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There are certainly birds in Webster, or even East of there in Minnesota. But if you are looking for a population density that is more representative of the SD hype you need to head further West. Many (like me) drive through Webster on their way West. The James River Valley to the MO river is...

Glad I was not the only one wondering that. I even googled it and the only hit was to A5's Youtube video so it went full circle... I get the reference though. I have only run across one 'flare nare' on public ground in SD and it was last year. It had a numbered band on the leg as well and I got...

Great video. Could have used that 15 years ago!

I will second this choice. Lightweight, but still fits four 3" shells. Low recoil for its weight due to being gas operated. Not the cheapest option though.

Yes - you are spot on there regarding differences depending on where you are in the state. I broke my own rule there in generalizing SD when it does vary quite a bit across the pheasant range. Far East and even into MN did not see nearly the up and down swing that the Jim River valley to MO...

That sounds like a good setup - Everyone pushes birds off of public ground for a couple of weeks into your private and then let the turkey shoot commence... If you ever need a guy with couple of great bird dogs to help out with that you just let me know ;) We always go out 2nd week on public...

This is a good observation, but I think that stat does not tell the full story. I would like it if there were a more meaningful stat like birds per hour hunted. Purely anecdotal, but my experience in SD was 3-bird limits were the norm with a dog and OK shooting on public land pre-2012. And it...

You can pick up a paper atlas at most gas stations. I primarily use OnX as you can research ahead of time on your PC (see aerial photos), make and review notes from previous years, and make a game plan. But the road maps in OnX are just terrible and Google is not much better. Need the atlas for...

The recovery time is a concern of mine. Seems like it was still in recovery mode from the 2017 drought.

Similar to what we saw - All WIAs were hayed and many of the WPAs hayed. CREP was mostly planted corn. And the freshly baled hay is stacked up next to the older bales from years past that were unused and rotting. Also frustrating to see the mowed down WIAs next to the unmowed private ground.

Silver Dollar - Aberdeen

I love SD and make several trips out there every year and also hunt closer to home in MN. SD is a special place with a lot of memories for many people. Certainly a lot more birds in the state and generally leads to better hunting, especially if you can get onto some lower-pressure private...

Quiet on here... Any reports from the resident opener?

It's a ghost town Thanksgiving week - great time to hunt. Never ran into anyone sitting on a field. Hardly see any orange vests/hats even out on the road.

Spot on here. Fill up the vest w/ 3" steel 2s or 3s and go hunting. Other than target loads, I have not bought lead shot in a decade.

My apologies to those who have seen this already - I know I have shared some of this in the past regarding the utility of the survey (RIP). The roadside survey does have inherent shortcomings: No two survey conditions (year-year) are the same, habitat on routes changing, ditch mowing, etc...

Hot is always the biggest challenge - I would definitely not insulate the topper. Dogs have fur and you can put hay in the box so they can nest in a bit. Blankets or kennel covers also help a lot when its really cold. A couple of things I have done to help: 1. Get a topper with sliding side...

I voted with my dollars. Took 5 trips to SD this year. BUT, packed in all food and booze from out of state - cooked and drank at the house. Not one dollar to the local economy, other than license fees and some pay-at-the-pump fuel. We usually dump heavily into bars and restaurants, but with...

We just got back from a 5 day hunt out there. Our 3rd trip out there this year. We lived in a bubble this entire trip because as has been stated - very few seem to care enough to take basic precautions even as their numbers go through the roof. We packed in all food and drinks, paid at the pump...

I have been in SD hunting since Wednesday. This heat is brutal for the dogs. My approach is to hit one good field at 10 before it gets too hot, then spend the rest of the day driving around scouting - hit small pieces of cover near water - maybe 15 minutes each. Swim the dogs before putting back...