Spring rains across the upper Midwest and northern Plaines have made for some very tough hunting conditions over the past week. The good news is, the light goose migration is in full force from the southern Dakotas into the southern provinces of Canada, and the gunning has been stellar for those who have toughed it out.
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As spring gets into full swing, the first glimpses of the nesting season are starting to take shape. Overall, the picture for North American Waterfowl, where nesting habitat is concerned, looks promising. Current precipitation models indicate that as of April 1st we are entering the breeding season with the best water conditions the nesting ground, on the US side of the border, has seen since 1999.
It is still way too early to make a prediction, but it never hurts to start the breeding season off with an improved moisture base. From South Dakota through the Prairie Pothole Region into Montana and portions of Canada; the table is set for a strong nesting effort, at least for now.
And now, on to the Light Goose Migration Report.
All that spring moisture, while great for breeding waterfowl, is making things tough for waterfowlers. As the Conservation Order continues light goose numbers are rising dramatically from eastern South Dakota, all the way to, and slightly across, the Canadian border.
The light goose migration is in full swing, but getting the gear, which is needed to hunt them, into the fields, is becoming more and more difficult. Heavy rains and melting snow along the migration path are making the April portion of this year’s conservation order a sort of hunter’s extreme sport meets endurance race.
Warm weather has the birds pushing north rapidly, and the die-hard snow goose hunters are having to travel, sometimes every day, to stay with the bulk of the birds. And everywhere along the path, the story is one of wet fields, muddy gear and aching backs. But the reward is there for the hunters who have managed to keep pace with the white wave. From Watertown South Dakota to the Canadian border, this has been a banner year for light goose gunning, and it isn’t over yet.
Storms rolling across the Central Plaines are likely to push the rear guard of the snow goose migration further north this week. As that happens, the main push of geese will most likely be well within the North Dakota borders.
The leading edge of the migration, traditionally the older, wiser geese, should be well into the southern third of Manitoba and Saskatchewan by the early part of next week.
As more birds move into Canada, more reports should start to flow in, making it easier to pin point the hotspots of the migration.
Stay tuned to Waterfowler.com as the Light Goose Migration pushes on, we’ll be keeping an eye on them until the final bell of the 2006 Conservation Order.
