I've been seeing a lot of high flying flocks but not more than 100 geese in a flock. I had a farmer call me asking for help because the snow geese are destroying all his work and eating corn out of his big bin... He wants them outta there. But I don't wanna setup 500 decoys and pay for a babysitter if the snow geese numbers are low. Has anybody else started to see them in the area as of recent? Not looking for an exact location but looking to see if they are In north jersey. Would it be worth giving it a shot or should I wait a little longer for greater numbers of birds so I don't mess up the hunting spot? I've never had the chance at a real snow goose hunt. The farmer spread manure the other day so I hope that attracts them too. I'm new at it and would appreciate some advice so I don't screw up.. Thanks
Snow geese In the warren county area.
peteyk
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we went out for them on Saturday. unfortuantley the adjacent fields snow melted and they weren't buying our decoys. we saw thousands of them. at one point we barely could see the blue skies above us. too bad the geese were 600 feet up and landing 500 yards away. it was an amazing sight and well worth the 13hr sit regardless that I didn't have the chance to make the 10 gauge bark. the tornados they were forming to land was incredible.. at one point we could see four huge funnels. it was amazing.. I wish I had a real camera to take some pictures to share. it was a great learning experience that I will never forget. now I know 500 decoys wont cut it for that many birds in the sky. Next year our crew will go back with at least 1500 decoys setup..i know merril creek holds a lot of snow geese but wow....
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1500 isn't enough either. Everyone around here watches snow goose hunts on tv and sees tons of birds getting killed in the decoys. That shit rarely happens here in the fields on the east coast. These suckers are a totally different animal.
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You guys ought to post gps coordinates too! Doesn't anyone ever think that some guys already have permission and hunt these areas? I'm getting tired of burning fuel and time waiting all year for a spot to set up to have road whores ride up and flock shoot from the street! Please stop posting locations! It took me years and years of knocking on doors and getting to know land owners the hard way to acquire the properties to hunt. There's NOTHING like setting 3 + hours worth of decoys up in the mud in the dark to have some assholes hide in the hedge row and sky bust the incoming flock (they were trespassing and ran). Or the road hunters who feel they need to save the tundra by flockshooting birds off fields that they don't have permission on. yes! It does happen all the time!
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I was looking up guided snow goose hunts and watched videos with 5000 decoys setup up... That is out of the question for me..but I'm sure it's needed
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It's not just the amount of decoys...out in the Midwest and west the wind blows almost every day this time of year. Here..we get a fart for a breeze when it's go time. Plus the amount of pressure these east coast flocks get. They're pounded on from the time they cross the northern US border on the way south until they get back over it in the spring. There aren't as many places here in this flyway for them to elude hunters as there are elsewhere. Not enough big farms around here. These birds also have an uncanny way of picking out layout blinds in the spread no matter how you try to hide them.
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Yea some people suck.. That's too ballsy for me.. I know a few other guys hunting the same geese coming from the creek in 4 different counties so that's a lot of guess work...I didn't say i was hunting in warren county, that's just where I live..i was just starting from home base.. I was no where near home.. I wish you luck with the trespassers.. I hope you would contact a CO as would I.
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Yea I could imagine how much pressure they get... They cover a lot of ground... It's really cool..some of guys I hunted with had a few neck bands/collars from far far away... I wish somebody introduced me to hunting waterfowl a long time ago..its addicting...I'm gunna put what hunting time I have into waterfowl so I can get good enough at it to take my kids when they are ready...the more I learn the better..the guys who reintroduced me to hunting, hunted waterfowl long ago when i was probably in diapers...lol.. they taught me well with hunting just about every other game in new jersey..a new neighbor moved in down the street from me a few years ago and what do you know? He is a great neighbor and was a water fowl guide for an outfitter in Minnesota and North Dakota. And now we are all hooked.. I would never risk getting in trouble over hunting, I have a family and a life to maintain, it's crazy how some people just risk it and trespass... I tend to follow the rules...I love hunting but...I'd rather not have a place to hunt and suck it up till I do lol..I didn't mean to possibly spot burn..just trying to get the hang of things.. I appreciate all the Advice I can get..
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Here you go.
What difference does it make who has permission to hunt anywhere? You are never going to stop the road hunters in any season. All one needs to do, if they are ignorant enough to waste gas looking to find birds, is drive around the huge expanse of real estate. Get a license plate and report the screwballs trespassing and messing up your hunts the next time.
No truer words have ever been spoken. Particularly this year! It's been the least windy year ever. Even when they are forecasting wind it doesn't even start to blow until 10:30+ after the birds are done flying.
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