As duck season comes to a close, it’s time for waterfowl hunters to move on to spring snow goose hunting. Soon, millions of snow geese will begin traveling northward, back up to their breeding grounds. A successful hunt might sound easy peasy, and it is pretty straightforward. But snow geese are intelligent animals, so a little preparation will go a long way.
Plus, opportunities to hunt snow geese might be closer than you think. Here’s where to go for the best snow goose hunts, how to prepare, and what to wear.
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Where To Go for the Best Snow Goose Hunts
Snow geese inhabit every flyway in the country, offering avid hunters many opportunities to bring home a prize fowl. Many people think of Arkansas, Texas, Missouri, and the Dakotas when it comes to snow goose hunting, but there are several other states that are often overlooked.
Here are some underrated states for snow goose hunting.
California
According to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, more than 10,000 snow geese were killed by hunters during the 2021-2022 season, making California the most accessible state for snow goose hunting.
Snow geese are found throughout the state, but they’re concentrated in the northern half, where a major portion of the Pacific Flyway’s goose population resides for winter. The rice fields of northern California also provide a significant food source for an abundance of waterfowl. During the fall goose hunting season in California, you might also add a specklebelly goose or two to your strap.
Kansas
Waterfowl hunting opportunities are plentiful in the Sunflower State, evidenced by the amount of outfitters that operate there. If you’re the type of hunter that likes to forge their own path, however, you might find access more difficult here than in other places.
Louisiana
The wetlands of the Mississippi River and the coastal bays of the Gulf of Mexico are highly coveted destinations for snow goose hunting in Louisiana. Two to three million snow geese can be found in the mild climate of Louisiana shores during the blustery cold winter in the northern U.S. and Canada, making this area one of the most densely populated snow goose regions in the country.
Washington
Snow geese can be found across most of Washington, but most are scattered through the rolling fields and river systems east of the Cascades. This area is ideal for the independent hunter, with nearly one million acres of private land enrolled in Washington’s Private Lands Access Program.
New York
According to 2021-2022 season harvest surveys, New York was the top-producing snow goose state in the Atlantic Flyway. Following its normal goose season during the fall, New York holds a snow goose conservation order from mid-January to mid-April, offering hunters ample opportunities to hunt. The Finger Lakes Region, St. Lawrence Valley, Upper Hudson Valley, and Champlain Valley all hold large amounts of snow geese during the spring conservation order season.
How To Plan for Snow Goose Hunting
When choosing an area to hunt, the first step is to collect information about the weather, bird counts, and migration updates. It helps to network and share information with fellow snow goose hunters. Look at historical data and monitor information in real-time to choose the ideal place to hunt.
Next, plan a group hunt. More people means you can travel farther and stay out longer. You can share resources like decoys, an ATV, a trailer, a vehicle, etc.
Snow Goose Decoys
Using decoys is a must when it comes to snow geese hunting. Snow geese are highly intelligent and wary birds, and using these life-sized replicas is the way to lure them in.
There are different types of decoys for different hunting situations. If you’re hunting in a more open area, try using a spread of floater decoys. These are lightweight decoys that move with the wind and attract geese from far away.
If you’re hunting in a smaller space or trying to build a more realistic scene, try using shell decoys. These heavier decoys will stay put even in high winds, which makes them the perfect option if you want to mimic a real flock of geese.
Snow Goose Callers
You’ll also need a caller, a device that emits the sound of geese honking to attract snow geese. If you’re not familiar with using goose callers, you can start with a handheld mouth caller and experiment with different sounds.
For a more advanced option, you can use remote electronic callers, which you can place up to 50 yards away from you. This way, the call comes from the decoy and doesn’t give you away. E-callers come with a wide variety of sounds and volume levels, so you can attract even faraway prey right into shotgun range.
What To Wear While Snow Goose Hunting
As with any hunts in the winter and spring months, reliable cold weather hunting gear is key to a successful snow goose hunt. First, you need to blend into your environment, which varies depending on where you’re hunting. The best clothing for snow goose hunting is a combination of light and dark colors. If you’re hunting in a marshy area, natural colors such as greens, browns, and tans are ideal. In other situations, snow camo or white patterns are best.
Because you’ll be walking through marshy terrain or wet snow, you’ll need waders and waterproof boots and outerwear. Rubber boots are the most popular choice to keep your feet dry and warm. Waders allow you to walk through water and marshes without getting wet. You should choose ones that are breathable with good insulation and offer good mobility.
Your outer layer of jackets and pants should be waterproof and windproof, but also breathable and lightweight. Layering hunting clothes is the best way to stay warm, dry, and comfortable. Each piece should be lightweight and breathable yet insulating.
Here is some recommended gear for snow goose hunting:
Deep Space Base Layer Shirt
Your base layer needs to do two main things: keep you warm and dry. This long sleeve base layer shirt diffuses moisture from sweat to keep you dry and comfortable, and it features Trizar™ technology to keep your core body temperature 2.0F warmer.
AllClima 3L Rain Pants
Pants should keep you warm and dry but allow you to move easily. These rain pants are waterproof, windproof, lightweight, breathable—and quiet.
AllClima 3L Rain Jacket
Outerwear needs to be quiet and lightweight so it’s easy to move around, but it also needs to protect you from harsh winds, rain, and cold temperatures. This waterproof hunting rain jacket checks all those boxes.
ThermoNeutral Down Jacket
This down jacket is an insulating mid-layer that diffuses moisture and regulates your core body temperature so you never have to take it off. The down is treated with Activ-Dri Down™ to reduce water and sweat absorption by over 60%.
AllClima Softshell Beanie
This hunting beanie is the perfect finishing touch to your hunting layering system—it’s warm, waterproof, and comfortable, and it offers advanced scent control to keep you undetectable.
