Why would you book a hunt with a South Dakota spring snow goose outfitter if they weren't licensed also in North Dakota?!?
 Prime example spring 2012.  Everyone canceled in late March due to the receded snow and ice lines.  Top Gun is proud to be the only large snow goose outfit licensed on the ND side so you won't have to be canceled.  Last year we took 40 phone calls a day due to canceled hunters and only our customers were scheduled in advance so we were able to cater to them.  We have the advantage of also running our hunts in the fall unlike a lot of others outfits; so farm relations are taken care of in advance. We have the advantage of guides and an outfitter that have guided this season for ten years +. We run large sets of high end Deadly Decoys, layouts, and vortex machines    

(which I'm not 100% sold on yet, (call me old school but we have them) along with blue goose decoys and heads:) whole other conversation)  

but like most of the competition we are all running whats the best equipment on the market.  So the choice should be simple.

So bottom line is why take the chance of a canceled trip when you can have insurance that your April hunt will be possible.  We are even licensed in Saskatchewan if you are really willing to travel!

 Happy Hunting!

March 28th 2012 North Dakota spring snow goose update Top Gun Inc.

It has been a crazy spring to say the least. We had great hunts in Missouri. From there we jumped straight to North Dakota with a short 4 day stop in South Dakota. Currently the birds have held up here and we have been mostly covered up with the adult birds. Just as of lately we are seeing some younger birds in the flocks. The hunts have also been difficult with the high winds (60 mph) and extremely warm temps which have held the birds down and shortened their feeding patterns in the corn fields.

The North Dakota hotline released today that most birds in ND are in the central part of the state to the Canada border. Also there was a large push back of snows into the northern part of the state with the snow and cold temps that recently hit Canada. You can expect a least one more pushback out of Canada or even ND considering it is only March 28th!

We are covered up with birds to say the least!

We will hunt the main flock thru April 15th and after that we will hunt the juvy flock until the end of April as we always do. North Dakota should once again prove to be the best juvy hunting in the central flyway as the adults have left them in the dust to fend for themselves. These young birds will make there way through the state for the month of April as they are non-breeders and are in no hurry. They can be the best decoying geese in the flock!

We will not be hunting the first week of May which will be the only change.

Thanks to all that we have hunted up to this point and to all of you joining us this month in April. We appreciate your business!

Snow Goose Hunting Update 3/6/12

Top Gun Update March 6 2012:

The spring has been very productive this season.  Fields are producing very high to low numbers(70's-15's) on a daily basis up to this point. Where as last year it was more of an even number across the board (30's-40's)

We are still in NW Missouri and will be here for another week and half at least as we still haven't seen signs of the juvy flock and reports of a lot of birds to the South.  Fields are still shooting 90% adult/10% juvy. With exception of the big shoots we have seen 70/30% to 50/50%.

Birds are starting to show up in Nebraska and very southern South Dakota.  These birds, as we all know, are the front edge and will not be able to be hunted for a couple weeks where you can have the opportunity to break out of the single digit adult bird shoots.

We are currently booking our South and North Dakota spring snow goose hunts.  We expect to be in South Dakota as early as March 20th.  We will then move to North Dakota starting April 7th and hunt through April 28th.

Let me know if you would like to join!

Matt Kostka
matt@topgunguideservice.com
507-696-0208

Rochester, MN Goose Info

eese Management

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On January 29^th the Rochester City Council reviewed information from the City staff, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the Olmsted County Health Department regarding geese in Rochester.

Links to some of the information reviewed

• Silver Lake Buffer - Frequently Asked Questions (pdf)
• Federal Register - Department of the Interior - Migratory Bird Hunting and Permits; Regulations for Managing Resident Goose Populations; Final Rule (pdf)
• Angel Wing in Ducks and Geese (pdf)
• Living with Geese (pdf)

