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Thread: Late Winter Goose Hunting Boundary Bay

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
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    Surrey
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    24

    Late Winter Goose Hunting Boundary Bay

    Hi All,

    It's been a little while since I have posted in this community. I somehow migrated over to the Facebook hunting group but have recently deleted all social media accounts for the betterment of my mental health. Missing hunting stories, photos etc. got me back into frequenting this message board again.

    I have been hunting for a few years now after getting into it late as an adult hunter. Waterfowl hunting is completely new to me but I have been very excitedly waiting on the opener (today) of the late season for geese. This Feb-March season is my first go at it. Recently, I spent a few mornings getting down to the dykes early to watch the sun come up and check out the morning bird activity. After getting myself psyched up for the morning opener, this Monday I hit a bit of a wall of disappointment. An update to the delivery tracking of my new hunting shotgun alerted me that the anticipated delivery had changed from Monday to Wednesday - the day of Canada Geese opener

    No matter though, I decided to head down to Boundary Bay this morning to observe. I parked my truck at the end of 64th in the empty lot and walked back along the dyke to 72. In that time I heard no shots nor saw any evidence of anyone else being in the area. There was one other vehicle parked at 72, but I don't know if it belonged to a hunter.

    My question; why is that? I have heard that Boundary Bay is the better place to be for Canadas, at least in terms of lower mainland public land. Is this just not the time of year to hunt them in that area? Or is it more a factor of it being a weekday and that geese are not as well thought of as ducks?

    During my scouting missions I only saw Canadas on the North (safe) side of the dyke. That hadn't dissuaded me in the least though and I still plan to spend as many morning as I can freezing my tail off. I guess I am just confused by the lack of shit show I was promised.

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
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    1,122

    Re: Late Winter Goose Hunting Boundary Bay

    Mike, I was considering going today but decided to work on my resume this morning instead. Sounded like I missed nothing as I planned to hit that same area.

    It was indeed a shit show in the fall opener. Each of my group got one that day and many hunters also popped geese that morning and there was much crowding. I actually felt sorry for the geese who were running a gauntlet of fire. However, since going there the following weeks I saw little so my conclusion was that it was totally shot out after the opener and I transitioned to ducks at Brunswick. My experience last spring was also not really good. I was unemployed then (and funny enough, out of work again starting this week), and so was able to go out quite often but my sightings were very scattered at Boundary. Trouble with Boundary is that it is so wide open that the flocks have many many avenues to approach and so you could be set up many kms away from where they are flying by random chance. One day I would set up at point A to see them flying at Point B. Next day I would be at B and then they were back at A.

    My best day at Boundary I attributed to little more than random chance and staying hidden. I could see geese were flying and I sat with my back against a log and three geese made a bee line as if they wanted to sacrifice themselves to me. I had the easiest shots and got two and whiffed the third shot. From my stand point I had chosen just a random spot with a bit of cover between the beach and 64th. I could see nothing that was attracting the geese except heading to the flats. I had no decoys, nothing.

    As for why there were no other hunters - well actually that is a good thing. Again, when I had my weekdays free very very often I would be wandering without seeing a single hunter in long spaces of time. Given our limited numbers, I guess other hunters had better opportunities on private land or were working. I would be surprised if you didn't at least hear some popping off somewhere in Delta.

    I am most likely to try tomorrow to see for myself.
    Last edited by silveragent; 02-10-2021 at 01:37 PM.

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Vancouver
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    3,912

    Re: Late Winter Goose Hunting Boundary Bay

    I used to go to Boundary Bay a lot but turns out my wife hates eating pintails and is not too fond of widgeons either, both of which are predominant out there. Funny you guys talk about geese. I had never ever had a Canada goose come anywhere near me at BB.

    Went once last fall to see if I could maybe selectively pick off a mallard. No luck but I could have limited on the other ducks had I chose too.

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
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    1,122

    Re: Late Winter Goose Hunting Boundary Bay

    MicheID, there is a flock that likes loafing by the ponds behind the dykes and from my observations last year they will hit the fields and golf courses behind the dykes to. But I suspect after opening day in fall they have learned that the foreshore is death which is why I hoped they have forgotten with the break. But I'll see today as I have some time to scout and shoot if there are any. I may throw out some silos to see if they will have any effect.

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
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    1,122

    Re: Late Winter Goose Hunting Boundary Bay

    Did a short walk between 72nd and 64th. Nothing..a million ducks huddling in the protected ponds. Some shivering eagles. If any of you are the single hunter I saw by the log I hope your perseverance paid off. Brrrr

  7. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Surrey
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    Re: Late Winter Goose Hunting Boundary Bay

    Silveragent, best of luck to you if you do make it out there today! Hopefully the weather has things moving. And I guess I should be clear, I wasn't complaining about the lack of hunters - just surprised. Maybe the relative calm will lull the birds into mistakes. Positive thinking!

