R. Michael DiLullo

A Spring Snowstorm

I had never seen a white tornado before. I had heard the stories, seen the almost unbelievable images in hunting publications and even a video or two, but try as I might, I could not really visualize what thousands of greater snow geese slowly circling lower and lower into an agricultural field would look like. I don’t think anyone really can, for it truly is one of nature’s phenomenons. It is a sight that is really an experience, one that every waterfowler should see for himself to truly understand the grandeur and sheer greatness of this awe-inspiring spectacle.

Then, one morning several springs ago, as we were lying in a cut-corn field on the New Jersey side of the mouth of the Delaware Bay, I would see a snowy twister firsthand. Jerry Kucharski of Del-Bay Guide Service, words broke the morning silence with “Here they come!” I sat up from the padded recliner I had been lying on amongst nearly 1300 decoys. Staring off into the distant horizon across the flat agricultural lowlands of Southern Jersey, I figured I must be due for an eye exam; all I saw was a blue sky with some faint hazy clouds on the far horizon. I looked at my bewildered hunting partners positioned to my right and in unison we all questioned “Where?” Jerry pointed to the distant horizon, then as if sensing we still had not caught on said, “you see those darker gray clouds just over the far trees, that’s them!”

The growing haze we were all now intently staring at must have been more than several miles away. Although I first had my doubts about the “goose cloud” just being Jerry’s way of busting the chops of a bunch of first timers, those misgivings were beginning to dissipate as a low grumbling noise became more audible, as the “cloud” grew closer. I looked back at my hunting partners both of whom seemed to be as awe-struck as I was.

As if on cue, a slight wind picked up, bringing the white plastic rags to attention. The Texas rags resembled a thousand tiny windsocks and the growing intensity of the breeze caused the faux white birds to come to life. They seemed to waddle and move in a wave across the vast corn stubble field. All of the dancing plastic lent some appealing movement to our spread. To give the birds some additional encouragement we each began flagging as the guide called in a series of raspy barks followed by some quick high-pitched grunts and squeals.

We had set the decoys up in a classic “C” or half-moon crescent pattern, our backs to the slight breeze and facing the open landing area twenty or so yards to our front. Each hunter was positioned among the decoys, along the inside edge of the crescent. Our camouflage consisted of white plastic “painters” jump suits over our own camo outfits. Even though the weather during this hunt was very mild for February, lying still on the ground for long hours in any weather will required the use of a good warm outfit. And, as in most waterfowling, gloves and facemasks helped to conceal us from the wary, sharp-eyed birds.

As the swirling mass of white geese grew closer, their rambunctious calling seemed to overtake us like a wave of noise and it all but drowned out any other audible sounds. The first flocks of birds to reach us were still too high for our 12 gauges. The next group was lower, but they swung to the right, skirting the spread. The birds twisted, turned, dropped, and at times even bumping into one another causing them to flip sideways and lose some altitude before finally righting themselves again and continuing on.

We had set the decoys up in a classic “C” or half-moon crescent pattern, our backs to the slight breeze and facing the open landing area twenty or so yards to our front. Photo by: Author

These late season birds were very cautious, and with good reason. They had been hunted for nearly six months from Canada on south to Virginia and North Carolina. It seemed as if thousands of eyes were scanning our spread in an effort to determine whether or not the field was safe for the hungry birds to enter. The flow of birds seemed to go on forever as skein after skein of greater snow geese passed over our set-up, some at different altitudes as if stacked one on top of the other in some sort of controlled flight pattern.

I continued to watch the birds pass over us by the thousands and was still caught up in the amazement of the sight when it happened. In the field to our right, across a stretch of road, maybe a half-mile away, the birds began to set down. It seemed as if all the birds in the air wanted to land in the same one-acre patch of ground. As the first birds to touch down began to take up all the prime real estate, the birds still in the air began to slowly circle awaiting their opportunity to land. The circling swarm of white birds began to increase in size; forming a living mass that was rapidly growing in numbers and was causing a large funnel-shaped twister to form. The huge cluster of snows was now also gaining in altitude as more and more birds were joining the group, all trying to settle in on the same piece of ground. Because of all the noise, I almost didn’t hear the guide yelling for us to get ready. Then something caught my attention, coming in low behind us and to our left was a line of snows heading towards the now mushroom-shaped mass of geese and a low growing cloud of dust being kicked up by the landing birds.

