Aberdeen Opening Week

R

Rich.

New member
How busy is Aberdeen during opening week of pheasant season (monday-Friday)? If I drive 30-45 minutes outside of the city each day am I going to be able to find land to hunt that isn't already packed with other hunters?
 
Aberdeen is busy, especially the first week of the season. I'm assuming you plan to hunt public land? You should be able to find places to hunt but it would be much easier if you waited a week or two.
 
Dakotazeb said:
Aberdeen is busy, especially the first week of the season. I'm assuming you plan to hunt public land? You should be able to find places to hunt but it would be much easier if you waited a week or two.
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Yes, the plan is to hunt public land. Unfortunately this is the only week we're able to do it as my hunting partner can't get vacation time any later in the year.
 
Roadside ditches, also look for rights of way and two-track section line roads shown on the public lands map. Also be aware of occupied dwellings -- no shooting within I think it's 660 ft. (1/8th mi.). If the occupant hasn't marked it, you can get a feel for this distance as 1/4 the distance between an intersection and a half section fence line.

Jay
 
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gunflint charlie said:
Roadside ditches, also look for rights of way and two-track section line roads shown on the public lands map. Also be aware of occupied dwellings -- no shooting within I think it's 660 ft. (1/8th mi.). If the occupant hasn't marked it, you can get a feel for this distance as 1/4 the distance between an intersection and a half section fence line.

Jay
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Forgive my ignorance, I haven't hunted SD ever, but am going this year. So it's legal to hunt roadside ditches as long as you aren't within 1/8th of a mile of an occupied dwelling? Any certain kind of road that's prohibited?

That sounds totally crazy to me. Do people just drive out to the country park their cars and walk ditches?
 
The handbook lays out the rules pretty well to hunting ditches. One main thing being the bird has to originate from the road right of way or be flying over it when you shoot. Must also retrieve the bird without your gun if it falls on private land. 660 also applies to hunting around livestock.
 
The entire handbook is on the SDGF&P website. If you wish, you can pick one up at most gas stations in small towns in SD when you get here as well.
 
It's been a few years but i remember the gun laws are pretty minimal too right ?
Is it that you can drive with your gun between your legs and a handful of shells in your lap as long as your chamber is empty ? But you have to turn off your motor to shoot from beside your vehicle or if its running you have to walk 50ft or so ?

I don't think you'd ever see the light of day if you tried that in California !!!!
 
david0311

Norcal-Noodler said:
It's been a few years but i remember the gun laws are pretty minimal too right ?
Is it that you can drive with your gun between your legs and a handful of shells in your lap as long as your chamber is empty ? But you have to turn off your motor to shoot from beside your vehicle or if its running you have to walk 50ft or so ?

I don't think you'd ever see the light of day if you tried that in California !!!!
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You are correct-- and stupid gun law's are probably the reason the crime rate in California is so much lower that South Dakota :rolleyes::rolleyes: :eek:
 
s.davis said:
Forgive my ignorance, I haven't hunted SD ever, but am going this year. So it's legal to hunt roadside ditches as long as you aren't within 1/8th of a mile of an occupied dwelling? Any certain kind of road that's prohibited?

That sounds totally crazy to me. Do people just drive out to the country park their cars and walk ditches?
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Yes, ditch hunting is one of the more affective ways to hunt SD. Rather than having an endless amount of grassland to walk and the birds could be running without ever getting up, you can hunt ditches where, on one side is a picked corn field, the other side is the gravel road, and ahead of you is a field entrance. So eventually those birds will have to fly.

Ditch hunting is completely normal, nobody will look at you weird or anything like that.

I like finding areas that have picked corn fields on both sides of the road. Park the truck and walk one ditch down to the next intersection, then walk the ditch on the other side of the road back to the truck.

And then you also have Road Hunting, which is another popular form of hunting. I generally avoid road hunting, since I love watching a dog work. But road hunting involves driving around scanning the ditches, then getting out and shooting (legally) a bird when you see it. It is commonly done in the last hour of the day. One variation of road hunting that I occasionally do, is road hunt, see the bird, drive about 1/4 a mile past it so I don't spook it. Then let the dog out and ditch hunt back to that spot.
 
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Three of us are heading to Aberdeen first full weekend of November. Hoping for cool (not cold) weather and getting our limit at least one day. :)
 
Good luck to every one coming this direction this upcoming weekend but if this wind keeps up all of our pheasants are going to be in MN and IA!! lol
 
I just hear on the radio those bad boy winds are heading our way today:eek:

Nick
 
Someone on this thread mentioned ditch hunting after 1pm ? Is there a rule I'm not aware of ?

Also if no shells are in the chamber can you have them in the magazine ?


Thanks again !!!

Toby
 
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