Top_Heavy's World

I have been on the theme of "Other Than Deer" or "After Deer Season is Over", so I have been thinking about the Spring Snow Goose hunting that will soon be upon us. I traditionally hunt in the SW part of the state, closer to the Missouri River Basin. I shoot some in the Central and Eastern parts of the state, but the Western 1/3 has more birds. That obviously equates to more flocks, more juvenile birds, more consistent hunting, and better overall odds of harvesting snows.
Large decoy spreads tend to have more consistent results for me. I like big oblong or oval shape spreads, as opposed to J hooks or actual circles. The shape of the spread makes it look like a big flock as it moves across a field. The geese spread out, width wise, and constantly jockey for fresh areas. No geese want to walk behind the main flock, that has already picked the ground clean. New geese will fly into the spread, usually not flying right over it, but slightly to one side or the other. The birds tend to land in the upper areas of the spread, where the eating will be easiest.
The fields that I shot fall geese in, tend to produce the most spring geese as well. It sort of seems like they follow the same path North that they used to go South. I always start my scouting in these areas and work out from there. Your scouting must be daily, these geese often move long distances in a few days, and they can actually bypass an entire area if the weather is right. Last year the geese were in my normal hunting areas for less than a week, with only 2 super days!
Perfect camouflage is very important when huge flocks of hard hunted birds are closing in. Todays layout blinds are fantastic, but little details make a huge difference. Dirty or mud new blinds to soften the camo prints of the fabric. Fake or "fast grass" is good but be sure to use local material as well for proper coloring. Faces, guns, spent shell, anything that might shine, must be cleaned up constantly. Speakers for the electronic callers must be kept hidden and dead birds that are bloody should be set under decoys. This type of attention will help on the tough days most, but every additional bird is a big deal.
Electronic callers are legal here as a means to attract the birds. They have proven over and over to be the second most important factor when hunting snows. Location, as figured is always #1, but calling with a bad caller will kill a hunt and a really good caller will pull birds into a field they other wise wouldn't have visited. Great callers, clear sounding speakers and realistic sounds can make even a poorly placed, small set up, a true killer. We have gone to CD's over tapes, the battery life is longer and the sound quality is fantastic. Don't buy cheap speakers, they make a huge difference.

Being in the field more often, enjoying the great outdoors, is the goal, harvesting anything is just a bonus. I hope this helps get you interested, or helps you think of something in your spread that you have missed in the past. Good luck this spring, and for goodness sake, get off your butt and get out there!