Snow Goose Hunt

Light Goose Conservation Order Hunting with Neu Outdoors

Thanks to the Light Goose Conservation Order, and with the guidance of Neu Outdoors, I recently went on a hunting trip for snow, blue, and Ross's geese with some friends. We had a great time and I wanted to share more about my experience.

Why Snow Geese?

These light geese, including the snow goose, blue goose, and Ross's goose are very populous. In short, there are too many of them and they are destroying their nesting grounds in the arctic tundra. That is where the Light Goose Conservation Order comes into play. In order to protect the land and the other wildlife that depend on the habitat, this conservation order creates a special season for light goose hunting with lessened restrictions. During this special late-spring season, hunters can enjoy hunting for these light geese with the use of electronic calls and without any bag limit.

Where Was the Hunt?

We traveled to southeastern Missouri, to the area known as the "boot heel", and stayed in Dexter, Missouri. We woke up early in the morning, well before sunrise, so we could get to our hunting location, which was a few miles east of where we stayed. We arrived at a rice field with thousands of decoys already set up and layout blinds in place. After adjusting our blinds and putting more cover on them, we re-arranged some of the decoys near the blinds. Meanwhile, our guide setup the equipment for the electronic call and a couple vortex decoys, which simulates the motion of the birds flying down. The sound, the movement, and the shear quantity of decoys, paired with an inviting field to eat, gave us a perfect setup to start drawing in the geese.

Why a Guided Hunt?

Once the setup was complete, we all laid in our blinds with shotguns and ammunition ready. Our guide helped us to recognize the geese that were making their way to our field, and when they approached at a proper distance he instructed us to sit up from our blinds and shoot the geese. As the day progressed, with the sun coming out and the wind picking up more, we were able to see more and more geese. Some of them were wise to the decoys and flew on, but for the geese who chose to get closer, we shot and retrieved. Overall, there are fifteen less of these nuisance birds, thanks to our hunt, and our amount was low compared to other fields.

I would highly recommend doing a guided hunt if you choose to hunt during the light goose conservation season. These geese are attracted by large numbers of decoys, compared to other waterfowl, and the cost of owning these and the other equipment is quite high. I especially recommend doing a hunt through Neu Outdoors. Their guides are very knowledgeable, and offer great advice, as well as being very professional and focused on giving everyone a safe and fun experience. In addition to offering these hunts in Missouri, they also offer them in Arkansas and South Dakota.

I hope you enjoyed reading about my experience and some of the pictures from the day of the hunt.