Snows and blues over iowa

[drakekiller08]

the other mourning went outside to feed the lab and saw a flock of what looked to be well over 1000 snows and blues. there sure are alot of canadians in Big Marsh now. also heard alot of pintails flying over friday night when it was nice and clear.

[schoff]

Thanks for the heads-up. My buddies and me are waiting for them whites to get up here.

[drakekiller08]

i heard that there was a bunch of em in nebraska heading north

[schoff]

I've heard of a few in southern SD down in the Yankton/Springfield area. I've got an uncle in Sprngfld keepin a watch out for em.

[Killer Miller]

Usually early in the spring season, we have pintails all over us for a week or two. Usually, this is before we have even killed any snows. It seems like when you start seeing pintails, the killing starts about two weeks later. Usually, when we see pintails we're seeing snows too. But those seem to be the high and pressurized adult flocks for the first week or two of seeing birds.

[drakekiller08]

I am planning on making a trip to illinois for snows in mid febuary anyone that would like to go or let me know were to go, it would be much help.

[schoff]

Usually I try to go by the robins, generally about 2 weeks after seeing them the snows start showin up. I was out filling my doe blackpowder tag over the weekend and saw quite a few robins, so im keepin my fingers crossed for stable warm weather and a snow sotrm up north to stop em.

[Silver Webfoot]

Tell ya what guys north central missouri is plum loaded with them,I never seen them this thick over here,some of them arent stopping either there headin north,I think winters over acording to them.Im shootinm the heck out of them and I never go out this early and hunt them.

[drakekiller08]

any iowa boys seen any snows i am ready to kill something

[kingkilla]

i am in central iowa and havent seen any snows yet. i drive past the des moines every day and havent seen any yet. i will keep my eyes peeled. i also drive by a few sand pits and there arnt any in there either.

[GearDownGang]

A few have made it up to northeast Nebraska. Things are looking good for the first weekend of the season. :) Reports from the basins are they are dumping in from everywhere. :)

[Killer Miller]

Schoff, normal people go by the robins coming back. And thats ok. Its an easier idea, but Im a killer and the way I tell when the snows should be here is when we start seeing pintails. Us waterfowlers have different ways of doing things. They're here now by the way. southeast Iowa to be exact. My dad's crew set about 3500 of our dekes yesterday. The guy that lives by the field had the day off and set all day. Apparently he saw about a dozen big flocks, probably all adult birds still though. We're ready to rock and roll though. Im guessing they won't kill any outta the decoys for at least another week though. It seems like the first waves are mostly adults and all they wanna do is get to Hudson Bay and get ready to nest. Some day, Ill be up there waiting for them to arrive! haha

[kingkilla]

wnet out to try to find some snows today. i didnt see a damn thing. i went west to bays branch refuge to see if they were chillen there, i went to the saylorville refuge none there and went to the sand pits near by and nothing.

[schoff]

The evil weatherman is sayin we are gonna have a cold snap for the next week or two. Guessin that should keep them south of SD for at least another week. I guess i will just have more time to get the dekes ready.

[GearDownGang]

Nebraska / Kansas border is thick with them today. Big flocks moving into the rainwater basins. :) Boys in southern Nebraska are going to have a great few days days. I hope that weather stays north - oh man that would be the ticket. :wink:

[Killer Miller]

Saw a group of about 8 snows and blues going into the north end of Saylorville late Thursday night (Feb. 2nd). It was getting dark, but they came right over our heads. I think we saw another group of about 30 but they were too far away and it was gettting pretty dark.