Heartland Outdoors

Top 10 snow goose hunting tips

Wed, February 22, 2012

By DELTA WATERFOWL

BISMARCK, N.D.—Snow-sodden fields.  Ankle-deep mud. Biting winds, driving rains and cold-to-the-bone temperatures.

Spring snow goose hunters happily endure Mother Nature’s unpredictable mood swings to chase geese that hold advanced degrees in survival. Snow geese can be older than you, and have witnessed, from their lofty, discriminating vantage point, untold decoy spreads during their travels across the continent. They’re savvy, cunning and difficult to hunt—even exasperating—but far from impossible.

If you’re looking for a prescription for successfully hunting spring snows, Delta Waterfowl has a small coterie of snow goose aficionados who are qualified to help. After years of hunting these wily birds, they’ve learned some fool-proof (or nearly so) secrets to help fill your freezer with some tasty wild protein. Enjoy the spring season.

Delta’s Top 10 list:

1) Scouting: If you don’t find the birds, they likely won’t find you. “You have to scout, scout and scout some more,” says Scott Terning, Delta’s director of recruitment and education. Watch the snow line; birds will be south of it, always. You can also use a number of online sources to aid your scouting and get refuge reports to determine bird concentrations, but remember nothing compares to doing real-time scouting.” Terning recommends finding the largest concentration of birds on a lake, wetland or piece of sheet water.  During the spring, he said, it’s common to locate multiple roosts in a given area. “You want to scout these birds and locate where they are feeding for your hunt the next day,” Terning says. “Taking these simple first steps will save you a lot of time and frustration.”

2) The sheet water connection: “In the spring finding sheet water is often the key element in finding birds,” says Delta Waterfowl Senior Vice President John Devney. “They seem to decoy far better in fields with a little water in them. Spring snows will often look for corn stubble and sheet water in the same field.”

3) Concealment: Hide, hide, hide! Fooling spring snows requires you stay well hidden. Take advantage of any field changes that allow for better concealment—from drainages to low spots to missed field vegetation. Conceal ground blinds from all angles and use decoys to break up their outlines. In grain fields it’s sometimes best to ditch the ground blinds and hunt in your best “whites.” And don’t forget your facemask. There’s typically no margin for error.

4) Decoys: You don’t need a 1,000-decoy spread to have a successful hunt, says Terning. “You need a respectable amount of decoys, and the best ones you have, because quality can be more important than quantity,” he said, noting that you should team up with a friend if you don’t have enough decoys. “Bring along some floaters too. You’ll want to use them in the sheet water.” Keep decoys properly spaced, about three or four feet between each. The spread will look more natural from a distance and create the affect of having a larger spread.

5) Movement in decoys: It’s very important to attract distant birds to your spread. Use kites, flyers, flags and other decoys to increase motion, especially directly behind your blinds on the upwind side of your spread. This will create the illusion of snows landing and leap-frogging over each other to feed. “Silosock flyers work really well to add movement to your spread,” says Terning. Bottom line: employ as much movement as possible, even to the point of putting a white vest on your dog.

6) Late snows: The latter part of the migration can provide the best decoy hunting, because the majority of the birds are juveniles. “Young birds are much easier to decoy,” says Delta’s Jim Fisher, Canada’s director of conservation policy. “You won’t see the number of birds, generally speaking, but the decoy hunting can be excellent.”

7) Hunter placement in decoys: “Don’t be afraid to move within the decoy spread to get to a better position to shoot lower birds or to have a chance at flaring birds,” says Delta’s Fisher. “Or leave the decoys altogether and get downwind to a spot that may give you closer shots.”

8) Prepare for fog and mud: Spring hunters will likely find both in copious amounts. “Morning fog can really get guys mixed up when they’re looking for the field they received permission to hunt the night before, so make a mental note of landmarks to guide you to the right spot,” says Delta’s Terning.  “If the fog has been really bad, use a GPS to plot the precise location of where you want to set up the following day. A good map and GPS are indispensable.”  The spring season has another constant: mud. Be prepared for it; bring extra clothes/gear and have a plan for transporting decoys because driving a truck and trailer into a field may not be an option. “Hunters need to do their best to leave the smallest footprint as possible,” says Delta’s Devney. “Be respectful of landowner property and be extremely careful not to tear up muddy roads.”

