Another SD First Timer with a Couple Questions

J

Jrb_113

New member
Hello All,

This will be my first trip to South Dakota. I have read some of the threads on this site and they are packed with good information but I still have a couple questions.

I will be coming from Ohio and bringing my wife (who is a somewhat new hunter) and my young dog (a two year old Brittany). Jake is young but has done well on the local put and take birds and at Pheasant preserves so I would say he is pretty experienced for that age dog.

I am looking forward to getting my young dog some extensive work on wild birds and having some fun with the wife seeing a new part of the country. We plan on staying in Huron and hunting Tuesday through Friday the second week of the season. I have a couple questions I would appreciate your input on:

1. We plan on going the last week of October. It works out best for our scehdule and actually allows me to extend my hunting season because Pheasant season in Ohio opens up on November 7th. My question is will public land be overly crowded at that time? I am used to extremely crowded conditions after birds are stocked in Ohio but I was hoping it wouldn't be quite that bad Tuesday through Friday of the second week of the season.

2. My wife will be using a 20ga with a 3" chamber. I see that the GPAs and Waterfowl Areas (red and green on the map) comprise most of the public land and require non-toxic shot. Does anyone have a favorite non-tox 20 gauge load for pheasants. Will steel in a 20 be effective on wild pheasant or should I get her some Kent Tungsten Matrix?

3. I would appreciate an other insights you have and look forward to the opportunity to see some wild birds.

Thanks,

Don.
 
Welcome to UPH. There are some really good guys on this site. For your wife shooting a 20 gage if it were me I would buy hevi shot or one of the high end ammo for her. It won't be like she will be making 100's shots. As far as competition that time of year I'm sure there will be plenty of guys out there especially around larger cities. Don't forget to hunt ditches around fresh cut crops. Hunting a ditch may be a little easier for a young dog. Anyway have a great time. Get out early in the morning before shooting time and scout you will find it well worth your time
Chip
 
I hunted around Huron last year the second week of the season and had no problem finding places to hunt. Some places had other hunters, one place had a massive group of hunters pushing a larger WPA. This was the field I had the most luck in. Me and the pup stayed well clear of the large group, and I think they actually pushed birds towards us. Not sure if that was the case or not, the large group worked the grassy areas, and me and my dog worked the cattails. I had more shooting than that big group had.

Shoot 3" black cloud #4's in that 20. I used this last year and had great results. I might even prefer it over the Fiochi golden pheasants I used when hunting private fields. The price point is higher but I had good results.

I agree though if you can afford hevi shot. By all means shoot it. I think it is the most ethical and effective alternative to lead shot.

If that Brit will hold you a point, and you only shoot pointed birds you will have no problem knocking them down with a 20.


Have a grand time!!!!
 
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2 good posts. I use #2 or 3 steel in the 20 ga, late season on public land and have good results. 3" gun and use IC TO SPREAD THINGS OUT. ALSO HUNTING OVER POINTING BREED.
 
Thanks for the great insights guys. I don't want to wish the summer away but I can't wait to get out there. In the meantime I just got some homing pigeons and they are recalling reliably now so we will be practicing.:)
 
I wrote this back in 2008 to a query on another message board about a first time trip.

Some of it isnt pertinent,because it was written to someone else,but for the most part,theres some merit.

On private ground:

It's taken me the last several seasons to work my way into the South Dakota experience without doing it the way they primarily do it in South Dakota. (groups) I'm a one man operation with 2 dogs and I bought 3 bird licenses last year. ( also 2 archery tags and one rifle deer tag) It can be done, but its hard to make the contacts. There are literally hundreds of thousands of acres of ground that doesnt get hunted because it is too small for the large groups that are so popular out there. If its not 320 acres or extremely prime, its not worth stopping the truck for to organize a group of guys.

I had to hunt that way (organized hunts) a few years till the owners of the land got to know me and then offered me some smaller or less attractive tracts of land to go follow my dogs around. I'll never forget the first piece of property where I could just go. It was a half section with a cattail creek winding thru it. Now, I dont need a 1000 pheasants to get up in front of me to have a good time. All I need is 5 or 6, and I'm in hog heaven. This cattail creek had 3-5 pheasants every 100 yds. It was amazing and they never, ever hunted it! I now am able to hunt many different 15- 40 acres pieces and a several other pieces ranging in size from 80 to 640. Some landowners have ground so far away from their home place, that they never hunt it, because they have it so good close to home.

You dont need to pay every time you go, although I did pay a few times initially. I sought info at the local cafe in the morning, tracked down the owners, paid them a benjamin and went hunting solo. Now, for the most part you cant do much on the first couple weeks as its like a national 2 week holiday for all of the locals and their relatives . Other weeks to stay away from if your hunting private lands are opening weekends of deer season.

It takes time to develop the relationships, but its well worth it if you like to hunt solo, like me. I stopped to chat with old boy cleaning out a culvert/tile in a ditch one morning that had been collapsed by trucks driving over it. I spent 10 mintes chatting and another hour or so helping him. I didnt do it for any other reason than to kill some time, because the season doesn't start till 10 am. ( noon for the first week) I wanted nothing and asked for nothing. Thru the course of the conversation, he asked what I was doing there, and I explained my situation. At the end, he offered me 1/2 section to hunt deer on later in the season. It wasn't his prime spot, but it certainly was good enough for one hunter and it was.

Another time, a landowner sent me up to one of his pieces of ground where his farmer was combining beans and asked if I would take his son hunting as he had never hunted over a pointing dog before. I gladly agreed and he had the time of his life. Halfway thru our hunt, he asked if he could call one of his friends up and join us. Who was I to say no? I'm on their ground, for crying out loud. So his friend drives up and we continue to have a great hunt, coupled with incredible dog work. He shoots a box of shells, and his friend shoots at least half a box and we finally limit out. I shot 1 rooster. Lifetime memories were made there and I'm sure I have more land to hunt on next year, but it may not be alone. :) The next day, his dad called me at 9 am, and said that his son had shot his first deer (buck) with his bow. I offered to drive up to the home place and help him field dress it. I met them all there, took the deer to the back woods and field dressed it for him. I cut the inside loins out, cleaned them up and told them how to prepare them on the grille. They (cattle farmers also)had never actually eaten deer meat that hadnt been processed into some kind of jerky or sausage or bologna. I got great email from them, thanking me for showing them how great venison is when prepared correctly.



The main thing is, dont be a game hog, dont be in the kill mode 24/7. Relax, you have all day. ( it goes till sunset) Be respectful of the land and the people. Be generous with your praise of the South Dakota experience and I'm sure you will get along just fine. . It's not going to be easy, but it will be well worth the effort if you do your part. Theyve heard every kind of sob story, seen way too many beer cans and trash along with the trespassing, so initially, they can be quite defensive about their situations. You would be also if it was you.




R
 
Crossing shot said:
Do you need dog boots in South Dakota? Need them in Kansas.
Click to expand...

For the vast majority of the land that you would be hunting pheasants on in South Dakota dog boots are not necessary. For the most part, we just don't have the sand burrs that are so prevalent in Kansas. I've been hunting eastern SD for nearly 40 years and have never needed dog boots on my dogs. But there have been times late in the season when we get some crusted snow that it can be hard on the feet and I've thought about dog boots.
 
Crossing shot said:
Do you need dog boots in South Dakota? Need them in Kansas.
Click to expand...

Ive never used dog boots. I do have an area that is overrun with sand burs, but I chose to avoid it at all costs. (typically on field edges)

Depending on your base area and time and temp, snake protection may be warranted. Probably not in the Huron area though.
 
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