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OUTDOORS Efforts to control the light goose population continues with the light goose conservation order which begins Feb. 10. The dates for the conservation order are in the East Zone, Feb.
10-April 15 and in the Rainwater Basin and West Zone, Feb. 10-April 5. White and blue phase snow geese and Ross' geese may be taken statewide during the conservation order, but different regulations apply in each zone.
Read the 2024-2025 Nebraska Waterfowl Guide for all the regulations for the conservation order. Guides are available at local vendors, Game and Parks offices and the web site at outdoornebraska.gov and search for "guides.
" There is a considerable effort to reduce the mid-continent snow goose population because of the damage caused to sub-Arctic and Arctic breeding habitats. The need for additional hunting for population control requires a special action, such as the conservation order. There are no bag or possession limits during the conservation order and hunters may shoot 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset.
Hunters may use unplugged shotguns and electronic calls during the conservation action season. Snow geese are not only a challenge to hunt but are impressive to view as thousands of these white birds feed and roost together in massive swarms. Geese will be utilizing Nebraska's reservoirs and surrounding agricultural fields before heading to their northern breeding grounds.
Snow goose hunting tips Hunting snow geese requires some pre-hunt scouting. Start by driving back roads to locate fields where snow geese are feeding then contact the landowner for permission to hunt. Look for birds using reservoirs, smaller lakes and ponds, then quickly pattern where the birds go and the time of day they travel from feeding to resting and watering locations.
Snow geese usually return to a field until the food there is depleted. They won't return to a place where they have been hunted frequently. They travel in large flocks and examine potential feeding and resting places for signs of danger before landing.
The work of finding a good field and setting out decoys may result in two or three successful hunts in the evenings and mornings. After that the birds may be gone and its back to scouting. Hunters may use upwards of 1,000 or more decoys to try and lure flocks of snow geese into a decoy spread.
Regardless of how many decoys you have, be sure to make several landing holes in a decoy spread. Snow geese literally pile on top of each other in a field, so leaving openings in a spread gives the birds places to set down. Some hunters have success by setting their decoys in a teardrop or horseshoe shape then positioning blinds near landing holes to provide in-range shots.
If the geese seem to prefer one landing area over others move hunters into that spot. If geese are landing short of the spread or in an unanticipated area, try moving some of your decoys into that area and use them as "blockers" forcing the birds to land elsewhere. If the geese aren't coming all the way to a decoy spread, move hunters and blinds away from the decoys, placing them downwind where flocks will pass close by within shotgun range as they swing around the spread.
Moving 30 or more yards downwind of the decoys when birds won't commit is one of the best ways to shoot a few. Many snow goose hunters wear white clothes and become decoys themselves, others wear camouflage gear to blend in. Most hunters shoot from a lying position or will prop themselves up with a backrest.
Other hunters like layout blinds while others sit upright in small portable blinds with portable heaters. The use of electronic callers, which are legal only during the conservation season, will increase your success. On windy days leave the call on at top volume until the birds are close enough for shooting.
On calm days slowly turn the volume down as the geese approach for a more natural sound. As the geese near the spread use traditional reed calls along with the electronic calls and allow some birds to touch ground before shooting, always keeping safe shooting zones in mind. There are not many outdoor experiences that can compare with being in the middle of a swirling swarm of several thousand squawking snow geese coming into a decoy spread.
Bird watchers and photographers can also spend time in the field enjoying the great masses of migrating snow geese. Ice fishing safety With the recent spurt of warm temperatures, ice stability across Nebraska water bodies may be decreasing fast. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission warns anybody venturing onto the ice to be cautious and use the following safety tips: ■ Never go out alone.
Have a buddy. ■ Fish early mornings before the sun shines and warms ice. ■ A minimum of 3 inches of clear, blue lake ice will support a single person.
■ Use an ice chisel or spud bar to strike the ice and evaluate conditions as you venture out. ■ Have a long throw rope with you in case of emergency. ■ Slush ice is about half as strong as clear lake ice, so people should double the minimum thickness figures when encountering such conditions.
■ Ice weakens with age and "honeycombed" or "black" ice should be considered unsafe. ■ Be especially careful on any lake that has moving water in it. Water movement hinders freezing, often leaving hard-todetect thin spots.
■ Materials imbedded in the ice, such as weeds or logs weaken ice. Large objects on the ice, such as duck blinds or ice shacks, can absorb the sun's heat and weaken ice. Ice near shore may be weakened by heat from the ground, leaving anglers stuck on the ice.
■ Wear ice picks around yourneck in case the worst happens, and you need something to grip the ice to pull yourself out of the water. ■ Wear ice cleats on your boots for traction. ■ Dangers from falling through the ice can include drowning or critical injuries resulting from hypothermia.
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