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2017 South Dakota Resident Only Pheasant Opener Weekend
- Thread starter UGUIDE
- Start date
No irony there Chops. I couldn't agree with you more. The reasoning behind that law is that in Wyoming "wilderness" is truly wilderness as in 30 miles back in with no roads anywhere. Hence, the search and rescue folks felt that in country that big, non resident's need a guide because they don't understand just how primitive that country is. However, to me that seems like a phony argument as the S&R folks don't ask non resident hikers, fishermen, bird hunters or others to hire a guide. So I'm in total agreement with you on that one. Wyoming folks have tried to get that one shot down in the legislature many times but to no avail as S&R costs keep going up and up. In fact, they are now asking folks to donate to the S&R budget as funds are decreasing while costs are increasing. More visitors mean more S&R costs--and truly you can't believe how stupid some people are when they go back country. But you are right, to me it makes no sense. It's public land and if a guy wants to go 15 miles back in with nothing more than 3 granola bars and a pint of water he should be allowed.
As far as hiring a guide there is an easy way around that. Any resident can get a permit to guide a non resident in wilderness for free. They can't charge you, but they can guide you as long as they don't charge you. They don't even have to be related to you. Just find someone with horses or is a good hiker and wants to hunt with you and you're golden. Now here is a true irony.....they may know less about hunting then you do.....but it still works.
As for license costs being 10 times higher for non residents think of it this way. A SD resident will pay 33.00 to hunt the bird season. A non resident will pay 1573.00 to do the same thing. Chops--that is 47 times higher!!!! So if you're paying only 10 times as much for a license you're getting a HUGE bargain by comparison!!! And even after paying 47 times as much, a non resident still doesn't get to hunt the best opening days of the season. Think about it.
But you miss the point. My point was even after paying 47 times as much for a license SD still won't allow non resident's to hunt the best opening days of the season on public land. If Wyoming did that to SD resident's they would call it unfair. Everyone knows the opening days are the best days.
As far as hiring a guide there is an easy way around that. Any resident can get a permit to guide a non resident in wilderness for free. They can't charge you, but they can guide you as long as they don't charge you. They don't even have to be related to you. Just find someone with horses or is a good hiker and wants to hunt with you and you're golden. Now here is a true irony.....they may know less about hunting then you do.....but it still works.
As for license costs being 10 times higher for non residents think of it this way. A SD resident will pay 33.00 to hunt the bird season. A non resident will pay 1573.00 to do the same thing. Chops--that is 47 times higher!!!! So if you're paying only 10 times as much for a license you're getting a HUGE bargain by comparison!!! And even after paying 47 times as much, a non resident still doesn't get to hunt the best opening days of the season. Think about it.
But you miss the point. My point was even after paying 47 times as much for a license SD still won't allow non resident's to hunt the best opening days of the season on public land. If Wyoming did that to SD resident's they would call it unfair. Everyone knows the opening days are the best days.
jackrabbit
Active member
My point was even after paying 47 times as much for a license SD still won't allow non resident's to hunt the best opening days of the season on public land. If Wyoming did that to SD resident's they would call it unfair. Everyone knows the opening days are the best days.
I was only a SD resident from 2008-2013 and did 95% of my hunting on public land, but I will disagree that the resident opener is the best days of the season on public land. Generally too warm, too many crops, too many people. IMO, the hunting (even on public land) is at it's peak in the first 2 weeks of November, give or take a week or two based on the weather, harvest, etc. December is my favorite time to hunt public land in SD, not many people out and the birds are wild enough they make you chase them all day but still give you a realistic chance to get a limit. 2014 - present has been 2 trips a year to SD for me, probably 70% public land, 30% private land.