	There wasn’t much need for lead or swing, it was more of a "block out a bird with the end of your barrel" shot and then find another. Photo by: Author

The incoming birds continued straight towards us, some actually lowering their feet and looking as if they were going to land right on top of us. In one quick action, I sat up and shifted my position; I was now facing the incoming flock. Bringing my Remington to bear as the first birds in the line passed the edge of our decoys. Picking out a single bird, I fired and quickly worked the action of the pump gun. There wasn’t much need for lead or swing, it was more of a “block out a bird with the end of your barrel” shot and then find another. After dropping two of the three birds I was shooting at, I was now franticly trying to get three more shells into the Wingmaster’s magazine before the flight of birds passed out of range. Back in the fight, I dropped one bird high overhead and heading away that hit the ground running. As the remaining birds franticly climbed and scattered, exceeding the range of our guns, Jerry called for a “cease-fire”. We cleared our guns and went to recover our birds.

Jerry was busy sending his Chesapeake Bay Retriever, “Ace”, after the cripples, while we hurriedly picked up the dead birds and laid them among the decoys near our recliners. I kept an eye on the swarm of circling snows, which was now beginning to dissipate as more and more of the birds settled into the distant field. We had several more good shoots throughout the day, as small groups of snows would descend into our spread and we took turns shooting and backing one another as pairs or singles came in. None of us left with a limit, but we all retained a memory of our first snows and the white tornado!

This was my first spring snow goose hunt. It took place in late February of 1999. This hunt occurred before federal regulations changed, allowing hunters to remove the plugs from their guns. Current longer seasons, liberal bag limits, which allow 15 snow geese per hunter per day with no possession limit and the elimination of plugged shotguns, have helped to increase harvest rates and lower the population levels.

There are three species of wild white geese in North America. These species are the Ross’ goose, the lesser snow goose, including the blue phase color called a “blue” goose, which are collectively known as “light geese”, and the greater snow goose. Light geese are primarily found in the Mississippi and Central flyways, while greater snows migrate within the Atlantic flyway. Because all three of these species numbers have rapidly increased over the past three decades, they are basically devouring their fragile arctic breeding grounds. These tundra wetlands are slow to recover from this extensive habitat damage. White geese are herbivorous grubbers, feeding mainly on roots and shoots of native tidal and marsh grasses and aquatic vegetation. On wintering grounds and during their spring migration North, they can also be found foraging in agricultural fields feeding on waste grains. Greater snows winter from Southern New Jersey south to North Carolina, with approximately 80% of the overall population in the Atlantic Flyway wintering from southern New Jersey to Northern Virginia.

Unlike most other migrant waterfowl species, hunting snow geese offers the opportunity to harvest large number of birds, while actually helping to ensure the health and future of these magnificent white birds! Photo by: Author

Jerry and his staff are based in Delaware, but guide waterfowlers throughout the famed Atlantic Flyway wintering grounds of Southern New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland. These areas traditionally hold more than 600,000 greater snow geese annually. These white geese winter over along the plentiful agricultural lands, bays, tidal marshes, countless holding ponds and the National Wildlife Refuge system that makes up the famed Eastern Shore area. Jerry leases more than 16,000 acres of prime agricultural flyway farmland in these three states and by rotating his hunting parties over more than 58 fields; he helps to ensure quality hunting from October through February. Most of the field hunting is done from either pit blinds or laying out in the decoys, which usually includes a mixture of rags, shells, silhouettes and full bodies. Jerry also offers a variety of other waterfowling experiences, including Canada goose hunts and both puddle and diver duck hunting.

The image of tens of thousands of snow geese drifting across vast blue Mid-Atlantic skies is a sight all true sportsmen will appreciate. To many hunters, the sight of wild geese on the wing represents ideals of self-reliance, freedom and the grandeur of nature; the essences of why we go afield. Snow goose hunting is an experience all waterfowlers will enjoy. Unlike most other migrant waterfowl species, hunting snow geese offers the opportunity to harvest large number of birds, while actually helping to ensure the health and future of these magnificent white birds!

Jerry Kucharski and Del-Bay Guide Service can be reached by phone at: 1-800-500-7640 or visit them on the web at: www.delbayguide.com.