Change your plans

Ranger Rick said:
It's tough to weigh what is a quality hunt versus cost. I've seen the hunting where it's too easy and driving 9 hours to only hunt a couple hours a day isn't really hunting. On the other hand, a few years ago 3 of us came out during a bad drought year to hunt hard for 4 days and shoot only 10 roosters. That was disappointing to say the least. It was more like back to the days of my youth in SE WI when shooting one rooster on a Saturday morning was a successful hunt. SD is a long way to go to shoot one bird a day. My last trip out 2 of us explored around the state for 4 days. We hunted hard, saw lots of great country and came out with a couple birds short of our limit. A really successful hunt in my opinion.
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RR, well said. Glad to here you are getting some back relief. I know that must be painful.

I've found it is hard to manage these expectations around true native wild birds on working farms. True wild bird hunters will understand and accept this but some won't. The only way to get around this and insure results is to hunt a preserve where they can stock birds in adverse conditions but I don't know many that would drive the distance for that either. These are truly tough conditions. Many hunters will be looking for "new" places to hunt thining there could have been something down about the situation. If the really look at the data the will beging to understand.
 
I like a relaxing peaceful hunt, time with my dogs and normally my wife (she can't make the first trip this year). I typically spend all day walking grass fields and cattails and if I get my limit I chase chickens or grouse for the rest of the day. I hope everyone does push back or cancel their trip, less people out and about for me to run into, but that just means I'll run into more people on one of my december trips:( I also like to see different areas and spend time before season opens driving around checking out new spots, found a couple last year that were holding just a pile of grouse but had a tough time getting close enough to them. I like it when the crops come out late, leaves more birds for late season and it's fun to get them as they go to roost. I'll be there on the 30th.
 
Coming Nov 10

I will be making my first SD trip Nov 10-15. Hunting between Presho and Winner. Hopefully the crop situation will improve some by then. Work does not allow rescheduling. Can't wait to spend some time in the field with the dog, family, and friends.
:cheers:
 
duke5577 said:
The one good thing with all you guys changing your plans there will be less competition for the girls in Cavour,SD trying to pay there way through college.:
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BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Just so you're aware and don't drive right on past, Don Juan's is no more. It sold to the guy that runs Club Hunt and has been changed to The Roadhouse. They now serve food and have a bus that drives to every hotel in Huron every hour on the hour (at least they did opening weekend). Can't speak to any of the girls, I've never been in the place. Just admired the porta potties lined up in front and the sign that said "We just look expensive". :thumbsup:
 
We just got back from hunting for 4 days in SD and had a great time. Yes, we had to work harder for less birds than we normally see but it was still great hunting by my standards.

The only reason we didn't limit out each day wasn't from the lack of birds. I missed a few easy shots but limited out each day but my friend just couldn't get the barrel pointed in the right direction. He didn't care and neither did I. It was his first time to SD and he shot his first pheasant along with a couple others and had great time.

I took my one year old lab out there and it was awesome watching the pup work...I couldn't have been happier with him. Well, I could have done without him grabbing a live skunk in his mouth. Luckily it was a young one and he didn't get sprayed. I don't think he'll be so lucky the next time.

As long as you are willing to put in some work for the birds, I wouldn't change your plans. The evening hunt was the best for us with the birds coming to roost but we still found birds each day in the cattails and treelines.

My oldest boy and I are heading back out to SD in mid-December. Looking forward to the late season hunting...this will be our first time. Can't wait to get back out there.

Scott
 
wisturkeyhunter said:
Hunted the webster area Sat. Sunday and Monday. Alot of corn standing and alot of grumpy hunters complaining about the crops. We'd hunt from noon until about 5 and get a few roosters in range then about 5 start hunting thick cover near beans or corn and then have alot of shooting. Occasionally we'd find pockets of 3-5 birds in the middle of the afternoon. If you don't mind working for your birds for most the time and then having 1- 1.5 hours of good hunting I'd not cancel any plans. This was my first time in South Dakota and we hunting public land.
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To me if you don't have to work for your birds its not hunting. :cheers:
 
I can not change my days off

So we will be heading to astoria SD to hunt november 7 -14 my buddy that lives out there told me that the farmers are starting on the corn i hope it will be gone by then.
 
Talked to my guy in the Rockham area and he said lots of birds. He has a 1000acres of beans to get off and 500 acres of corn.
 
Cindy and I hope to leave Fri. and hunt se ND and SD around Watertown.Waiting on the weather and may push the trip back a couple of days if necessary.Wish us luck:)
Bill
 
Good luck to you and Cindy! Hope you have a sucessful hunt and a great time. Be safe. Looking forward to hearing from you!:cheers:
 
I was in kennebec for the opener and we limited out everyday. It took us all day on 3 of the 4 days we were there but that is how i like to hunt. I like the dogs to be worn out enough that they dont mind sleeping in the next morning. Most of the time it was really slow during mid day, but there were still birds to be found and we had some good dog work when the birds weren't in huge groups. However, most of our birds were shot in the last 2 hours of hunting time each day. We found CRP near crops and we did very well. The last evening we found some public land that was next to some milo, but you couldn't see that it did from the road. Man, the birds were thick. They were flying out of the milo in big groups and then we were hunting them. I really enjoyed the trip, but that being said, there is no doubt you will see more birds when the crops are out. I saw some guys walking through corn and 100s of birds flying out. That was just fun to see.
 
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