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A yellow Lab makes a muddy retrieve during a spring light goose hunt. The light goose conservation order season, which is a federal order issued annually for a spring hunt to control an overabundance of these geese, opened in mid-February and closes May 5. (Courtesy Photo by John Pollmann / March 15, 2013) |
White birds will be here soon, and no one could be happier than Mark Grovijahn, a veteran snow-goose aficionado.
“I always enjoy the challenge of patterning snow geese, trying to outsmart them,” said Grovijahn, who is also a Game, Fish and Parks resource biologist in Watertown. “When you can outsmart them, it makes you feel good as a hunter. They are a pretty smart bird, as they are shot at almost nine months out of the year during their migrations. I also feel obliged to do my part to help cut the population down.”
South Dakota’s Spring Conservation Order, commonly known as a spring light goose hunt, is open now. The goal of the hunt is to help reduce populations to conserve Arctic habitat. The order started the spring of 1999, targeting adult snow geese. Unfortunately, mostly juveniles are harvested.
“There is an indication adult survivors are increasing,” said Rocco Murrano, GFP senior waterfowl biologist. “Because of our hunting seasons, they started to decline, but it has not turned around yet. There is lots of unused Arctic for them to feed on. Geese move around up there as they eat and move again. With more corn on their migration now, there is a higher survival rate and they are higher conditioned. We don’t know the rate of increase to decrease, but it is leveling off. There is such a huge number of geese, it’s hard to tell.”
Grovijahn plays his part in the spring hunt, although it’s somewhat more difficult than the fall hunt.
“They are more predictable in the fall,” he said. “In the spring, there are more people hunting making more pressure, since it’s the only game in town.”
Grovijahn has tips for snow goose hunters and said although scouting and obtaining permission are important, camouflage is the most important thing to spend time on.
“Geese are very wary,” he said. “They have seen many decoy spreads, and there are many eyes up there."
He advises to blend in so geese absolutely can’t see a hunter.
He believes lying on the ground, with plastic underneath, is easier, faster and better than a layout blind. For cover, he uses raffia grass intermingled with plastic camo mesh that’s spray painted to further blend in with the surroundings. He uses a face mask or face paint and leaves a small opening in the grass over his face so he can see. He sets decoys right up against him.
Grovijahn sets out 400 Sillosocks decoys, resembling small wind socks, when field hunting.
“Geese have seen everything,” he said. “Come up with something they haven’t seen. Play the wind, and set the bulk of decoys on the upwind side, where there is always movement and birds are tightly packed.”
He uses 15 flyer decoys for motion on the upwind side and incoming geese key in on the flyers. He recommends placing two-thirds of the decoys upwind and one-third downwind and for hunters to lie right in the thickest part of the decoys by the flyers, right in front.
Grovijahn especially likes to hunt in pasture ponds with open water where floating decoys can be incorporated.
“This is the most effective way to hunt them for day-in and day-out hunting,” he said.
He uses 100 floater decoys and sets them with an open spot to shoot. This works best in late afternoon on a good migration day when birds are looking for a place to land for the night. They look for movement and can see the floating decoys moving in the water.
“You will have a good waterfowl show with geese, ducks and other birds,” he said.
Grovijahn started hunting with a tape player to call birds in, then graduated to a digital MP3 player with speakers and now uses only a mouth call. He shoots a 12-gauge shotgun with 3-inch steel No. 1s. He also shoots Hevishot No. 4s.
Some hunters don’t like the taste of snow goose, but Grovijahn prefers them to Canada geese as table fare.
“Snow goose texture is more tender than Canada goose,” he said. “The key is to not overcook the meat.”
A Korean recipe for the grill is Grovijahn’s favorite. He also makes jerky, fajitas and burritos.
Hunters anxiously waiting for the snows to show up shouldn’t have long to wait. Snow geese naturally stay behind snow cover and it’s interesting how they check for snow.
“They fly around, check snow and fly back,” Grovijahn said. “They can see snowpack just as we can from an airplane.”
Spring snow goose hunters are encouraged to check out this year’s snow goose regulations online at gfp.sd.gov. There is no daily or possession limit in 2013. The Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge migration hotline will be activated when geese arrive in South Dakota. Hunters can call in daily to check updated accounts on the migration at 605-885-6401.
