# Blue Ross Goose?



## Hunter22 (Dec 13, 2011)

My nephew shot this goose last Sunday and didnt know what kind it was, is it a Blue Ross goose or just a young Ross goose?


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## Boudreaux (Dec 13, 2011)

Hunter22 said:


> My nephew shot this goose last Sunday and didnt know what kind it was, is it a Blue Ross goose or just a young Ross goose?




You do know that a "blue" goose is actually a snow goose in an early molt?  

I have seen pictures of a Ross or maybe a hybrid in a blue phase, although I have read in Delta Waterfowl's magazine that Ross geese do NOT go through a blue phase.

It's hard to see the bill from this angle, but you either have evidence to contradict DW or you have a young SNOW goose in its blue phase.


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## Hunter22 (Dec 13, 2011)

Boudreaux said:


> You do know that a "blue" goose is actually a snow goose in an early molt?
> 
> I have seen pictures of a Ross or maybe a hybrid in a blue phase, although I have read in Delta Waterfowl's magazine that Ross geese do NOT go through a blue phase.
> 
> It's hard to see the bill from this angle, but you either have evidence to contradict DW or you have a young SNOW goose in its blue phase.



What is a DW goose? He said the bill color looked like the feet, a soft pinkish fleshy color.


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## Boudreaux (Dec 13, 2011)

Delta Watefowl


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## Hunter22 (Dec 13, 2011)

Boudreaux said:


> Delta Watefowl



I thought you meant DW as in some kind of goose. So its a young snow goose you think?


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## Boudreaux (Dec 13, 2011)

Hunter22 said:


> I thought you meant DW as in some kind of goose. So its a young snow goose you think?




That's my best guess.  

Or a hybrid, or a rare Ross goose that does have a blue phase despite what DW reported.


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## levi5002 (Dec 13, 2011)

Boudreaux said:


> You do know that a "blue" goose is actually a snow goose in an early molt?
> 
> I have seen pictures of a Ross or maybe a hybrid in a blue phase, although I have read in Delta Waterfowl's magazine that Ross geese do NOT go through a blue phase.
> 
> It's hard to see the bill from this angle, but you either have evidence to contradict DW or you have a young SNOW goose in its blue phase.



A blue goose is not a juvenile snow.....
Snow geese come in two color phases. You have juve snows and juve blues. adult snows and adult blues.
Then there are Ross geese. smaller than snows but same color.
What you most likely have shot is a BLUE PHASE ROSS and its a mount worthy bird for sure. need more photo's to be 100%.


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## georgiaboy (Dec 13, 2011)

To jump on the bandwagon, I see a Christmas present opportunity. That call is begging to get lost in his shell belt. You ought to buy him a double loop lanyard for his call.  Not picking, but if you're like me, I can never come up with good present ideas.

Nice goose, whatever it is.  Ive never seen a Ross in GA (not sure where he killed it). I know guys have and they make it here like snows.  Snows do come in both flavors, I've killed both and Ross.


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## levi5002 (Dec 13, 2011)

heres a photo of one of our guides with a blue phase ross...
and the other is of mostly juve snows and blues. the first 2 rows are all juvenile blues. Darker grey and more uniformed, where as a juve snow is splotchy or patchy white and grey with the primary's being predominantly black.

Please mount that bird(if it is a BPR), as an outfitter we only killed 3-4 BLUE PHASED ROSS.

Hope this helps!


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## Mark K (Dec 13, 2011)

I've only seen three and they were all in one guy's collection!!! Mount it!!


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## steveus (Dec 13, 2011)

Good trophy bird. A young blue would not have the "eagle" head. Mature Ross blue phase would be my guess, although I really didn't know they existed, but it makes sense. I'd mount it. I've killed lots of snows, blues, a few white ross, but never one of these. Very nice.

Steve


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## Boudreaux (Dec 14, 2011)

levi5002 said:


> A blue goose is not a juvenile snow.....
> Snow geese come in two color phases. You have juve snows and juve blues. adult snows and adult blues.
> Then there are Ross geese. smaller than snows but same color.
> What you most likely have shot is a BLUE PHASE ROSS and its a mount worthy bird for sure. need more photo's to be 100%.




I did not say that a blue goose was a juvenile snow, but thanks for quoting my post to make it look like I did.  I grew up in NELA and have seen literally millions of blues and snows.  The only one I have mounted is what we call and "eagle head", and I also have a Ross mounted.

I'm judging by the SIZE of the bird.  Since I can't see more features, if it is a blue, it is a young one.

As I stated, I've seen pictures of blue phase Ross, but have never seen one.  There was an article in DW a few years ago that stated Ross do not go through a blue phase, which surprised me to read, as I had previously seen pictures.

Without more pictures or bird in hand, I can't tell you that it is in fact a blue phase Ross.  If it is, it is rare.

I have just heard from the godfather that he has seen blue phase Ross, so I put my faith in the fact that they do exist. 

He may have one here.


Eagle Head snow goose coming out of blue phase.






Everyday ordinary Ross goose.  Never seen one in blue phase.


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## levi5002 (Dec 14, 2011)

ok....


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## jerry russell (Dec 14, 2011)

I am going with the rare blue ross as well based solely on the small size. I would like to see the head up close.

This is my son's Georgia snow from last season and it is a BIG bird. Sure seems a lot bigger that that bird anyway. Mount that bird, whatever you do. They make beautiful mounts.


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## 10gaMafia (Dec 15, 2011)

Have you guys ever seen a white bellied blue goose?  My guide over in Brinkley, Ar only sees 1 or 2 killed a year.  I'd love to have an eagle head white bellied blue on the wall.


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## Hunter22 (Dec 15, 2011)

He gets so lucky when hunting. Thats his 2nd goose he has ever shot! It was shot in Dooly County.


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## fourshot (Dec 15, 2011)

A blue ross s very rare it is the rariest goose there is congrats . Wish it was mine 
Clint


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## across the river (Dec 21, 2011)

Hunter22 said:


> My nephew shot this goose last Sunday and didnt know what kind it was, is it a Blue Ross goose or just a young Ross goose?



Blue Phase ross geese do exist, but I don't think this is one of them.  Although the picture is not that clear, it appears this goose has the black smiling band along his beak which indicates it is a snow goose.    His body does look small, but he also doesn't appear to have that short head and greyish blue bill you see on a ross goose.  My money is on it being a snow goose.  I personally would probably mount it, because I have never killed a snow goose in GA.  Here is a picture of a blue ross goose for those who thought they didn't exist.


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## levi5002 (Dec 21, 2011)

10gaMafia said:


> Have you guys ever seen a white bellied blue goose?  My guide over in Brinkley, Ar only sees 1 or 2 killed a year.  I'd love to have an eagle head white bellied blue on the wall.



here ya go...killed this guy last season. blue with an almost all white belly....


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## Stripe King (Dec 22, 2011)

There's no way this could be a blue phase Ross's.  Because of it's small size, I'd say it was a Lesser Blue Phase Snow.  Still an awesome looking bird from..........Dooly County?  Wow!


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## Woods Savvy (Dec 22, 2011)

They are so inbread theres no real way of telling. It's what you want to call it. Still uncommon in Ga.


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