2013 Season Observations

B

Bob

Member
Despite other's reports of doom and gloom for SD this year on my land I had a great time. I did notice thru out the season the numbers of birds were down but not trying to entertain large groups we had a bunch of fun. My habitat improvements over the last 12 years really have helped.

Unfortunately, I did have some issues with some trespassers from Michigan sending their dogs onto some of my land hoping for a flush that I caught. My temper almost was lost but on confrontation and on my advice the hunters called their dogs back then left. I took photos of their outfit including their license plates and called and turned them into the Game and Fish. The Game Warden informed me most people that do this are pretty skilled at it finding their spots to encroach and if their dog comes onto your property that is trespassing.

In Wyoming where I'm originally from if a dog is on your property you have the right to shoot it or the game warden can as well as it is the owner's responsibility to keep their dog under control. I'm not into shooting dogs but I will in no uncertain terms press charges on trespassing human or dog.

I have some more time left in the season and look forward to sharing it with my daughter hunting as she has several weeks of vacation. I have some pretty good winter cover that I have preserved so hopefully we should have some excitement.
 
Bob, I concur with your report. Quite an impact from the medias grab on the doom and gloom buzz.

I was also informed by SD Game and Fish that a landowner has the right to dispatch a dog that comes on their property.

They have found this to be most effective way to curb trespassing and also as a means to resolve dog control issues with dog owners that do not control their own dogs very well.
 
No point in shooting a dog because it did what it was told...or might just simply by young and out of control

JMO

I would of hated to read that you did, just have the moron owners arrested.
 
Really, take a deep breath.

Doom & Gloom .... no they just reported birds down as counted and if the habitat is gone so will the birds. If 20K additional hunters did show up ... probably more bad reports or more people squeezed on less areas.

Bird population will take a step jump down tied to available habitat and then fluctuate about that new mean tied to winters and spring/summer nexting success.

The hunter population will stabilize and eventually equilibrate to the amount of available habitat and that new number of birds. Good dogs, good habitat and you will have a plenty of opportunties to see birds, shoot birds and eat birds. I had no problem shooting pheasants in SoDak 30 years ago. Back then though I suspect residents outnumbered nonresidents.
 
UGUIDE said:
I was also informed by SD Game and Fish that a landowner has the right to dispatch a dog that comes on their property.

They have found this to be most effective way to curb trespassing and also as a means to resolve dog control issues with dog owners that do not control their own dogs very well.
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How does this work though as it relates to a bird shot on public access land or a right of way that flies over to private land? It was my understanding that the hunter can retrieve the game as long as they don't bring the firearm on to the private property. Would/does this mean that technically the dog would have to stay on the public property as well? :confused:
 
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SD laws state you have to keep your hunting dog under control at all times & it can not hunt on private lands but a dog can retrieve wounded game from private lands & if you are un armed you can also help retrieve the bird i think???

i know you can not get away with walking the edge of public & private land & let ur dog work the private land for birds to flush/point/hunt them... thats what he says them MI boys were doing that is illegal...

not worth even thinking of shooting a dog for that just go yell at the idiot hunters i have been yelled at once this yr for walking down a private/public land fenceline guess i was to close to what the guy felt was his land he was wrong & i kept hunting the area no warden ever came he figured out he was off a little bit on his judgement...

had there been a shot fired at my dog we would of had some major issues & it would not of been pretty cops would of been called for some reason most likely not for treespassing there would of been some kind of fight...

better to just do what you did i guess you maid the correct call that day...
 
That was kind of how I interpreted it but is something I want to be sure of if I ever go back. I can see how some people would push it and have their dogs on private land while they walked on public...I totally agree that is wrong and is/should be against the law, but I'd hate to run into the lunatic landowner if I'm just retrieving down game.

On another note, I got to meet a small munsterlander dog this weekend at a hunt club. I really liked it, good looking dog, seemed very happy, social, and loyal. It was the first one I've ever met. If I ever consider a pointer, I would definitely consider one of them. :thumbsup:
 
Right or wrong, if a Landowner shot my dog for being on his property the least of his worries would be the dead dog.
 
hockeybob we are on the same page... when i said the cops would be called if my dog was even shot at... it would of been for some kind of fight i doubt it would be for a fist fight...??? shooting a guys dog for hunting is pretty low??? call the dog or something & catch it dont just pop a gun at it...

i have seen killer packs of dogs raid chicken coops ETC. & i have birds so i think thats another story of livestock killing ETC. still to just shoot??? just tresspassing the dog does not need to catch a bullet for that... especially if the dog owners are at fault & telling the dog to hunt there in the 1st place...
 
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Whether the dog is hunting or retrieving is a thin line and undoubtedly more related to the hunter's objectives and agenda.
 
I have no desire to shoot a dog but there have been a lot of times when the owner is walking a ditch and the dog is in the field. I hate to prosecute every tresspasser I see, and I have not yet but it does get old.
 
DO NOT EVEN SUGGEST!
Shooting someones hunting dog on your property.
I have a short list. I have the magic click, that's it, final!
 
This is why you see 30 yards mowed on the private side of the right of way..

Increased mowing of the ditches is being done to make up for the hay ground/pasture lost to corn and beans. Theres still a substantial amount of cattle in South Dakota and the rest of the country that needs fed.

I dont see this as getting any better any time in the future, unless there are restrictions put on that mandate leaving minimum maintanance roads, and right of way as part of the Governors initiative for nesting habitat. My understanding is that the landowner owns to the center of the road, and can opt to mow it himself, allow someone else to mow it for a fee (or free, depending on the relationship) or they can just leave it alone and let it grow.