9) Ballistics and shooting: Fisher strongly recommends using quality shells. “I like to use three-inch shot shells with BB or BBB,” he said. “Be judicious with the shots you take, know your maximum effective range and don’t stray from it. After all, it’s hunting, not shooting.”

10) Food, glorious, food: Have a plan. Bring a cooler, ice and cleaning materials. Know the rules on how to legally transport birds. Snow geese, contrary to popular myth, are superb table fare. Bring a grill or stove and prepare a feast in the field. An easy recipe: take the tenderloins from several goose breasts. Dredge them in seasoned flour and fry. Serve them with your favorite dipping sauce. Delta President Rob Olson says sweet chili or plum and hot mustard is a terrific combination. Find some great snow goose recipes at deltawaterfowl.org

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Deadline ahead for Junior Duck Stamp

Fri, February 17, 2012

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is now accepting entries for the 2012 Illinois Junior Duck Stamp Contest, which is administered by the Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge.  Entries must be postmarked by March 15, 2012.

The Federal Junior Duck Stamp Program, celebrating its 20 year anniversary, engages children in environmental education through art. The program guides students, using scientific and wildlife observation principles to communicate visually what they have learned through an entry in their state’s Junior Duck Stamp contest. This conservation education program is open to any child in kindergarten through high school.

Students may submit artwork featuring one of the following species: whistling ducks, swans, geese, brant, dabbling ducks, diving ducks, sea ducks, mergansers, stiff tails, or Hawaiian ducks. A full list of permitted species is available online at http://www.fws.gov/juniorduck  Artw.ork entries will be judged on the basis of original design, anatomical accuracy, artistic composition and suitability for reproduction on a 1” by 1.5” stamp.

During the contest, students will be judged in four groups according to grade level: K-3, 4-6, 7-9, and 10-12.Three first, three second and three third place entries, along with 16 honorable mentions will be selected from each group. Contest judges select a “Best of Show” from the twelve first place winners, which will be submitted to the Federal Duck Stamp Office and entered into the National Junior Duck Stamp Contest held on April 20, 2012 at Patuxent Research Refuge, Maryland. 

The first place art from the national contest is used to create a National Junior Duck Stamp each year. The Junior Duck Stamp is available for $5 from the U.S. Postal Service and from many National Wildlife Refuges.  All proceeds from the sale of the stamps support conservation education and provide awards and scholarships for participating students, teachers and schools.

A downloadable entry form and information on contest rules and regulations for teachers and supervising adults can be found online at http://www.fws.gov/jrduck  For .additional information or if you have questions regarding your student’s or school’s participation in the Jr. Duck Stamp contest, please contact your Jr. Duck Stamp State Coordinator, Kim King-Wrenn, 619-998-5955, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).  Entries and reference forms should be postmarked by March 15, 2012 and mailed to:

c/o Junior Duck Stamp Coordinator, Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge, 8588 Route 148, Marion, IL 62959

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Some waterfowl stayed north

Thu, February 16, 2012

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A mild, dry fall and an unseasonably warm winter have resulted in a record number of ducks and geese wintering in North Dakota.

The state Game and Fish Department estimated 279,000 birds during its annual midwinter waterfowl survey conducted in January. The previous record was 237,000 birds in 2008, said Mike Szymanski, a migratory game bird biologist with the agency. This year’s count includes a record 190,000 geese and a record 88,000 mallard ducks.

“This year’s survey was highly abnormal, and numbers of waterfowl within the state were probably underestimated because of the open water and lack of snow statewide,” Szymanski said. “The lack of snow cover was especially important in keeping these birds around.

“This year’s survey results are a dramatic turnaround from the last three severe winters, when less than 36,000 total waterfowl were observed statewide each year,” he said.

The latest crop, livestock and weather report from the Agriculture Department shows that there was less than 2 inches of snow on the ground on average in North Dakota at the end of January, compared with more than 2 feet last year at the same time. Average temperatures around the state were as much as 15 degrees above normal, and numerous high-temperature records fell during the month.

