1st time SD trip

Rooster33

New member
I am planning a hunting trip this fall for my kids first pheasant hunting trip. We are heading to Aberdeen. I've never been to SD, so I am wondering if you need to get to public land pretty early before shooting time? Does it get crowded close to town? Any suggestions on where to try? Thanks for any tips or advice.
 
If you're looking for the best hunting and opportunities for a kid there is no better opportunity than the 5 day youth season. They let you start at 10 instead of noon. Usually far less crowded. I was 11 when they started these youth seasons. It was a great way for me to start. Plus none of the birds have been hunted yet.
 
Here's what the Handbook says about eligibility for the Youth Season.

ELIGIBILITY: Resident and nonresident youth hunters must be 12 (or turn 12 by Dec. 31) through
17 years old and properly licensed to hunt during the youth pheasant season. Those under age 16 must
possess a valid hunter education certificate. If participating in a Resident Mentored Hunt, the youth
hunter must be at least age 10 and less than 16. See pages 62-63 for the requirements for “Mentored
and Youth Small Game Hunting.”
 
Rooster33, I'm not familiar with the Aberdeen area, but I've been hunting public land in SD for many years & rarely have problems finding a spot to myself. The majority of my hunting is within a weird-shaped quadrilateral with corners at Humboldt, Spencer, Brookings & Lake Thompson, for the most part within an hour +/- of Sioux Falls. The reason I don't fight crowds is, first, because in the first few weeks I don't even try to be first to a spot. Second (don't tell anybody this), noon is usually a tough time of day to find pheasants in public CRP grass & cattails in October & early November. It's usually a lot easier to find a few birds if you wait until everyone else has had a whack at them (if you have a decent dog). I understand that some guys, and especially kids, may really, really, really want to be hunting when shooting hours open. That's fine. Go find the lightest cover possible & walk a little. But concentrate on these 2 times: 2.5 to 4 hours before sunset and the hour before sunset.
 
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