[nodakoutdoors.com]

Looks like it's just starting to get underway! Even though we won't see them for what'll seem forever...it's fun trying to figure out their every move.

I'd say S. Nebraska and N. Missouri will get some decent flights this weekend. Either way, the wild goose chase is starting...yeehaw!

 

[Perry Thorvig]

Migawd, they're coming already? That would be really early to get to Nebraska. But, it has been warm. I guess I will have to pay a little more attention to some of the other sites and get up to speed on the migration. I really haven't paid much attention the last couple of weeks. I have been working too hard!!

 

[nodakoutdoors.com]

Ya, it's still pretty early, but than again it was nice enough where most birds didn't leave until recently in some parts. It sounds to me from the reports I'm reading that the first scout flights are moving about...now it just depends on the weather.

Where are you headed this spring Perry?

 

[Decoyer]

I just saw on the Nebraska Game and Fish site that snows are being reported in extreme southeast NE. The basins are dry and the Platte River is frozen however.

 

[MNhunter]

Ive heard where dey at is in KS.....

:rock:
Andy

 

[Perry Thorvig]

Yup, I checked some of the other boards and see what you guys are talking about. The first scouts are pushing north. But, this cold snap will probably stop them in their tracks. It looks like the snow line is just north of Tony Toye's spring goose operation in NW Missouri.

I don't have much vacation. So, I don't know exactly what I am going to do yet this spring. I might try to explore some new territory down in Missouri (the licenses are really cheap), hit South Dakota for a weekend, and then maybe get up to North Dakota for a weekend later this spring. I like Nebraska because it is usually pretty dry and it can be nice and warm around March 1. But, it is a long drive down there. Too much for a weekend only. The problem with these weekend trips is I only get to hunt on Sunday and maybe Saturday evening if I am lucky. I'll bet a mid-week trip would really be fun because there would be virtually no one around but the real "hard cores."

By the way, the snow storm we had down here early in the week really did not do much to the Canada geese. I saw a huge flock south of the Twin Cities monday night, heading north.

 

[Swany]

Just got through talking with a friend in Hastings Nebraska. He said the snows were moving through the area. This morning the Lake in town had 3-4000 snows. They received one inch from the last snow storm but expected it to melt off by afternoon. Have the snows moved into South Dakota yet?

 

[nodakoutdoors.com]

I don't think SD will see huntable numbers for weeks. They are seeing the very tip of the migration in NE...going to take awhile for all the birds to catch up.

Thanks for the Nebraska update. It's important to keep an eye as the birds enter/leave the Rainwater Basin. They can make a lot of tracks north after that.

 

[GooseBuster3]

The birds probabaly wont hit SD until the middle of the month, but that all depends on the weather.

 

[Perry Thorvig]

Very interesting report by Swany. I hunted out of Hastings, Nebraska in 1999 and 2000. I know right where those ponds are on the north end of town surrounded by suburban houses. Boy, the birds are there early this year. They may work their way north to the Platte River another 15 miles, but that is probably all the farther they will go for a few weeks. The birds run out of water when they get north of the Platte. Then they have to skip over to South Dakota. At any rate, it sure appears as though the last week of February wouldn't be too soon to hit em in the Rainwater Basin.

 

[nodakoutdoors.com]

I've read reports that there's already a few thousand on the west end of the basin. Boy are they early....but then again....mother nature can take care of that quick.

 

[ducksmacker]

I live in Omaha and have been checking with alot of guys in the basin and south. Quite a few birds didn't even migrate south of nebraska this year.Last week there was a report of about 10,000 snows down at harlan county,and desoto bend had a few thousand until late january.There has been reports of a few "scout" flocks in the extreme southeast part of the state.There is still alot of ice on the lakes around omaha and the platte river is all iced up except for the channel.Still alot of ice on the missouri river,we don't have much snow left on the ground here and probably none a little farther west.I checked with missouri and they haven't seen very many at squaw creek yet,and the lake still had ice on it.
I'm going to missouri in 2 weeks to hunt and the guy I'm going with said that they have had birds all winter.They shot 32 last weekend and said they decoyed pretty well.
I would say that the basin has 2 weeks or so until birds start showing up in good numbers if the weather continues to warm up.
Good luck this season,
Alex