Pheasant count

[bobby fulgham]

Hey Guys. Never posted here before but have been reading the forums since I discovered them last fall. Can anyone tell me when the 2011 population estimates by region/county will be published? Everything I find is 2010. Thanks.

 

[8dtrain8]

The counts should be posted on the South Dakota Game and Fish website by the end of the month. I believe that they started counting on the 15th of August.

 

[bobby fulgham]

Thanks 8d. I travel 1000 miles one way to hunt SD each fall. Helps to see that before deciding which area to try to reserve a room for the opening week.

 

[Roosterslayer]

BF,

Historically, the best counts are found around the Chamberlein area, part of the "golden triangle". Good luck finding a hotel at this time of the year for opening week. Been doing the same searching and not yielding alot of positive results. You can order your pheasant packet online which normally come out early Sept. I would expect the numbers to be posted late Aug. or early Sept. We also travel or 1000 miles one way and have been doing so for the last few years hunting nothing but public. Always a good time and the farmers we meet can't believe we drive all the way to SD to hunt pheasants. Can't wait for mid Oct.

 

[bobby fulgham]

Slayer, I always hunt public around the Mitchell area. Have been on the high dollar hunts where you shoot the limit for a dozen hunters 30 mins after season opens at noon, but just does nothing for me. Much rather hunt the public areas with my dogs. Last year I waited too late to decide where to go and could not get a room. Went and hunted about 3 areas and after getting my limit, had to drive around for the remainder of the day to get a room. Trying to avoid that this year. Thanks for advise, good hunting and safe driving.

 

[kgpcr]

What time of year do the hunters thing out a bit?

 

[Old Dog]

I've been going the second week of Nov. for the last couple of years. No problem getting a room, the crowds have thinned a little, and the weather is still decent.

 

[Road Runner]

For those of you who live in South Dakota. Any guesses on what the survey results will be? What are you guys seeing on the ground right now?

 

[haymaker]

Speaking for my own land that I work on I am seeing young birds and some very young birds. With all the cover it will be hard to know for a while. I said a while ago that I thought it would be a 7 on a scale of 10. That is just in my local area. It will probably be a little tougher in the north east.

 

[Dakotazeb]

For those of you who live in South Dakota. Any guesses on what the survey results will be? What are you guys seeing on the ground right now?

Suppose to be out by the end of this month. If someone doesn't beat me to it I'll post it on this site when it's available.

 

[rjbert2]

I ordered the 2011 maps, but look forward to seeing your post.

Regarding the "Best time to hunt" question. It was suggested to me last year to shoot for the 2nd week in November. It was a great suggestion.

Not much of a problem at all getting rooms. The public areas are usually quiet, the temp varies. Hopefully there's a better chance the temps are much cooler. That's always a gamble.

I can't wait to get back out there. It's funny even at my age it's amazing how excited I can get just waiting and thinking about getting out there with my son, nephews and the dogs chasing some birds. WOW.

 

[SDJIM]

SD bird numbers

For those of you who live in South Dakota. Any guesses on what the survey results will be? What are you guys seeing on the ground right now?

I'm planning a dove hunt on my land in south central SD and will let ya know how the pheasant numbers look like--so far my contacts there think it is going to be as good as last year at least, in other words pretty good for SD. Again for early hunting its a matter of the corn harvest, as long as there is standing corn the hunting will be hard.

 

[Anrab]

I've been going the second week of Nov. for the last couple of years. No problem getting a room, the crowds have thinned a little, and the weather is still decent.

I follow the same logic, but go the first week in Nov. The greatest gamble is the harvest, if the corn and beans are in (or under harvest activity) then the birds are concentrated. I remember in 2009, there was a ton of rain and snow the last week of October, the harvest was pushed back a couple of weeks, made for some longer days, but it was still better than anywhere else.

For lodging I like to stay at state parks, usually get a sleeper cabin, and use the shower facilities if they are open. The last 4 or 5 times I had the entire park to myself, plus there is about 40 acres on the back side where you can hunt. Limited out there many times, it's all good. :thumbsup:

Barna