snow geese
 

Alberta -Snow goose sightings and reports

Still saw them west of Katy, Texas last week.

I saw one today, in a flock of 300 Canadas near High River.

We saw 10-12 white geese west of Ft McLeod on our way to Lethbridge last Friday. In a good size flock of Canadas. Could have been 'locals"

The lakes in Alberta are still frozen over. They won't show up until there open. With the forecast for cold temps this weekend it's not going to thaw anytime soon. And being so late in the season they won't be stopping long on there way north.

Do not need lakes just sheet water.

Has anyone had luck hunting them in the spring in the past?

Yep but it takes hard work. Gotta scout hard and work hard to get lots of decoys into a muddy field but it can be done.

With the colder weather on deck, our hunt next weekend looks like it will be tough. Heard some Canada's on the weekend around Edmonton

Seeing lots of Canadas around Saskatoon but no snows yet.

We drove to Calgary and back yesterday, some Canadas, but no snows.

snow's wont likely be up here (lethbridge to brooks area) until mid/late april or even may with the weather we are having.

We had three great shoots last spring April 12 in lethbridge and two more east of calgary the 19/20th.

managed 50/60 birds with 4 shooters everytime.

bring quads or be prepared to walk. farmers dont like pulling trucks out of their fields.

shot a banded ross as well from Alaska - pretty cool

also takes a couple tanks of gas and lots of glassing to find a field worth setting up in.

Starting
 

Not sure why they have started arriving all the water is still frozen in Southern Alberta but they have. We managed to kill 3 wise old birds last weekend. Main migration is a long ways off yet but starting to see a few flocks of more than a thousand birds between Taber and Medicine Hat.

You must be shootin swans. I have put alot of miles on and have not seen any snows in the area. My best guess is around 4 weeks before there is a flock that crosses the border.

I was told of some spotted around the river buy bow island last week end

Ya last year spent a lot of time and money on gas, etc looking for snows with some success. So still going to do some ourselves but we did book a hunt through a local guide. And for sure it’s cheaper and less time consuming. But part of the fun is doing your own thing. Time will tell how it all turns out. Fun for sure

That's why I started this no one is asking for any ones hot spots just general info and it might save time and money for some

Interesting, I wonder what the hell they are going to eat when they get hungry. Everything is under a lot of snow.

They can certainly roost on the rivers for the time being, but, as said, they'll likely starve to death. And as far as I know they don't much seem to like rivers a lot anyway. They could turn around and go back south, too. Not looking good in Montana yet;

https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/snow-and-i...80320-20180323

Hit with another 6 inches of snow in southern alberta

Below freezing temps for daytime highs well into the first week of April for central Alberta with lots of snow to melt here yet as well.

Birds are on a pretty tight time schedule to get up to the Arctic to drop their first eggs. We may see a lot blow quickly through the parkland with minimal stopping over in late April/ early May even if the snow is gone.

Its not even April yet guys. Relax

I was telling our buddy Sparky that I was already hunting snows last year on April 2. Beautiful bluebird day. Had the biggest flock come in and my uncle ruined it by moving.

Last year was warm. The birds I was on this year have all gone south again and will be there for a bit now.

Was heading to Outlook, Sask for hunt next weekend, guessing I'm better off staying home?

Did you go with Jonny boy? He was apparently in Weyburn but I caught him fibbing. Hes never even been to that area in his life haha.

I thought I read somewhere of a website that tracks the migration, does anyone know of one?

...or fortuity. One day 2 years ago I read here on AO about big flock of snow geese at CVR. Came there next day, loaded my shot gun, fired 5 times, dropped 4 geese within 30 minutes.