still kill 50+ a year but not the way I like to shoot them, over the decoys.

[h2ofowlr]

I noticed the same thing.  I have about 1000 Texas Rags.  We used to do very good on the snows decoying them.  The WDFW has definately hurt the decoying of Snows in the area as these birds can live up to 25 years and are very smart.  With almost no juveniles last year it was a past shoot game on normal days.  If the juveniles are up this year, we should get some decent action, but the mature birds will still flare away.  Having that been said, if they conditions are right and your set up in the field they left from the prior day, you will get shooting.
I picked up full body snow goose decoys for this year and going to try the smaller spreads.

[Snowgoose1]

I totally agree with how the decoy thing has been. With the quality hunting the decoy hunting has really gone down. I know every once in a while you get lucky with decoying, but for the most part it has really changed. I also would use large spreards and get a lot of decoy action with Snows in the years past. I now only get some decoying early or when they are stressed. Last year with the snow after it began to thaw is the only time I got birds to decoy. I do have to admit it was the smaller spread last year that got us birds, otherwise I could only get birds pass shooting between fields or when I got to jump a few. My understanding for the quality hunt this year is Sat only on the draw and otherwise all fields are open mostly every day. This will allow people to keep the birds moving if they sit on quality fields. The problem in the past was when people didn't show up to their fields and then nobody could hunt it. I guess my question would be, do we still have to use decoys on quality fields? If we do and the birds are not decoying I just turn two upside down on the property corner and walk in. When the birds don't want decoys they really shy away from them. I would think the Game Department would know that and make a change they are out there eough..

[Snowman]

Yeah you have to atleast have one decoy out. You now pick up ur card at the dealer where u get your lic. no more sending in for them. Got the ann. card last month saying that. An if the game dept. has there way they will shut fir island down. to many people ruining it for every one. most of the land is leased up by hunt clubs. Sgt. Bill will be on the war path this year< he's tired of dealing with all the idiots that don't follow the rules!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Snowgoose1]

Just thought I would let people know.  Today at 1pm I was able to glass about 500 snows out in Port Susan.  I don't know how long they have been here, but wanted to let you know.  As far as I could see most were all white birds.  Most likely the California birds.  It sure helps to at least hear and see them.  I hope there are more young ones this year.

[npaull]

The snows can still be hunted to the west of the farm fields (out closer to the salt) without any special application (just the authorization), right?

Last year I didn't get the authorization and had geese flying so low on a windy day that I could have grabbed them with a landing net, literally... painful.

[BIGBULLBALLS]

They came in Saturday morning, or at least some of them.  A friend saw them while scouting deer

[h2ofowlr]

I saw several high flocks passing over the east side of Fidalgo Island today, so they are starting to arrive.  A little bit earlier this season.  Also saw a larger flock in Skagit Bay today.

[h2ofowlr]

The snows can still be hunted to the west of the farm fields (out closer to the salt) without any special application (just the authorization), right?

Last year I didn't get the authorization and had geese flying so low on a windy day that I could have grabbed them with a landing net, literally... painful.

You can hunt the snow at any of the public WDFW sites.  The quality hunts are on private properties, so you will have to follow the WDFW guidelines once published.  Unfortunately these fields will probably be hunted hard, so the weekend warriors will experience hit and miss opportunities.

[Snowman]

Yeah just be prepared for guys to walk in an out in front of ya when your sitting on the dike or the boats. Oh yeah not to mention all the guys who shoot when they are 90 yards up cause they got 10ga. or  using 3.5" dead coyote shells. My favorite is when the guys shoot at the front line of 3,000 birds an they all just turn away an don't forget the guy who sends his dog out after your bird. And if you have kids there is those guys who just don't care and will do anything to make sure your kid is left wondering why this guy walked and started shooting at the high birds. Or the that your kid might get shot standing in the parking which is suppose to be the safety area. So all in all this ain't snow goose hunting a freaking war zone. There really is no public land just some dike areas and a release site that is now half the size it used to be and about 200 hunters roaming around chasing birds. I've spent my fair share of time up there and for the amount of stress it causes it is not worth it.