First sd trip

P

petrey10

New member
Got my first sd trip thru work.... Going to dak ringneck

My question is are the outfitters like this good hunting? They do release birds but well before season. Should we schedule a day or two of public ground? I'd really like to get into a mixed bag one time.

Looking for input... Thank you
 
I should say I hunt pheaz hard here in Illinois. All wild birds. I don't want to travel 10 hrs to kick roosters up bc they won't fly
 
I'm sure the birds will fly well and you'll see plenty of wild birds too but I'd give myself a few days of public land hunting to get the whole experience.:thumbsup:
 
Save your money and just hunt public on your own. There are plenty of birds, you will figure it out and have more fun. Staying in motels and hunting public will be a fraction of the cost.

I am assuming you have a dog??
 
When is your trip? Some of these outfitters hunt before and after the regular season.

Are they good? It depends on what type of hunting they do and what you expect. If they hunt small groups in mixed cover it could be a lot of fun. If they hunt strips of corn with 15-20 guys then you can expect a lot of shooting and missing. Not a type of hunting I like but it's what a lot of the outfitters do.

If this is the Dakota Ringneck by Estilline then you are a ways from an area where you have a good chance of getting a mixed bag if you mean prairie grouse. You have to get out near the Missouri River to have that opportunity. I guess there is a chance in the NE corner of the state too but that isn't too high.

If you have a dog along then staying an extra day or two isn't a bad idea. Head to an area with a lot of public and cover some ground.

Tim
 
I looked at there website. What a place. Im sure they stock birds to be able to offer hunts at that price they would just about have to. I hunt wild birds in SD every year but with that said if I got a free hunt at this place you can bet your life I would go. You will have a ball.
 
I go to SD every year. This year it will be Oct 23 - 25 with an outfitter in the Redfield area and 26 - 27 self-guided on public land. You are almost guaranteed to flush plenty of birds with an outfitter. Whether you kill any depends on how good a shot you are. They provide guides and dogs. They manage the properties you hunt so they are not over hunted. I only hunt with an outfitter that focuses on wild birds. I belong to a hunt club in IL and can hunt pen raised birds any time I want. Wild birds are very different.

As for the self-guided hunt on public lands, I suggest downloading the SD phone app as it will tie in to your GPS and direct you to the public lands. I download the PDF copy of their atlas by county, look at previous year's pheasant harvest reports as well as current year's forecast, then aerial photos of the land I want to hunt to see if the cover and size of the field suite my group and mark them as targets. When I limit out each day with the outfitter I use the daylight hours to scout the public land I targeted.

Lastly, hunt weekdays vs. weekends. Everyone is out on the weekends it seems.

Don't forget public land includes roadside ditches...I think it's 50 feet on either side of the road. Ditch hunts are pretty effective, especially late in the day. Stop often and just listen for the crowing of the roosters.

I do not hunt the prime areas (Winner, Pierre, Mitchell, etc) as they do not have much public land and always draw the largest number of hunters. I primarily hunt the counties in the center of the state north of I-90.
 
Petrey10: That is a super nice win from work, what company do you work for, if you want to throw in a public fist bump for them. I have hunted pen raised pheasant that were released through the DNR, doing the clean up hunts after the put and take hunts are over, they are not a bird that you would kick into the air to get to fly by any means, and they are sneaky as hell. I would take the time and advice and hunt public property. I would add that you may want to take a trash bag or two to pick up after slob shooters ( not a real hunter) that will help keep land open to the public.
 
Yeah thumbs up to your company for providing a trip such as this.

There's plenty of public land in the Estelline area where you're staying. Bird counts are lower in the eastern part of the state. If you're willing to drive a bit further west I recommend hunting in the Huron and Redfield areas. Bird counts are twice what you'll see in the Estelline area.

Regardless, just remember if you hunt areas marked as Waterfowl Production Area you'll need to use steel shot, even for pheasant. Otherwise lead shot is allowed.
 
MustangGT said:
Yeah thumbs up to your company for providing a trip such as this.

There's plenty of public land in the Estelline area where you're staying. Bird counts are lower in the eastern part of the state. If you're willing to drive a bit further west I recommend hunting in the Huron and Redfield areas. Bird counts are twice what you'll see in the Estelline area.