Three Categories of Geese in Rochester

Based on information that we obtained from the DNR, there are three different categories of geese in Rochester. 
Migratory Geese
The migratory geese are in Rochester in the September through February time frame.  Migratory geese in Rochester number between 20,000 to 35,000 at their peak in November of each year.  That range has remained fairly constant since 1970, but was considerably lower prior to 1970. The highest peak was 40,000 in November of 2005, but the peak numbers for 2000 through 2004 were considerably lower.  Migratory geese are federally protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.  None of the steps either agreed to be undertaken or discussed by the City Council will have any direct impact on the migratory goose flock.   
Molt Migrants
According to the DNR there are approximately 3000 young adult “molt migrants” in Rochester during the summer 
Resident GeeseAccording to the DNR, there are between 1,000 to 2,000 resident geese that reside in Rochester on a year round basis.  This number has been increasing between 10% to 20% per year, despite recent changes in hunting regulations to permit an earlier hunting season in SE Minnesota.  At the current rate of annual growth, the resident goose flock may double every 6 to 7 years if steps are not taken.  Not that long ago, the number of resident geese in Rochester was in the 200 to 300 range.   

Concerns Relating To Resident Geese

The main concerns that have been raised with the City elected officials relate to the impact of the now higher number of resident geese on water quality in lakes and streams, their impact on the enjoyment of citizens for park areas, and property-owner concerns about property damage and the inability to enjoy their property.  These concerns are heightened by the knowledge that unless some steps are taken, the resident goose flock will keep increasing annually and could become a much more significant problem in the future if no action is taken at this time.    

These concerns about resident geese are not unique to Rochester.  A number of communities throughout Minnesota have taken steps to address and reduce or at least stabilize their resident goose population.  In several communities, these steps have included more aggressive approaches, such as round-ups of resident geese, than have been authorized by the Rochester elected officials.   
The federal government has recognized that the management of resident goose populations has become an issue nationwide.  In 2006, the Department of the Interior adopted and published 50 CFR “Migratory Bird Hunting and Permits; Regulations for Managing Resident Canada Goose Populations: Final Rule” (pdf).  This rule is still is in the process of being adopted in Minnesota.  The following quote is from that document and the Federal Department of the Interior:

“We believe that resident Canada goose populations must be reduced, more effectively managed, and controlled to reduce goose-related damage.”

That report also notes that in the early 1960’s there were an estimated 63,000 Giant Canada Geese, the predominant subspecies in Rochester.  That number has grown to 1.5 million geese in all the Mississippi flyway states and is growing at the rate of 6% annually. 

Resident Geese Management - Steps Taken by Rochester

None of the steps taken or discussed by the Rochester elected officials will directly affect the migratory goose flock.  However, some of the steps that will be discussed below, such as changes to shoreline areas and removal of the feeders at Silver Lake, may have an indirect effect of dispersing some of the migratory geese to other areas.  The focus of the steps agreed to by Rochester officials is the resident year-round goose flock, in addition to the obligations that the City has relating to water quality. 