I was only a SD resident from 2008-2013 and did 95% of my hunting on public land, but I will disagree that the resident opener is the best days of the season on public land. Generally too warm, too many crops, too many people. IMO, the hunting (even on public land) is at it's peak in the first 2 weeks of November, give or take a week or two based on the weather, harvest, etc. December is my favorite time to hunt public land in SD, not many people out and the birds are wild enough they make you chase them all day but still give you a realistic chance to get a limit. 2014 - present has been 2 trips a year to SD for me, probably 70% public land, 30% private land.
good response JR; can't say I was thrilled when SDFG came out with the resident only deal, but then again I could care less. really not a big deal in the grand scheme. IMHO, habitat is the only issue for sustainable bird #'s. There will always be droughts and flooding; still remember coming to SD 15 or so years ago, and most of the WPA's were dry; then 5-6 years ago saw water where we never saw water before. large tracts of habitat will handle these cycles mother nature puts forth. That's my biggest concern for 2018 season (a harsh winter would be devastating). we have always avoided the opener because of crowds, and we always hope the corn crop is not out when the opener occurs - advantage Roosters!! less hunters, cooler weather for the dogs, less habitat later on, all benefit later season hunting. We truly enjoy all that SD has to offer, not worried about "the results".
we will get some good dog work in, work hard as always, enjoy a cold beer and good meal at a local establishment after the hunt.
We love it! Good luck to all this season.
No irony there Chops. I couldn't agree with you more. The reasoning behind that law is that in Wyoming "wilderness" is truly wilderness as in 30 miles back in with no roads anywhere. Hence, the search and rescue folks felt that in country that big, non resident's need a guide because they don't understand just how primitive that country is. However, to me that seems like a phony argument as the S&R folks don't ask non resident hikers, fishermen, bird hunters or others to hire a guide. So I'm in total agreement with you on that one. Wyoming folks have tried to get that one shot down in the legislature many times but to no avail as S&R costs keep going up and up. In fact, they are now asking folks to donate to the S&R budget as funds are decreasing while costs are increasing. More visitors mean more S&R costs--and truly you can't believe how stupid some people are when they go back country. But you are right, to me it makes no sense. It's public land and if a guy wants to go 15 miles back in with nothing more than 3 granola bars and a pint of water he should be allowed.
As far as hiring a guide there is an easy way around that. Any resident can get a permit to guide a non resident in wilderness for free. They can't charge you, but they can guide you as long as they don't charge you. They don't even have to be related to you. Just find someone with horses or is a good hiker and wants to hunt with you and you're golden. Now here is a true irony.....they may know less about hunting then you do.....but it still works.
As for license costs being 10 times higher for non residents think of it this way. A SD resident will pay 33.00 to hunt the bird season. A non resident will pay 1573.00 to do the same thing. Chops--that is 47 times higher!!!! So if you're paying only 10 times as much for a license you're getting a HUGE bargain by comparison!!! And even after paying 47 times as much, a non resident still doesn't get to hunt the best opening days of the season. Think about it.
But you miss the point. My point was even after paying 47 times as much for a license SD still won't allow non resident's to hunt the best opening days of the season on public land. If Wyoming did that to SD resident's they would call it unfair. Everyone knows the opening days are the best days.
I appreciate the thoughtful reply and am glad to hear that you agree that the restrictions on hunting Federal Wilderness areas without a permit are unfair. Interesting that any resident can act as a guide. Although I live just next door, I don't know anyone who would be willing to act as a guide. That's a nice option to have but still really isn't viable for most NR. I suspect that's a way of appeasing former Wyoming residents who still have family instate. Sd has tried similar things with waterfowl license to give people with in state family preference int he draw.
And I agree with you that it's BS that SD won't sell nonresidents a license for the full season. I would guess that 90% on NR would still only hunt a week or less, even with a full season license. Maybe 8% more might make a couple of trips. Only a few hardcore guys or people living right on the border would really hunt that much and they wouldn't make a dent in the numbers.
I'll also add that the resident opening weekend is not as great as most people think it is. I hunt it ever year and sure the birds are dumb, but it's usually so hot that it's really tough on the dogs and the hunters and you can only hunt a few hours. Plus all the crops are still standing so it's hard to lcoate birds. I think Nov and december are the best months by far. Crops are out, temps are cooler, and you can start hunting at 9MST/10CST.