A trip to Pierre

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Byrdoglvr

Member
Hello--Our group is looking to take a break from our annual trip to North Central SD and try the Pierre area. I have some emails out to cabin resorts. Waiting to see availability. It would be all public hunting. Two concerns. More hunters to compete with and a lot less public land. Could have long drives between plots only to find other hunters there. I know these are common concerns but any thoughts from people here would be great. We need a change of scenery to keep it fresh for our group.

Thanks
 
I hunted that area two years ago and was disappointed. We stayed in Ft. Pierre, in December and hunted public areas.

Hunted with two fellows that had hunted the area in the past...

Good luck.
 
Byrdoglvr said:
Hello--Our group is looking to take a break from our annual trip to North Central SD and try the Pierre area. I have some emails out to cabin resorts. Waiting to see availability. It would be all public hunting. Two concerns. More hunters to compete with and a lot less public land. Could have long drives between plots only to find other hunters there. I know these are common concerns but any thoughts from people here would be great. We need a change of scenery to keep it fresh for our group.

Thanks
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Either go somewhere else or plan on driving awhile before hunting. That area takes a beating on public. 10-15 yrs ago I would hunt it a little on public before hunting some private I had access to and had decent luck. Over the last 6-7 yrs, as the eastern portions of SD struggled that area became more and more a zoo. I was there in mid-november three years ago and it looked like opening weekend. One positive is there are a couple good steakhouses Mad Mary's is my favorite, others prefer Cattleman's ( her ex-husband).
 
Good advice, Tom. Kirk and I didn't fare well in that area two years ago. I certainly wouldn't recommend a trip to Pierre and hunt public land.
 
Alright you guys convinced me. Nothing I hate more then the stress of racing and competing for spots during what's supposed to be a relaxing vacation. We really do have a great situation going regarding our normal trip but was hoping to do something more in pheasant belt.

Thanks
 
I was there in mid-november three years ago and it looked like opening weekend.
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That surprised me.

We always hunt the first two weeks of the season only because we are already out in SD from Labor day on, and expect a crowded situation. I always thought by mid November things would calm down.

We, my wife and I, usually have good success hunting the smaller, out of the way public areas, often overlooked by a lot of hunters. Or some of the nastier cover which is often by-passed. Being from PA, road hunting right-of-ways never caught on with us..............yet.

We've been hunting Ringnecks in SD for the last 10 years or so. I envy you people living in SD. Our wild pheasants that I grew up with here in PA have long disappeared years
 
Any area around top bird #s like Pierre is gets hammered by guys who hunt wear magazines & game & fish reports say are tops u will be driving past great pheasant habitat to get way out by Pierre to only have to worry about tons of other hunters but u mite find some prairie grouse in that area so it mite be worth the trade???


I've had hole chunks to my self in October in SD but don't hold ur breath just b4 SD rifle deer is always fun & not fighting for public lands
 
We used to hunt around Pierre exclusively on all public and did great. It was hectic the first weekend but during the week it was fine. I noticed as soon as Iowa and Kansas had the down years, it got super packed and continuously around Pierre. The last few years, it has been flat out stupid with the amount of people and continuous hunting of the public land. We have made the decision to move further east to less crowded areas but with lessor counts also. Us SD public land hunters really need Iowa and Kansas to get good again to lessen the pressure on public lands.
 
Exactly I hear good things about Iowa this spring I turkey hunted Iowa this year so i get to hunt pheasants in Iowa already bought a hunting license so I'll see how pressure is down there... But once MN IA KS get back better bird numbers hope some SD public lands get a little less beaten down..

But west SD Is not best if u have guys at each & every public land spot each day... Birds need a day or 2 break to move back to the public... Mid WK is best Monday evening - Thursday once Fridays come new crowds come... LIL less birds in east but way less hunters most times outside of 1st 2wks
 
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If you are not stuck on Pierre area I would look at smaller towns. We had good luck in the De Smet and Carthage area hunting public and knocking on a few doors. Most wanted a small fee to hunt and they all had birds if cover was good. Call the bar in Carthage and they can point you to a couple farmers who rent out houses in town and or country side for about $35/nt/pp.
 
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