1. Re-create a natural shoreline buffer at Silver Lake (pdf).  The City of Rochester has a responsibility and obligation under federal and state storm water requirements to restore and maintain clean water.  The re-creation of a natural shoreline at Silver Lake would consist of a 30 to 50 foot buffer of native plants that will intercept pollutants from runoff.  An additional benefit from this project may be to discourage the almost feed-lot like concentration of geese at Silver Lake.  We are not assuming a major decrease in the number of geese at Silver Lake, but the City elected officials believe this a reasonable step to help meet water quality clean-up goals.    Design of this project is underway with planting this spring. 
2. Maintain native plantings around City storm water ponds.  Resident geese and property-owners have been increasingly coming into conflict as more open water due to storm water ponds increases in our neighborhoods.  This problem is increased when adjacent property-owners mow on the City land, especially when mowing extends all the way to the water’s edge.  A buffer strip of native plantings is an effective pollutant filter and can act as a barrier to help keep geese from adjacent property.  While we have seen evidence in Rochester that many of our resident geese are undeterred by native plant buffers, it appears reasonable to restrict mowing on City land adjacent to stormwater ponds both as a water quality improvement and for the value it may have in reducing geese/homeowner conflicts. 
3. Eliminate the geese feeders at Silver Lake.  In one of our earliest communications with the DNR, it was suggested that the simplest and most cost-effective method to reduce the concentration of geese at Silver Lake would be to remove the feeders.  The City elected officials and the Park Board have agreed and the feeders will be removed at the end of the current winter season.  Although, feeding the geese at Silver Lake is fun for many people, it is not healthy for the geese and it has helped create an unacceptable concentration of geese at Silver Lake that has rendered much of the park area unsanitary and virtually unusable.    Non-natural foods, including excessive amounts of corn, can cause disease and an unsightly deformity known as Angel Wing (pdf) in geese. It also may contribute to the increasing number of resident year-round geese in Rochester.  
4. Resident Geese – Egg Shaking.  There is the potential for communities and private landowners to secure permits to shake resident geese eggs to reduce the potential for overpopulation of resident geese.  There have been some concerns and comments over this approach and some people have believed this is going to be a widespread citywide effort.  Nothing is further from the truth.  The City officials have agreed to authorize the staff to work with the DNR on a permit for a specific group of property-owners at only one pond in the city.  The purpose of this limited test/trial is to obtain information to determine if this is a workable approach that could be considered at additional locations in the future if the above steps do not adequately address the increasing resident goose flock population.  This limited trial/test will only be conducted if a permit can be secured from the DNR under provisions that allow that activity to take place and with proper volunteer training.  The city officials have noted that in the future the rules adopted by the Federal Department of the Interior may permit private landowners to obtain a permit for their own property without the involvement of the City. 
5. Rochester Refuge – Early Season Hunt.  Under current DNR rules, goose hunting is prohibited within the Rochester Wildlife Refuge.  The Rochester Refuge was created by the State DNR and the rules and regulations that apply to it are established by the State.  The DNR staff, on a preliminary basis, has indicated that an early season hunt within the Refuge, consistent with the early season hunt outside the Refuge, may provide benefits in reducing the resident goose flock.  The City elected officials have authorized the staff to work with the DNR on further developing that concept.  Some portions of the Refuge are not within the City limits of Rochester.  Changes in the DNR regulations to permit a hunt within the Refuge but outside the City would be solely under DNR control.  If, in working with the DNR, a few select areas within the City are identified that could safely accommodate goose hunting, those areas would not be approved without further discussion with the City Council.     
6. Education – The DNR already has information posted on its website with tips City residents can use to “live with geese” (pdf).  They are also developing a brochure that specifically addresses the Rochester goose population.  In conjunction with the development of the Silver Lake Shoreline Buffer project, interpretive signage will be developed to explain the consequences of feeding geese.

 
It is the hope of the Rochester elected officials that these steps taken in combination will maintain the resident goose flock at current levels or slow its growth.  It may be unrealistic to assume that they would be effective enough to reduce the current resident goose population to former levels.  The steps that have been listed above have had the support and concurrence of the Minnesota DNR, the Olmsted County Health Department and others as reasonable steps to take at this time.  The City will be working with the DNR to monitor the resident goose population numbers to determine how effective these steps may be.  There are certainly differing opinions on the relative advantages or disadvantages of having a large resident goose flock in Rochester.  Some would want the City to take no steps and allow the resident goose flock to increase and double and triple in number in future years.  Some would prefer stronger measures to reduce the resident goose flock to former levels.  It is not an issue on which we will all agree.  However, it is the City elected officials’ concern that complete inaction by the City at this time will only compound potential future concerns if the resident goose flock were to keep increasing at a rate of 20% annually.  These measures will have to be annual on-going efforts to manage resident goose populations within the City limits.  Controlling the urban goose population has proven very difficult in other areas, which is why the US Fish and Wildlife Service have approved the use of such a broad suite of control measures.  

Pre-Season Prep: 7 Steps for Success

Off-season prep to ensure a great opening day
By John Pollman, ducks.org

Like an early-morning wood duck buzzing the decoys, the 2011-12 waterfowl season will be here before we know it. Taking the proper steps in August will make opening day that much more enjoyable. While the to-do list is long, these seven steps will prove essential to a successful waterfowling season.      

 

 

1. Preventive Maintenance for Your Shotgun

Dave Reckoff, gunsmith at Kjergaard Sports near Lake Benton, Minn., sees a lot of waterfowl hunting guns come through the shop each year. Most problems, he says, are ones that could have been prevented.

Reckoff says that a good place to start is to make sure that your removable choke tube is just that: removable. He recommends applying a choke tube lube or other anti-seize compound to the threads and occasionally throughout the season, loosen the tube to make sure that it has not locked up.

