Back in the day, snow goose hunting was actually restricted in the interest of conservation to protect the species. However, by the late 1990’s the roles were reversed and there is now a conservation order with the opposite goal in mind, ethically managing and reducing the population. The number of snow geese has more than tripled since the 1990s, and they are destroying their own habitat and breeding grounds. On top of that, snow geese treat farm land like an all you can eat buffet. They can clear a 5-10 acre field in no time. As you can imagine this has a drastic impact on farmers who are in the path of their unintentional destruction. The population of these birds is definitely out of control and us as hunters can contribute while spending time doing what we love, waterfowl hunting!
The spring snow goose migration is an unforgettable event if you witness it during the right time and in the right place! You can see the sky covered with flocks of snow geese for miles and miles. The spring migration is much more condensed than the fall migration. Last spring (2023), it was said that there were over 2 million snow geese and other migratory birds on the Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge. A pretty insane sight to see!
With no plugs, no limit and a liberal conservation season in combination with an overabundance of geese, planning a snow geese hunt during this time of year can quickly turn into a hunting trip of a lifetime! The traditional spring snow goose hunting hotspots are Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, and The Dakotas. The spring season in these states offers liberal rules and regulations that look a little different than standard hunting restrictions during regular seasons. In the fall, you can’t use electronic calls, you’re limited to three shells in a shotgun, and there are daily bag limits. But during the spring conservation order, you can have unlimited shells in your gun, most states don’t have bag limits, you can hunt a half hour after sunset, and you can use electronic calls. Be sure you are looking up the rules and the regulations for the specific state and season you are hunting, they change frequently and every state is different.
We host a few Her Wilderness snow goose hunts every spring! These trips are for women of all experience levels. If this is something you’ve never done before or you are a seasoned veteran, we would love to have you join us on a trip. Snow goose hunting isn’t easy. It takes a lot of time and work to have success. This is why we intentionally pick our guides who have proven success. Not every hunting trip is guaranteed but when you decoy a big flock of those light geese, it makes it all worth it.