“It’s just been a phenomenally nice winter,” Szymanski said.

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USFWS lists mussels as endangered

Tue, February 14, 2012

By THE USFWS

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has listed two freshwater mussels – the rayed bean and the snuffbox – as endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act. The two mussels are found in river systems in the eastern United States.

The rayed bean is currently found in rivers in Indiana, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and West Virginia, as well as Ontario, Canada. The snuffbox occurs in Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Ontario, Canada.

In its final rule listing the two species under the ESA, the Service pointed to dramatic declines in their populations. The rayed bean has been eliminated from 73 percent of its historical range, and the snuffbox has disappeared from 62 percent of the streams in which it was historically found. The final rule appears in the February 14, 2012, Federal Register.

Threats to both the rayed bean and the snuffbox include loss and degradation of stream and river habitat due to impoundments, channelization, chemical contaminants, mining and sedimentation. Freshwater mussels require clean water; their decline often signals a decline in the water quality of the streams and rivers they inhabit.

The Service will now work cooperatively with partners to develop recovery plans for the two mussels and coordinate efforts to conserve their habitats.

Under the ESA, “endangered” means a species is in danger of becoming extinct throughout all or a significant portion of its range. It is illegal under the ESA to kill, harm or otherwise “take” a listed species, or to posses, import, export or conduct interstate or international commerce without authorization from the Service. The ESA also requires all federal agencies to ensure actions they authorize, fund, or undertake do not jeopardize the existence of listed species.

More information on mussels and endangered wildlife can be found at http://www.midwest.gov/endangered The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit http://www.fws.gov

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Crab Orchard fish attractor project

Mon, February 13, 2012

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will be conducting the annual Crab Orchard Lake fish attractor project on Feb. 25.

Work will begin at 8 a.m. at the Spillway Ramp, just southeast of the dam on Spillway Road. Workers will be binding trees to concrete blocks and placing bundles in predetermined locations to enhance fish habitat in Crab Orchard Lake.

Anyone wishing to volunteer is welcome to participate. Maps of fish attractor locations with GPS coordinates will be available. If you would like additional information, contact Chris Bickers, IDNR district fisheries biologist, at 618-993-7094.

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Rare Asian goose in Indiana

Fri, February 10, 2012

By THE INDIANA DNR

A hooded crane, normally seen only in Asia, has been spotted at Goose Pond Fish & Wildlife Area in Greene County, about 7,000 miles from its traditional home range.

Hooded cranes nest in southeastern Russian and northern China and winter in southern Japan.

The hooded crane spotted at Goose Pond FWA is believed to be the same hooded crane spotted at Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge in Tennessee earlier this winter.

How the wayward bird ended up so far from home is unclear. However, some sandhill cranes, a cousin to the hooded crane, migrate from Asia to the southeastern United States. The hooded crane may have followed those sandhill cranes, and may now be returning with them on their northwestern route back to Asian nesting grounds.

“This wetland habitat is kind of rare in this part of the state,” Goose Pond FWA property manager Brad Feaster said. “So it’s a magnet for water birds of all sorts. When they are flying in the air, this place sticks out.”

It is unclear how long the bird will stay in Indiana.

Hooded cranes are about 3 feet tall. They have a red and black crown on an otherwise white head and a charcoal colored body. The International Crane Foundation estimates the world population of hooded cranes around 9,500.

The hooded crane at Goose Pond FWA does not have any bandings, tags or wing markings that would indicate it was a captive bird that had escaped.

The crane in Tennessee attracted more than 2,500 visitors from at least 35 states and five countries, including Russia.

The bird was first spotted at Goose Pond FWA by bird watchers Wednesday afternoon. As of around noon on Thursday more than 100 bird enthusiasts had already visited the property from as far away as Minnesota, West Virginia and Nebraska.

The hooded crane has been spending its time in Beehunter Marsh on the northeast side of Goose Pond FWA. A map at the Beehunter Marsh information booth will direct visitors to an area where they are most likely to see the bird.

