Advice for week before Christmas?

V

VA_Hunter

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Driving to South Dakota from Virginia to take my 12 and 14 year old sons (no dog) pheasant hunting next week as a Christmas present (was surprised but happy to see it on their wish list this year!) This will be their 1st pheasant hunt (and my first trip to SD). I've been to North Dakota once for pheasant in the past 5 years and here on the east coast back during my youth (a long time ago). Trying to hunt public land exclusively due to budget constraints. My plan is to start in Mitchell on Monday, Dec 19 and continue west (as far as Pierre) through Thursday, Dec 22. Any responses to this thread with regards to any particular areas to target or avoid in that general (central SD) area would be greatly appreciated. Also planning on knocking on doors to try and gain access to some private land, but understand that there are no guarantees (but doesn't hurt to ask). So, if anyone has any leads (phone #s) for land owners/farmers that permit hunting in exchange for "reasonable trespass fees", that would be great. - Thanks for any help/advice available!
 
Possibly staying in Mitchell one night, but will end up staying in whatever town we are nearest to at the end of the day. From the replies so far, it sounds like most recommend that we go west and north of Mitchell. Thanks for the replies.
 
I would echo what others have said and go west and northwest of Mitchell. Since you don't have a dog I'd recommend that you hit ditches that are by cut corn. The best method is drop and block. Drop off one of your kids and drive half mile down the road and have them walk towards your vehicle. You leave the car keys and start walking towards end of road. Have your kids drive and block the exit path at end of road. Alternatively you could walk towards each other. This works really well when they've been hunted hard and are jumpy. I'm not sure what the weather holds when you'll be there but the cattails and sloughs will hold birds. Push the birds toward the road so they have no place to go but up otherwise they'll run.

Good Luck and Have fun!
 
week before Christmas

If you notice on your atlas the dotted lines are unimproved roads and are legal to hunt they just look like ruts, pick the ones with as much cover as
possible next to harvested corn or soybeans, there have been many birds killed
walking and blocking these. There is lots of right of ways north and south of
I-90 just east of Kimbell to Chaimberlain that has produced great for us in the past before I had my dog. Also check the regs on hunting the railroad right of
way that runs just north of I-90 between Mitchell and White Lake. I think that
part is still open but not east of White Lake, it is in the regs. low lying areas of thick cattails and grass along that rr can be excellent.good luck and let us
know how it goes
 
Without a dog,ditch hunting would be a good bet.The rules for doing it legally are outlined in the hunting guide.Don't over look ditches along paved roads .They often see less pressure, because guys with dogs usually stay clear of fast moving traffic.Good luck.
 
Mitchell

we are in Mitchell now for last 2 days...pretty sparse....got access on private land and landed 2 cocks.....many thanks to feasantfever.....we are leaving for greener pastures for sure......my bank account can't take staying beside Cabelas for any longer!!!
 
Thanks to all of you for replying to my request for advice. I'd like to especially thank RanchoDeluxe for his exceptional hospitality and for extending a hand of friendship to myself and my two boys. It was encouraging and uplifted our spirits to meet a fellow sportsman who is truly interested in sharing his knowledge and experience with a couple of "strangers in a strange land". Rancho volunteered his help with no expectation of reimbursement other than a sincere expression of thanks and a little gas money (which was more than fair given that he carted us around for 3 days in his truck sparing us the trouble of road hunting out of our rented toyota camry). I consider him a true ambassador of the sport and he has made a very positive impression on my two boys that they will remember for a lifetime as they look back over their first pheasant hunt. My work takes me to different parts of the country from time to time and I can say without a doubt that I've never encountered a more friendly lot of folks in any other part of the country than SD. I'm sure this first trip won't be our last! As all of you warned, the birds were extremely wild, but thanks to Rancho and his spaniel, we still got our share of shooting opportunities and enjoyed pheasant for our Christmas Eve dinner when we got back to Virginia. You all are forunate to live in such a wonderful part of the USA and enjoy all the wildlife resources your state has to offer. Wishing all of you a merry Christmas and a very prosperous new year!
 
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Glad you were able to experience a true SD hunt. Nice to hear about the outpouring of help!

Nice job Rancho!
 
I would echo the previouis posts...what a great gift to those boy's and their Dad; what goes arouind sometimes comes around

Jon
 
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