"I can't tell you how many guns come in here in the middle of the season with stuck choke tubes," says Reckoff. "And with probably half of them, they're not coming out without doing some damage to the barrel."

Reckoff also says that he has discovered a pattern with problems involving the two most popular kinds of shotguns used in waterfowling.

When a hunter comes in with a semi-automatic shotgun that won't cycle correctly in the field, Reckoff says the problem is usually related to using the wrong kind of lubricant.

"Especially later in the season, guys are using a lubricant that, when it gets cold, the gun freezes up or it gets so stiff it won't cycle a shell," says Reckoff. "Or sometimes they'll use too much, and the recoil mechanism in the stock or under the forearm of the gun will hydrolock."

2. Clean Gear is Productive Gear

New York waterfowler and Avery Pro-staff member, Mike Bard is a stickler for making sure his hunting gear is in proper running order, especially those that he pulls behind his truck. When it comes to trailers and boats, surprises are not a good thing.

"Prior to the season I always like to run through everything on my enclosed and boat trailers, making sure to check all of the lights, wiring, brakes, jacks hinges, tires – including the spare – and grease the bearings," says Bard. "I'll do the same thing in my hunting boats, and I also replace the spark plugs and top off the oil reservoir on my outboards."

As for those decoys that haven't seen the light of day since the close of last year's waterfowl season – Bard says to clean ‘em up.

"Clean decoys are more realistic and show up better, in my opinion," he says.

3. Take Care of Man's Best Friend

As a veterinarian in South Dakota, the majority of Dr. Joe Spoo's four-legged clients are of the hunting variety.

Spoo says that the number-one problem with the hunting dogs that come in to his office for their pre-season check-up is that they are out of shape.

"We expect these dogs to go from couch potatoes to world-class athletes overnight," says Spoo. "This isn't practical and definitely isn't safe for the dog.  Hunting dogs love what they do to the point that they will literally run themselves to death."

Spoo says that heat, treacherous water conditions, and a number of long retrieves are just a few of the situations that can get a dog in trouble, and the hunter needs to be the thinking, rational member of the team.

Spoo says that pre-season training sessions and routine exercise are the only way to make sure that your retriever is in proper shape come opening day. But if your dog is not a hunting performance level, Spoo highly recommends taking things slowly during the first few weeks of the season.

"This may mean that your first outings aren't as long or as productive," says Spoo. "However, it could mean the difference between life and death for your hunting partner."

4. Introduce new gear to your hunting retriever

Surprises are great if you're talking about birthday gifts or Halloween pranks, but not so much when it comes to new gear for your waterfowl retriever.

"If you've picked up any new hunting gear for your dog, be sure to introduce him to it prior to the season," says Clint Roby, an Avery Pro-Staff member, dog trainer and waterfowl hunter from Missouri. "This will eliminate any confusion when hunting season rolls around."

Roby says introducing a new layout blind or dog stand to your retriever can also be the perfect time to reinforce commands essential to maintaining peace in the duck blind.

What you don't want, Roby says, is to have opening morning turn into a training session.

"There are enough other distracting activities going on in the field that you don't want to be fighting your dog over something new," says Roby. "These are issues that can be eliminated before the season begins."

5. Build confidence with sporting clays

Dogs aren't the only ones in need of a refresher course; Roby recommends hunters use the weeks leading up to opening day to visit a sporting-clays course.

Targets on a sporting-clays course tend to replicate realistic hunting situations, says Roby, and the more comfortable you get with shooting a small, 4-inch target screaming across the course, the more comfortable and confident you will be in the field.

The "aim small, miss small" attitude adopted by many shooters translates well to a waterfowl hunter who focuses on the head of a decoying bird, Roby adds.

"By focusing on the green head of a mallard or the white cheek-patch of a honker you are concentrating more on a target rather than on the bird as a whole," says Roby. "And if your aiming point is the head of the bird, you are increasing your lead by 6 to 12 inches, which lessens your chance of shooting behind or crippling the bird."

6. It's never too early to start scouting

You don't have to wait for the season's opening bell to start scouting for birds. In fact, a little time spent scouting in the off-season can save a lot of time come fall.

