The long, cold winter has finally broken and everyone is itching to get outside. In Missouri, one of our favorite ways to celebrate the changing of the seasons is Snow Goose hunting. Many of the locals started their annual hunting excursions as early as February, and will continue to hunt straight through the spring. Whether you are a first timer or have been hunting geese for years, we hoop to see you out here with us soon!

The Snow Goose

This species of bird is typically white with black wingtips. When the geese are not flying, this marking can be difficult to see, but it is very visible once the bird is airborne. There is also "dark phase" goose, which usually have a dark-brown body with a white head and neck.

The snow goose traditionally winters in coastal marsh areas, digging up roots and tubers for food. However, with milder winters and modern farming practices Missouri a perfect wintering and feeding ground for the birds before they migrate north for the mating season, which is May to August. The birds will migrate south again once the young are ready for travel, about six to eight weeks after hatching.

Hunting the Snow Goose in Missouri

Missouri offers many benefits to hunters seeking the ideal place to hunt snow geese:

• Inexpensive - virtually every aspect of hunting snow geese is cheaper in Missouri. Hunting licenses are generally cheaper here than in other states. Gasoline prices are often less expensive here as well, making travel less   costly. In addition, lodging prices are extremely reasonable, allowing you to save even more money.

• Availability - the snow goose population wintering in the Missouri area is significant. The landscape and food sources make it the ideal place for the snow goose to winter. Until they head north for the nesting season, the snow goose population is very abundant and readily accessible.

• Conservation Order - simply put, you can bag as many snow geese as you like when you are hunting snow geese in Missouri. The Conservation Order is set to reduce the overall population because of the excessive snow goose population, allowing hunters to enjoy unlimited hunting. With the right group of hunters, you could walk away from your trip with dozens of geese for Easter dinner!

Using Local Guides for Missouri Snow Goose Hunting

Experienced snow goose hunters may want to go it on their own, but they can benefit from using a local guide just as much as a newbie. The sport takes years to master, so everyone is much better off ensuring a great trip rather than to risk going it on their own.

Here are just a few of the benefits of using a local snow goose hunting guide:

• Experience - most guides have been hunting snow geese for dozens of years in the local area. They understand the daily habits of the bird and literally know the terrain like the back of their hand. They are also experienced in using decoys and calls that will attract the geese, making it easier pickings' for the group.

• Equipment - do you know what equipment works best in local area? What decoys should be used? Where should they be placed? What type of game call works best for these geese? These are all things you will not have to worry about because your guide takes care of it for you while at the same time teaching you how to hunt the area properly.

• Dedicated Fields - in many cases, local guides have specific fields they use for their hunts. In addition to the fields being packed with fowl, you will not have to worry about staking out your territory against other goose hunters. Someone going about it on his or her own simply does not have this luxury.

These are just a few of the benefits of using a local snow goose hunting guide. We encourage you to pick up the phone to talk about your next trip with a guide so you can learn firsthand how much more beneficial it is to have a guide than to try to take on a spring snow goose hunting trip on your own.

So, are you ready to start hunting snow geese? There are plenty of options available, but the smart hunters will use a local guide to enhance the overall enjoyment of the trip. Simply put, do you really want to risk a failed trip when you are only able to make one trip a year? Since you are going to save so much money by hunting in Missouri, you might as well use some of those savings on a local guide to ensure you have a successful trip!