The DNR asks that visitors to Goose Pond FWA abide by the following recommendations:

- Sign in at the Beehunter Marsh information booth, near the intersection of Greene County Roads 200-S and 1000-W.
- Where possible, stay in your vehicle.
- Don’t harass the birds; maintain a distance that will not cause them to take flight.
- Do not block county roads or private property entrances.
- Respect private property boundaries.

An overall map of Goose Pond FWA is available for download in PDF format at dnr.IN.gov/fishwild/3094.htm. (Click on the “Maps” tab in the center of the page.)

Goose Pond FWA is an 8,000-acre property of restored wetlands and prairie that is owned and managed by DNR and located near Linton.

The property opened in 2005 and has already become a regional destination for bird watching and waterfowl hunting. About 260 different bird species have been spotted at Goose Pond FWA.

A confirmed sighting of a roseate spoonbill occurred on June 2, 2009, making Goose Pond FWA the first location in the state to have such a sighting.

Goose Pond FWA was created under the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and is the seventh largest project of its kind in the country.

Goose Pond FWA was paid for in part through State Wildlife Grants from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, through donations to DNR’s Nongame Fund and through sales of Indiana Environmental License Plates.

For more information on the Nongame Fund and how to donate, visit EndangeredWildlife.IN.gov.

For more information on the Environmental License Plate, visit Enviroplate.IN.gov.

Management of the property is paid for by hunting fees and taxes from the sales of arms, ammunition and archery equipment pursuant to the Pittman-Robertson Act of 1937.

For more information: Phil Bloom, DNR Communications, (317) 232-4003.

About Fish and Wildlife Management in Indiana
Fish and wildlife management and public access are funded by fishing and hunting license revenue and also through the Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Programs administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  These programs collect excise taxes on sporting arms and ammunition, archery equipment, fishing equipment, and motor boat fuels. The money is distributed among state fish and wildlife agencies based on land size and the number of licensed anglers and hunters in each state. Find out more information about fish and wildlife management in Indiana at www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild.

 

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Whooping cranes off to Alabama

Mon, February 06, 2012

By THE USFWS

Nine juvenile whooping cranes on their first ultralight-led migration south will now be taken to Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge in northern Alabama in the next few days.

The nine whooping cranes will be loaded up in travel enclosures onto vehicles as soon as possible, driven about 70 miles from Winston County, Ala., to Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge.  They will be placed in a secure pen, equipped with identification bands and tracking transmitters, then later released in the company of other whooping cranes that have been wintering there.

“We are fortunate to be in a position to help by standing in for our sister refuges at Chassahowitzka and St. Marks in Florida,”  said Dwight Cooley, refuge manager for Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge, on the outskirts of Decatur, Ala., which lies on border of Tennessee.  “While we hope they will visit us again in coming winters, where they eventually winter is not nearly as important as their survival, and the hope they will complete many more migrations in years to come.  Their continued safety is our highest concern.  ”

He went on to say the refuge hosted more than 11,000 sandhill cranes at the refuge this winter, as well as seven whooping cranes.

“We also have fantastic observation facilities and viewing platforms that allow great views and don’t disturb the wildlife,” said Cooley.  “We’ve got great habitat and conditions, as evidenced by the number of cranes wintering on the refuge.”

The original plan was to have the Operation Migration pilots use ultralight aircraft to guide the birds further south to St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge and Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge in Florida – their originally planned wintering sites.  The migration had been sidelined for over a month by an issue involving FAA flying policies. 

FAA granted a waiver for the flight, but the cranes apparently decided Alabama was far enough, refusing to follow the ultralights.  The cranes had been imprinted to follow the pilots of the ultralights who are dressed in whooping crane costumes.  The warm winter may also have had an impact on the cranes refusal to fly further south.

The nine whooping cranes are part of an effort to establish an Eastern Migratory population for one of the most endangered birds in the world.  Cranes have been taught variations of the eastern migratory route for the past decade.  There are now about 104 cranes in the eastern population.  One crane that had dropped out of the migration in the first few days ended up joining migrating sandhill cranes, ultimately wintering in Florida.

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