For New York hunter and Avery Pro-Staff member Mike Bard, a quick trip during the summer months to visit with farmers who typically allow him to hunt gives him an idea of what their plans are for the land. That information helps Bard make a plan of his own for fall.

"I like to know what crops are planted—whether beans, silage corn, picking corn, sweet corn, small grains, wheat, barley or alfalfa—and when they are likely to be taken out of the field," Bard says. "It gives me an idea as to when I should watch a farm or specific field within the season, based on weather conditions and the migration."

During his trips to visit with landowners, Bard also keeps tabs on the progress of locally hatched waterfowl, especially Canada geese. Based on past observations of where those birds will end up in late summer and into early fall Bard can narrow down which fields he should watch when the season opens in September.

"This is a big time and fuel saver," says Bard.

7. Use patience when choosing permanent blind locations

If you're planning to set up a permanent blind on a new hunting lease or property, Tony Vandemore, guide and part owner of Habitat Flats in central Missouri, recommends taking your time.

"One of the biggest things in selecting a location for a permanent blind is to not get in a hurry," says Vandemore. "I'll rarely put a new blind up in an area that we have just developed; you really need to wait and see which spots the birds like on that farm."

Instead, Vandemore will watch a new property for a year while hunting it with MOMarsh layout boats or ground blinds. After the season is over, he can make a decision for placing a permanent blind based on which area the birds favored.

Vandemore adds that when setting the blind, he is ever cognizant of the sun and the cover surrounding the blind. In a small timber hole, Vandemore will set the blind on the east side so the sun is always at his back in the morning. For pits in open areas, Vandemore runs blinds north to south, which allows groups to hunt the west side of the blind in the morning and the east side in the afternoon.

"For me, there is nothing more frustrating than looking into the sun while I am hunting," says Vandemore.

2011 Waterfowl Survey: Duck Numbers Remain Strong

WATERFOWL POPULATION EXPLODES – EXCELLENT NESTING CONDITIONS
Courtesy of ducks.org

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – June 30, 2011 – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released its preliminary report today on breeding ducks and habitats, based on surveys conducted in May and early June. Total duck populations were estimated at 45.6 million breeding ducks on the surveyed area. This estimate represents an 11 percent increase over last year’s estimate of 40.9 million birds and is 35 percent above the 1955-2010 long-term average. This was only the fifth time in the survey’s history that the total duck population exceeded 40 million.

“The BEST waterfowl habitat conditions and breeding duck population levels since recors keeping began in 1955.

Habitat conditions across the U.S. and Canadian prairies and parklands were considered excellent. Further north, wetland conditions in most boreal regions of Alaska and northern Canada were good to very good at the time of the survey. During the survey and into early summer, many regions important to breeding ducks continued to receive significant snow melt and further precipitation, which could increase later breeding efforts and ensure brood survival. If these wet conditions continue, prospects going into the winter and possibly into spring 2012 will be favorable as well.

In addition to extensive grassland cover, one of the most important elements in duck breeding success is the amount of water present in portions of prairie and parkland Canada and the north-central United States. Total pond counts for the United States and Canada combined showed 8.1 million ponds, a 22 percent increase from last year’s estimate and 62 percent above the long-term average. This was the second time in the survey’s history that ponds exceeded 8 million.

Of the 10 species traditionally reported, eight were similar to or increased in number from 2010. Two species (scaup and American wigeon) remained below their long-term average. Northern shovelers, blue-winged teal and northern pintails were bright spots on this year’s survey. Northern shovelers and bluewings reached record highs (4.6 and 8.9 million, respectively), and northern pintail numbers surpassed 4 million for the first time since 1980. Scaup numbers were similar to 2010 and remain below their long-term averages. Only three species—scaup, northern pintail and American wigeon—remain below North American Waterfowl Management Plan population goals.

As good as the news is this week, waterfowl and prairie habitats continue to face significant long-term threats. Grassland habitat is under siege on many fronts and is being lost at alarming rates. Key public policies such as the Farm Bill and North American Wetlands Conservation Act will need to continue to focus on conservation for the good news to carry into the future. That’s our challenge in years to come.”

