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So my buddy owns a small house in the SE SD town we hunt near. For the last 25 years I have left a shotgun in the house, year-round. I get there this year for the 2nd weekend and cannot find my shotgun, a Browning hump-back. I come to the false conclusion that one of my buddies mistakenly took...

We hunted a turnip field on one our farms this year. There were turnips there last year but we never bothered hunting the field. This year the farmer said he had seen lots of birds in the turnips. I think they were there for the accessible dew on the leaves. Getting out of the truck we witnessed...

Just spent four days hunting. The most birds I have ever seen and I have not missed a year since 1997. It was unreal and with the number of hens I saw, a mild winter makes next year promising as well.

If I wanted to hunt at sun up, prior to pheasant hunting, and I generally knew where they were, how would I hunt them that early? Where would they be 30 minutes after sun up? Is there a daily migration to food, water, etc?

https://www.keloland.com/news/capitol-news-bureau/gfp-says-weather-habitat-excellent-for-pheasants/

They say that barring a very wet late summer or early fall, crops should be 2/3 to mostly out by the opener.

A buddy of mine just got back from SE SD and he says the pheasants are thick! He said the most encouraging thing is what the locals are saying in terms of 24 season survivors, excellent moisture, and size of surviving broods. Looking good for sure. Come on October!

https://www.uguidesdpheasants.com/news/2025-south-dakota-pheasant-hunting-season-forecast-report-part-1/#:~:text=Peak%20hatch%20is%20said%20to,mature%20roosters%20carried%20over%20already.

You like it? Is it reasonably priced? I am going to get one. Go

The farmers in the area my crowd hunts are telling me they have never seen this many winter survivors. I guess good 2024 numbers and a mild winter are the main contributors. They need timely rain for good nesting and grasshoppers. Fingers crossed.

The farms we hunt are 10 miles east of Platte and we saw about the same number of birds as the two previous years. The June flood cost them a stellar year. Corn was about 70% out by opening day but an entire section of standing milo hurt. Temps were too warm for me. I prefer cooler weather but...

Taking an L. C. Smith side by side 16 ga. this year I inherited from my grand father to SD. We typically fly into Sioux Falls most years so I never wanted it exposed to baggage handling but I am driving this year. I want to take a couple of pheasants with the gun but I don't want to shoot too...

Just got access to a large piece or property West River (7 miles west of river), on 44. Is this a good chicken a/o grouse area? I typically pheasant hunt near Platte so this will be a little different. I'll hang up and listen. Thanks.

My Georgia group had another great trip to SD this year. About 2/3 of the corn was out. Excellent weather for the opener and the following 4 days. Lots of birds too but dead whitetail deer all over the place because of blue tongue. I may go back in December.

The rain has halted the harvest there. Not good!

My farmers finished up their beans last week and started getting corn out Saturday. They say there seem to be more birds this year than last and last was good. Corn should be out by the opener. Good times!

They started getting out beans yesterday in the little town we hunt.

I'm a 5-4 shot guy with mod choke myself.

One of my farmers texted this morning and says good corn (for them) is pretty much guaranteed now. Any more rain is gravy and there is more predicted tonight and tomorrow. Get the corn matured and out of the fields, except for strips of course. Glad for the farmers and us hunters.

My buddies and I have been going to SE South Dakota for the last 26 years. Have not missed a pheasant opener since 1997. There are six to eight private farms we have access to and have become very close friends with the owners and the community in general. We have hunted weather ranging from...