The 5 Best States to Hunt Spring Snow Geese

I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty broken up about waterfowl seasons being over. Late winter means the days are short and depressing, and just when I’ve missed enough ducks and geese to actually start hitting some, it seems like things are about to close. But it isn’t all lost yet. March is the final gasp for waterfowlers before they need to hang up their waders for the summer—and March is all aboutsnow goose hunting.

A snow goose hunt is a big production. Hunters typically lay out hundreds, if not thousands, of decoys tofool these wary birds. Besides that, snow geese typically concentrate in areas with big ag fields around the country. It’s a good idea to work with an experienced outfitter, and you want to make sure you’re looking in the right place for a snow goose hunt. That’s why we’ve put together a list of the best states to check out. Book a couple of days on a goose field in any of the following places, and you’ll close out your hunting season in style.

Arkansas

I was just in Arkansas this past season to hunt ducks. But one thing I noticed while driving around the rice fields near Stuttgart was thousands of white geese covering the landscape. The snow goose hunting in The Natural State can be out of this world.

The thing about spring snows in Arkansas is that there’s so much food on the ground they tend to spread out. That’s not a bad thing, though, as you can usually get away with using fewer decoys than you would elsewhere. Hunters in Arkansas can also get a jump on snow goose hunting, as spring conservation order seasons usually open in February.

Missouri

Birds descend on Missouri by the millions every year during spring migrations. If you’re looking for a state to experience a full-blown snow goose tornado, Missouri is hard to beat. The difficult thing about hunting here—and in several other states during the spring—is a concentration of older, more educated birds.

Mature birdswill head north again sooner than younger, dumber birds, so plan your hunt around the end of the season. Juveniles are typically more settled and don’t have as much drive to get a head start on establishing themselves at summer breeding grounds. They’re much easier to pattern and more willing to come to decoys. Afternoon feed hunts can be very productive when birds returning north are loading up on calories.

The Dakotas

South Dakota has some of the most red-hot snow goose hunting in the Central Flyway. During the height of the season, the state is alive with activity as birds stage right ahead of the snow line in mid-March. As birds keep heading north, North Dakota starts to heat up, too. The central part of the state is a hub of migration activity for all waterfowl, including snows.

The key to hunting the Dakotas is big spreads and lots of calling. If you’re new to this game, try hiring an outfitter. Also, spring is an unpredictable time of year for weather on the prairie, so pack accordingly and bring plenty of layers.

New York

Compared to snow goose harvest numbers from states in the midwest, New York has a hard time keeping up. But the state is responsible for more than two-thirds of snowgeese taken in the Eastern Flyway. If you live in the East and don’t want to travel all the way out West this spring, give the Empire State a try.

Another thing New York has going for it is broad dates for their conservation order hunts. The spring snow goose season runs from mid-January to mid-April, letting you bag birds well into the early days of spring. While New York may not be the best snow goose hunting spot in the country, it’s certainly the best in the Northeast.

Saskatchewan, Canada

OK, we’re cheating a bit here. As of this writing, Canada is definitely not a U.S. state. But where else can you bag geese up into the month of May? Better yet, Saskatchewan isn’t just a last-ditch effort for waterfowlers looking to extend their season. It’s a destination for both birds and hunters. There, you’ll be able to hunt snows on the final leg of their migration north. If you’ve been looking to hit that bucket list trip to Saskatchewan, late spring might be your time to go.

Once snow geese get that high into the flyway, they’re thinking more about breeding than anything else. Even though birds have seen absolutely everything the lower 48 can throw at them in terms of hunting pressure, they’re very susceptible to decoys this time of year. There are a few regs for bringing waterfowl meat back from Canada—and specific regs for hunting there—so do your research before booking your trip.

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