    I sort of understand the apparent randomness to the bird's travel mentioned. I was reading a "hot tip" to look for possible flight avenues along tree lines etc. but this really does not apply to this area. Just wide open space. But I'm still feeling confident and excited to get out there. Even if it's just to get out and work on my bird identification and patience.

  8. #7
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    Dec 2014
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    Re: Late Winter Goose Hunting Boundary Bay

    Mike I'm back home already after spending about 30m at Brunswick after my short look at 64th-72nd. I did not see a single goose. I saw plenty of duck activity but no Canadas, no snowies.

    When I was driving away from 64th I almost turned back because I saw clouds of birds heading toward the bay in line formation. I stopped the car and waited but alas it was a big flock of pintails.

  9. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Posts
    45

    Re: Late Winter Goose Hunting Boundary Bay

    Glad to hear I'm not the only one wondering about geese at Boundary Bay. I've read more than a few posts suggesting it's a better option over Brunswick for Canada's but I've not seen a one. Are people usually at the shore line or further out in a layout blind or something similar? Not much past the marsh other than the odd stump. Without a boat, is there any point in trying Brunswick at this time for either Canada's or Snows?

  10. #9
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
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    1,122

    Re: Late Winter Goose Hunting Boundary Bay

    Canadas in fall yes. We blew them up at opener at Boundary. But as I said, I had no luck with Canadas in spring on any public land. To be fair, I only seriously went out for them at Boundary last year. But I am more familiar with Brunswick and overall, Canadas are rare at Brunswick. I did have a couple opportunities this fall/winter at Canadas at Brunswick so not unheard of, just I never expect them. A local told me recently that the Canadas who are left after fall are locals who understand the local pressure. Fall is when you get migrating flocks who don't know.

    In previous years I have brought down snowies in spring at Brunswick - even had very good days. However, it can be a frustrating experience. You might see an immense flock one day and then they are gone the next day. Last year was largely a bust for me despite my being able to go out any day (was unemployed). Until the end of the spring season I really didn't see them. I don't think the snowies ever moved from Richmond where it was hilarious how tame they were there - go to Terra Nova Park. You can walk among them! I took my gf to see them there and she was like: "why don't you just grab one?"

    By the way, I took this photo last spring -- a week after the end of hunting season. This would have been in a legal hunting area in Brunswick. A week previously: zero.




    Even in Delta snowies have a lot of safe land to choose from. At Brunswick you can get a massive flock hanging out at the farm tantalizingly out of reach or within a hundred meters of the water's edge. Very few hunters decoy at Brunswick. You would need a thousand socks to compete with the true numbers of some of the flocks I have seen transiting that area. With snowies not landing, we tend to blur the lines between pass shooting and skybusting, which teaches snowies to regard it as death land. So if they are transiting from the Deltaport waters to the surrounding farms or to Westham Is. they have learned to not get low which again fuels the impulse to skybust. If you are no good at long shots, hiding and picking your opportunities, stay home.

    When I have brought out decoys I only had success in fall when the juveniles who don't know the danger are still ignorant of the risks. When snowie season comes around again I am probably going to decoy once at opening to see if the snowies have forgotten and then not invest much into it after. I'll still go out but without lugging loads of socks. In fall it is different because individuals and small groups are keen to join families and get mates, so you will see ones breaking off from a larger group to come check out a smaller amount of decoys. My group saw that happen this fall and we got a few. By spring, the snowies have had many months to socialize and the greys are now adults and any human is sus.

    When they are on, it is the most fun hunt. When I initially got into waterfowling I had a stretch where I was convinced snowies were the only thing out there and every sale I would buy decoys. But they are a tease - at least there. One day, a blizzard of them. Another day, they are not even in the same country. I moved onto ducks because of that. On any given day, there will always be a duck. I'm sure there is someone reading this right now who has farm access who slays them predictably but I am talking about this spot.

    Unless I hear about a better public spot (or can get on a farm), I will go out for snowies there but will likely just concentrate on observing their pattern on the day of and trying to get under the flight path and get hidden and hope they will get low. But I will also not expect anything and give up if they are just not flying. Not unless I want a nice nap away from civilization.

  11. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Posts
    45

    Re: Late Winter Goose Hunting Boundary Bay

    Great information, thanks Silveragent. This was my first season waterfowling, mostly at Brunswick with a few days at BB. Of the dozen or so times I went I could always hear the geese in the distance, especially at DeltaPort, but never saw them in flight. Took a lot of work to figure out Brunswick with the tides, channels, and such but managed some success towards the end of duck season. Already scouting for next season, have access to cartop so may explore the islands off Ladner marsh this spring/summer.

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