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East central report on the ground- I've seen 2 out of 500 fields was bean still in. Corn is well advanced like 80% out as it is going day and night with dry corn going straight to bins. Operations stopped this morning to allow the inch of snow to melt off but were back at it tonight. Saw ground...

They took out 20% of corn over last week. It did rain Sunday night in a lot of places but it was pretty dry ground and has been sunny/windy so they should have been back in the fields right after. That and most corn should be at 15% moisture and below which means combines run faster and it goes...

They are a day late on last week's crop report. This is the most important one they do all year! It had better say beans 100% and corn 95% with just a few strips left in every field or there will be some explanations needed come Friday evening when I get there.

The only way to ensure public hunting spots stay open is to have the maximum number of new hunters have the most success we can help them achieve. Without hunter numbers, the public land goes away. Without good hunting success, the new hunters go away. So go back and re-read some of these...

Love the idea of fishing and hunting the same trip and it seems the river always produces good bird numbers every year. Seems to me like the TV show's concept was a bit of a gimmick though. I was watching that episode and looking at the maps. I don't see a lot of ACoE land areas near Chamberlain...

Here's my break down a little simplistic but basic principles to add to what they've already posted. You want to be East River. The Missouri river divides the state in half and west river is mostly grassland/cattle and east river is mostly crops which means corn. Pheasants thrive best when...

Agreed- it's bad conservation. Hard on the habitat and reproduction to give out a single location so posting publicly by mistake or on purpose is not ideal. The people who are showing up are either newbies who don't know better or dumb donkeys who think there will still be birds in that spot...

I don't think there is since I provide the most complete report I can after my opening weekend trip to SD. I only make it out one time a year so if anyone wants to go behind me and cleanup all the birds I missed, more power to you. Just 20% of the birds I see/shoot are 2-3 year old so most are...

You really have to be well prepared for the elements to hunt the ground in Dec and stay out of the wind in shelterbelts and cattails. I would think you would be on the misery river that time of year over open water. I tried hunting the river near Gettysburg in 2017 when it was so dry and bird...

I get my hardcode hunt going with duck, field goose and deer getting up hours before sunrise. Just nice to take it easy for one trip, know that there's plenty of birds to go get in SD and nobody is getting a head start on you. I am that tourist they are aiming for and either the bar or the...

If you had a choice at 10AM would you walk crop strips or grass/shelter belt? Are they likely to be still mostly feeding or is that done and they'll be in cover like I'm used to seeing at noon? I've heard a few times the noon start was that so you didn't catch them still roosting in the morning...

We barely make it out to the field on time for a noon start most openers so 10AM is going to be a real challenge. This is as much a social trip and we enjoy the nights out as much as the hunt. Noon start was a good excused to laze around, pick apples, scoop up some cast off corn for feeding...

Thanks, I didn't know that- I owe you. I wasn't planning on buying a case when I went to get them. But when there wasn't anything on the shelves anywhere, I figured I would be supplying everyone in the hunting party. There's a big CRP up near Ashton. One in particular. It's got a long gravel...

Agree with so much in the post above. Current CRP practices require spraying to remove problem weeds which also removes many forbs/legumes. Chicks need water within hours of hatching and bugs within days and weeds provide that with broad leaves maintaining morning dew even when there is no rain...

Ask around when in the bars, restaurants, gas station and see if they are any locals who want to get out hunting. Many can't for lack of vehicle, gas money, shells. Our first "in" was from a cook that desperately wanted to get out but had been cooking part time and hauling grain part time trying...

I'm guilty of parachuting in for Sept and Oct on the site when I get excited for the season and then disappearing for the rest of the year. But I've been doing that for 16 years on this site and it's previous location so I try to give the best info and perspective I can and not stir the pot...

I don't mean to be antagonistic just for arguments sake but just seek clarity so everyone can make informed decisions about what they support. Either looking at soil bank or CRP years, the numbers just don't support that view. There was 12 million acres grass and 7 million birds in 1963 and then...

I've never figured out what evidence shows CRP produces more birds. This graph is from SD GFP showing bird numbers and CRP acres. They don't relate. CRP is great for hunting opportunities but I've been schooled that pheasants are born in the ditch, raised in the fence line and winter in the...

Ever walked the public side of a private fence in a walk-in area? How is that different than the public side of a private fence when hunting a right of way (other than an abundance of gravel nearby)? Our dog got out when being watched by friends this winter and killed on the highway. We'll be...

I've had more discussions on "who shot first" and "who actually finished the bird" before, during and after the hunt than shells I've ever fired. It would take the wisdom of Solomon for GFP to split ownership if they had to assign birds to shooters and not bag limits. Only time it ever got...