Expect to see more tree and brush removal in the right of way, if this movement gains speed..The only thing stopping it right now, is it is a landowner expense, with no return potential.
 
I think the problem could be stabilized if they would just outlaw road ditch hunting. Road ditch hunting just allows for things to get out of hand so very easily. I think it is dangerous as well. For S.D. Game and Fish to promote safety and allow road hunting is ridiculous.

I guess it comes down to the almighty dollar as it appears that S.D. Game and Fish wish to entice the hunter to S.D. that has no access to be able to sorta access land and get them to come to the state and buy licenses. I think this is very wrong. My mother would say, " the individuals in charge should be embarrassed for not making things safer."

I won't change the law, have no intention of shooting someone's dog but will prosecute anyone from now on if their dog is on my property for trespass.
 
It is unfortunate that some take liberties with something that so many utilize. You are right, the state will never do away with ditch hunting. It is too bad guys like you have to put up with the crap. I would prosecute every damn one of them and their dogs. They are the ones that make it hard for the rest of us. I know guys that stretch the rules some, I don't hunt with them any more.
 
Habitat loss and the continued tightening of access is slowly strangling a great outdoor recreation.

If we are to save wild bird hunting in America, compromises on BOTH sides of these 2 issues will have to be made.

The solutions will be a great investment by "We the People" in our NATIONAL HUNTING HERITAGE. Let's work together to find them.

The current system IS NOT working. The hunting "island" is only getting smaller and the cost is rising. The end result is Orvis endorsed, Ritz-Carlton type lodges for hunting the last of the wild birds and pen-reared birds for the rest of us.

If hunting is nothing more than a high priced carnival attraction run by land owners, I would consider bowling an attractive alternative. Most of the kids today will also find an easier alternative.
 
Many SD residents have no private land to hunt and do not make enough money to do the pay to play so a major part of what they can hunt are ROW. IMHO if "ditch hunting" (has such a negative ring to it --doesn't it) is outlawed then lots of SD residents will give up the sport and it will become even more a rich persons sport. As to it being dangerous I believe it's not any worse than other types of hunting----I've been shot and it was in the field far from any road--did a lot of ditch hunting 20 years ago when I was just a working man with a limited budget and never even came close to being shot.

I've also seen plenty of ditch hunters break the law or bend the rules--disrespect private land and do other things that are not very nice, but I've also had landowners drive up and yell and scream cuss and swear and even threaten me with personal harm when I was doing NOTHING WRONG. It takes all kinds and they live on both sides of the fence.

To those who like to ditch hunt you can do yourself a lot of good if you play by the rules and report those that don't (it's just a phone call away).

To us landowners--try to be tolerant to the ditch hunters that obey the law-and to those that don't be aware I call the law every time and so do many others.
 
SDJIM said:
Many SD residents have no private land to hunt and do not make enough money to do the pay to play so a major part of what they can hunt are ROW. IMHO if "ditch hunting" (has such a negative ring to it --doesn't it) is outlawed then lots of SD residents will give up the sport and it will become even more a rich persons sport. As to it being dangerous I believe it's not any worse than other types of hunting----I've been shot and it was in the field far from any road--did a lot of ditch hunting 20 years ago when I was just a working man with a limited budget and never even came close to being shot.

I've also seen plenty of ditch hunters break the law or bend the rules--disrespect private land and do other things that are not very nice, but I've also had landowners drive up and yell and scream cuss and swear and even threaten me with personal harm when I was doing NOTHING WRONG. It takes all kinds and they live on both sides of the fence.

To those who like to ditch hunt you can do yourself a lot of good if you play by the rules and report those that don't (it's just a phone call away).

To us landowners--try to be tolerant to the ditch hunters that obey the law-and to those that don't be aware I call the law every time and so do many others.
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Well said Jim..
 
RK Special K said:
Habitat loss and the continued tightening of access is slowly strangling a great outdoor recreation.

If we are to save wild bird hunting in America, compromises on BOTH sides of these 2 issues will have to be made.

The solutions will be a great investment by "We the People" in our NATIONAL HUNTING HERITAGE. Let's work together to find them.

The current system IS NOT working. The hunting "island" is only getting smaller and the cost is rising. The end result is Orvis endorsed, Ritz-Carlton type lodges for hunting the last of the wild birds and pen-reared birds for the rest of us.

If hunting is nothing more than a high priced carnival attraction run by land owners, I would consider bowling an attractive alternative. Most of the kids today will also find an easier alternative.
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Hey Special K it is good to see your out there. Maybe corn in the $3 something will slow things down.
 
Been out west doing the best I can to hunt the shrinking "island".

With bird numbers down and postings of private land WAY up, most of the day is spent driving around "admiring" all the different styles of posting signs that land owners use. Or knocking on doors and listening to all the reasons why pheasants can't be hunted - except for a few of the landowners' privileged family and friends - usually for just a few hours on Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Why can't farmers farm and hunters hunt. There needs to be a PERMANANT compromise from these to interests or "real" hunting will continue to fade away.

PETA and the HUMANE SOCIETY want the friction between these two interests to be "ramped up" to further discourage hunting. The subtle "civil war" between the two interests will eventually destroy what most of us are trying to preserve.

As access becomes overly burdensome, the motivation from hunters to support habitat programs will fade. Almost all property with good CRP and other publically funded habitat is posted. Some signs are even down right "nasty". STAY OUT!!!! DON"T EVEN DARE TO ASK!!!!!

Hunters need to support habitat and landowners need to back off from highly restrictive access attitudes. Meanwhile, hunters must respect the primary purpose the land - farming.
 
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