Nesting cover across the Prairie Pothole Region continues to decline, particularly on the U.S. side of the border. During the survey, observers noted many large tracts of former Conservation Reserve Program grasslands that had been converted to cropland since last year or were in the process of being plowed. Expiring CRP contracts and high commodity prices driven by biofuel demands and other economic factors are pushing these conversions. North Dakota alone has lost 22% of its CRP acres since 2007. Experts project that another 387,000 acres will be lost in 2010-2011 and more than 1 million acres will be lost in 2012-13. The continued loss of critical nesting cover will negatively impact the future of breeding ducks.
As always, fall weather and habitat conditions along migration routes will have a big impact on migration chronology and local hunting success.

In light of a very favorable breeding ground report, it’s still quite a while before we can put out the decoys. We will have to monitor how broods fare this summer and what impact summer flooding has on many migration and wintering areas before we get better insight into what to expect this fall.”

The FWS spring surveys provide the scientific basis for many management programs across the continent including the setting of hunting regulations. The four Flyway Councils will meet in late July to recommend and adopt the season structure and bag limits for 2011-12. Individual states will make their specific selections within a federal framework of season length, bag limit, and outside dates. Hunters should check their state’s rules for final dates.

Bird Band – Duck Band – Goose Band

By PJ Maguire
Courtesy of Nodak Outdoors

Every year the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service and agencies ran by the states, place leg bands on a variety of birds across the country. Migratory birds, like ducks, geese, and most recently doves are some of the most commonly banded birds. Harvesting a bird sporting a leg band is a special joy for waterfowl hunters.

After harvesting a banded bird, many waterfowl hunters place the band on their call lanyards. “It’s like earning a buckeye sticker and putting it on your football helmet. It’s a badge of honor.” Explained Lyle Sinner, an avid waterfowl hunter and Fargo, ND native.

Traditionally one must harvest a lot of ducks and geese before shooting a banded bird. Therefore, it is assumed that if a waterfowl hunter has a lot of bands, he or she has shot a lot of birds. But most of the guys with lanyards full of bands on television will probably tell you they hunted them near banding sites. Some inside information will definately up your odds. Some people can hunt their entire life and never shoot a bird that is banded. Other waterfowl hunters have harvested dozens of banded birds. It all depends on where you hunt and how many birds get banded in your area. However, you could potentially shoot a banded bird anytime, in any location.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife service uses data reported from leg bands to track the flight paths of migratory birds. Bands are also useful in determining harvest information and life span of specific bird species. A few years ago I witnessed my buddy take a banded drake mallard that turned out to be 12 years old. The mallard was banded in North Dakota about 50 miles from where it was shot. Some of the same ducks from the area have been reported in most U.S. states and even countries as far away as Russia.

Each band has a unique number that identifies the species of bird which is tied to the life history. When you call in a band number, an operator will ask you a few simple questions like the date and location of where the bird was harvested. You will receive a certificate in the mail containing your name and information on the banded bird.
For most waterfowlers, checking for duck bands is the first thing on their mind when picking up a bird.

Along with regular bands, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service puts ‘reward bands’ on some birds. Usually they put these leg bands on adult birds. Reward bands are typically worth any where from 25 to 100 dollars. The government sends you a check only after you report the information regarding the band. Getting paid to hunt, that would be a nice bonus for anyone.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife service are not the only ones that band birds. Some hunt clubs put leg bands on birds they release. Pheasants Forever, an organization for the preservation of pheasants, sometimes bands pheasants that they release.

One of the rarer forms of waterfowl bands are Jack Miner bands. These bands, banded by the Miner family in Ontario, have unique bible verses engraved into the band. Jack Miner bands are sacred to most waterfowl hunters, and sadly to some they just have a price tag for Ebay.

Nicknames for leg bands are a common place among my friends. They are often referred to as: jewelry, bling-bling, shine, hardware or leg irons. We refer to hunters who shoot a lot of banded birds as having “the force.”

Roughly 3.1 million leg bands have been reported to date. That is pretty small considering that since 1904 about 58 million birds have been banded in North America. Both of these numbers represent hundreds of different species of birds.

Across the nation hunters shoot banded birds every year, in just about every location. They make the hunt just a little bit more memorable and leave the hunter with a little souvenir. The first thing I do when I retrieve a harvested bird is check for a band. I encourage you to do the same. Band information should be reported to 1-800-327-BAND.