While snow and ice hug the Great Lakes Region, warmer air sliding north along the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains has light geese on the move in the western part of the Central Flyway.
Hello folks, and as always, welcome to Waterfowler.com.
While the past two weeks have been a two-step-forward-one-step back migration pattern for light geese, warming temperatures in the western part of the Central Flyway have sparked a major migration of snow geese into Kansas, Nebraska and Colorado.
From the northern most portion of the Texas Panhandle to Colorado, light goose action is heating up and hunters hoping to reap the harvest this year should plan on heading to the field in the next few days. With snowfall predicted again this weekend, geese are expected to retreat with the storm if the snow accumulation is significant.
In Kansas, goose numbers are on the rise from Hays to Topeka, with significant increases in Glen Elder and Lovewell in Region 1, and the CHEYENNE BOTTOMS in Region 3.
In the Mississippi Flyway, snow continues to cover most of the northern portion of the flyway. Weekend rains are expected to melt a significant amount of the cover in Iowa and Illinois; however, new snow could arrive early again next week. Light goose numbers in Southern Illinois remain high, but hunter success is low due to extended hunting pressure.
Snow goose numbers are on the rise in Missouri. As of February 27th, over 200,000 light geese were counted in Grand Pass. On February 24th, 12,000 light geese were counted at Squaw Creek and the number of light geese in the area has increased significantly since the last count.
Hunters participating in the Spring Conservation Action are reminded that these birds are driven by a primal urge to return to the breeding grounds as quickly as weather allows. The phrase “here today, gone tomorrow” barely describes how quickly a northern migration event can occur.
That said, the extended opportunity provided by ongoing winter weather could disappear very soon, so be sure to get while the gettin’ is good!
Until our next report, make plans to spend some time for the great outdoors!
