This year I am offering Spring Conservation Hunts in Missouri and South Dakota.  The spring migration is absolutely an amazing thing to witness from a layout blind in the middle of a corn field or edge of a pasture pond.  Imagine thousands of snows, blues, and ross's geese tornado'ing into the decoys.  Ducks scraping their bellies across the tops of the layout blinds they are so close.  Canada geese and white fronted geese back pedaling in the spread.  It’s simply an amazing time to be afield. 

 

 

The Spring Conservation Order allows us to harvest Snow geese, Blue geese, and Ross's geese with liberal regulations.  We are allowed the use of unplugged shotguns, generous daily limits or no limits at all, no possession limit, electronic callers, and extended shooting hours. 

 

 

Most hunts will take place in harvested corn fields but occasionally we will hunt a pasture pond from time to time if the birds are using it.  All hunts will take place out of layout blinds and will take place over large spreads of windsock and sillosock decoys.  I also use custom made ecallers that I have perfected over the years of hunting and guiding for snow geese.  I will always consider myself a student of snow geese even though I have years of experience.  I am always trying new methods, new tricks, and new gadgets to tip the odds my way.

 

In Missouri most hunts will take place in northwestern Missouri.  On the morning of your hunt we will meet early in the morning at a pre designated meeting point.  Depending on location it is usually s restaurant or gas station so you can get something to eat or drink in the morning and get enough snacks and drinks to get you through an all day hunt.  While at the meeting place you will have to sign a waiver, get a quick safety talk, some tips for the hunt, and I will collect the remainder of the balance due.  After we are done there we will travel to the field.  I will use an ATV and large otter sled to get your gear (guns, ammunition, extra clothing, snacks and drinks) out to the blinds and decoys which will already be set out from the night before.  Once we get everything to the blinds and get situated I will give another quick talk about safety and shooting lanes and what to expect. I will then hide the ATV and sled and soon as it is legal shooting time we will load the guns and get ready.

 

Most days the shooting slows mid day and we will break to get lunch and refuel the tanks if you will and most times I will spend some of that time scouting to try and find out what the birds are doing in the area.  I advise everyone to take a trip into Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge.  The sheer number of birds and variety are simply amazing, it is something everyone should see at least once.  After a lunch break we will meet at the field again and hunt until a half hour after sunset.  We will load up the sled and ATV and get your gear back to your vehicles along with the day’s harvest.  Clients will be responsible for the cleaning of their own birds, although I will show you some quick methods to clean your birds while still leaving a fully feathered wing or head attached.

 

 

Rates and Dates for 2010

Due to a recent cancellation I have two more days available.  March 10th-12th is open, I will book two of the three days.  Special rates will be $150 per person per day if you take one of the days, $135 per person per day if you take two days.  Contact me ASAP as I'm sure these days will go fast.  Thanks, see you out there.

 

Missouri: February 15th through March 15th

 

South Dakota: March 20th through April 15th 

 

$175 per day, per person, 1 day hunt

 

$150 per day, per person, 2 or more days of hunting

 

A 50% deposit per person in your party is required within two weeks of booking to retain the dates you selected.  The deposit is non refundable.

 

Contact me for information about bringing your own dog. 

 

There will be a maximum of 6 hunters per field.  It will take a party of six hunters to have a field solely to themselves.  Meaning that if a party of 2 and a party of 4 both book for the same dates they will be paired together to make a mixed party of six in the field together that day. 

 

What you need to Bring:

In the spring it can be 70 degrees with a warm southerly breeze or it can be below zero with a bone chilling wind from the north.  You will need to be prepared for every weather condition you can imagine.  Good waterproof clothing is must for a lot of the weather conditions, both pants , jackets, and boots.  I would also recommend bringing waders if you have them because snow melt off or rain can make for some muddy conditions even inside the layout blinds.  Warm hats and gloves are also something you will want to have.  Brown, or camouflage hats are required and if there is snow on the ground a white hat is very beneficial.  A face mask if you have one is good to have along as well as sunglasses for those bright and sunny days. You will have to bring your own snacks and beverages.  Having enough snacks and drinks to last you the whole day will make it a much more enjoyable day in the field.  There will be no consumption of alcoholic beverages while in the field!   Ammunition is also something you will have to bring yourself.  I would recommend at least 2-3 boxes of non toxic shells per day.  Three inch or longer in shot size #2 or bigger with a lot of guys preferring BB. 

 

I hunt out of slightly larger layout blinds so a little larger hunter should have no problem fitting in the blind.  I’m 6’3” 265 lbs myself and don’t want to be crammed into a tiny layout blind.  I do ask that everything you bring to the blind in the morning be able to fit into your blind with you.  This includes shells, snacks, drinks and extra clothing.  I will have a garbage bag for wrappers and spent shotgun hulls.  I like to keep the fields as clean as possible.  Also if you are a smoker you will have to throw your cigarette butts into an empty bottle in your blind, some of the farmers I lease from do not like the cigarette butts left all over their fields.

 

To summarize what you need to provide:

• Gun
• Ammunition (non toxic)
• Clothing for the weather
• License
• Food and Drink
• Lodging (I can recommend the closest and best rates for lodging when you book your hunt)

Missouri Non Resident Spring Conservation Order license is $40. 

You can buy a license locally or online at the link provided below. 

 

South Dakota Non Resident Spring Conservation Order license is $45.

They can also be purchased locally or online at the South Dakota Link below.

 

I also just created a Facebook page for Ironland Adventures so everyone can stay up to speed as the spring migration proceeds.  I will update and report on it as often as possible.  You can view the Facebook page at the link below.

 

Thanks for Looking, for any questions or inquiring about available dates either call or email,

Bill Artwich Jr - owner/operator

Ironland Adventures

phone:  906-367-3206 or 906-265-4439

email:  bill.artwich@ironlandadventures.com