Wild Wings Snow Geese Migration Festival
March 27 – 29, 2020 in Choteau, Montana.
March in north central Montana is most often marked by Chinook Winds, melting snowdrifts and the occasional early Douglasia flower. The most spectacular phenomena of all, though, is the annual spring Snow Geese migration. Picture hundreds of thousands of snow geese lifting off from a partially frozen lake: a myriad of flapping wings, honking, and a flying pattern that appears chaotic and completely organized at the same time. It is a sight to behold.
Freezout Lakes Wildlife Management Area, located between Choteau and Fairfield, Montana, is the epicenter for Snow Geese activity during this time. Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks owns and manages the 11,350 acre area. Over 200 species of birds use Freezout Lake and it is a major resting stop for Snow Geese traveling northbound from California, Texas, and the Gulf Coast. They congregate at Freezeout Lake for a few weeks around mid March before slowly making their way to their nesting grounds – the extreme northwest Arctic coast of Canada and Alaska. The birds generally feed twice a day – they lift off from the lakes in the early morning to go feed in the neighboring grain fields and then return to the lakes in the late morning. This pattern occurs again in the late afternoon. For more information about the geese, check out this flier.
This year the second annual Wild Wings in Choteau will be on March 27 – 29. The event includes two tours of Freezout Lakes with professional birding guides, two presentations by Fish, Wildlife and Parks Biologists, a chili dinner, and the Old Trail Museum’s Wild Game Feed (a fundraiser for the museum). Oh yeah, and lots of white birds.
Dropstone Outfitting will be organizing the tours to Freezout. Tours are $5, and to reserve a space, contact Maggie at [email protected] or call us at (406) 289 – 0863.
Design by Bonnie Griffis
Schedule of Events
Friday, March 27
6:30 – 7:30 PM: Meet and Greet Chili Feed at the Stage Stop Inn. Free Will Donation
7:30 PM: Migration: RMF Wildlife Perspectives, a presentation by FWP biologist Brent Lonner.
Saturday, March 28
6:30 – 10:30 AM: Guided Tours of Freezout Lake, the epicenter of Snow Geese activity in the area. Meet in the lobby of the Stage Stop Inn. $5 for van tour or you may follow in your own vehicle.
1 PM: White Geese Over Montana. Presentation by Mike Schwitters, world renowned master birder. FREE. Located at the Stage Stop Inn’s Breakfast Room.
5:30 PM: Doors open for the Old Trails Museum’s Wild Game Feed. Museum Fundraiser. Admission is free will donation. Potluck dinner with wild game and non-game dishes, silent auction, live auction, and a 50/50 drawing. Located in the Stage Stop Inn’s Rocky Mountain Convention Center.
Sunday, March 29
6:30 – 10:30 AM: Guided Tours of Freezout Lake, the epicenter of Snow Geese activity in the area. Meet in the lobby of the Stage Stop Inn. $5 for van tour or you may follow in your own vehicle.
** All Weekend
Front Range Art Association open house on Main Street featuring bird themed work by local artists.
Contact Information:
Stage Stop Inn Motel Reservations: (406) 466 – 5900 or www.stagestopinn.com.
Snow Geese Tour Van Reservations: [email protected] or (406) 289 – 0863
General Info: facebook.com/wildwingschoteau
Freezout Lake Wildlife Management Area Info: (406) 467 – 2646