Regardless, just remember if you hunt areas marked as Waterfowl Production Area you'll need to use steel shot, even for pheasant. Otherwise lead shot is allowed.
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All state lands are steel... only private lands open To public type stuff is lead allowed
I still find lead casings all over state lands I've yet to see a warden outside of a check point on hwy I don't hunt by major towns much so maybe that why...

Lots of pay to play outfits in that area lots of dumb birds on ditch by camps well outfitters camps...
 
Thanks for the clarification. Personally I don't see an issue using steel shot on pheasants regardless of where hunted. I use a high velocity #4 steel shot, 3" shell and knock them down reliably.

Here is a brief recap of the posted regulations for anyone who cares...

Key components of the Nontoxic Shot Implementation Schedule included:

1. In 1986 - nontoxic shot would be required for all shotgun hunting of waterfowl on or within 100 yards of the water?s edge of the Missouri River from Choteau Creek (Charles Mix-Bon Homme County line) all the way to the Iowa border, including Lake Yankton and all islands and bars.

2. In 1987 - nontoxic shot would be requires statewide for all waterfowl hunting.

3. In 1989 ? nontoxic shot would be required for all shotgun hunting of waterfowl, upland game birds, and small game on most public lands, most notably state Game Production Areas and federal Waterfowl Production Areas.

This effort was a giant undertaking for GFP with some bumps along the road but in 1988 nontoxic shot was required for all waterfowl hunting, statewide, with no exceptions. And, beginning on September 1, 1998 nontoxic shot was required for all small game hunting on most public lands in South Dakota, notable exceptions being private land walk-in areas, state school lands, and national grasslands.
 
MustangGT said:
Thanks for the clarification. Personally I don't see an issue using steel shot on pheasants regardless of where hunted. I use a high velocity #4 steel shot, 3" shell and knock them down reliably.

Here is a brief recap of the posted regulations for anyone who cares...

Key components of the Nontoxic Shot Implementation Schedule included:

1. In 1986 - nontoxic shot would be required for all shotgun hunting of waterfowl on or within 100 yards of the water?s edge of the Missouri River from Choteau Creek (Charles Mix-Bon Homme County line) all the way to the Iowa border, including Lake Yankton and all islands and bars.

2. In 1987 - nontoxic shot would be requires statewide for all waterfowl hunting.

3. In 1989 ? nontoxic shot would be required for all shotgun hunting of waterfowl, upland game birds, and small game on most public lands, most notably state Game Production Areas and federal Waterfowl Production Areas.

This effort was a giant undertaking for GFP with some bumps along the road but in 1988 nontoxic shot was required for all waterfowl hunting, statewide, with no exceptions. And, beginning on September 1, 1998 nontoxic shot was required for all small game hunting on most public lands in South Dakota, notable exceptions being private land walk-in areas, state school lands, and national grasslands.
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Must have a flusher??? That's a lot of shell for a pheasant I use 2 3/4 #2 #3 & #4 federal steel loads blue box ... I crumple birds over a pointing dog... My last shell aka 3rd is sometimes a #4 Remington hypersonic 3in for longer shots... Im switch n to #2 once my box of #4s are empty...

Yeah in SD I hardly ever have lead with on trips... I've only killed 1 bird on lands wear lead was legal i used steel... I don't mess with most private lands open to public hunting so I rock steel...
 
Yup...flushers...two springer spaniels. Great dogs. They stay pretty much within 30 yards of us. When the birds are running they seem to know how to get out in front of them and run them back towards us.

But a flush at 30 yards with the bird going away requires a heavier shot, especially if you have a windy SD day. I opt for more shot as well in the hopes there are fewer holes in my shot pattern. I use an over/under with modified and improved cylinder chokes.

The birds at my hunt club are pen-raised birds and tend to be more complacent, so they often are shot at closer ranges. I will use a steel shot #6 for close up and a #4 for further out when I hunt there.
 
MustangGT said:
Yup...flushers...two springer spaniels. Great dogs. They stay pretty much within 30 yards of us. When the birds are running they seem to know how to get out in front of them and run them back towards us.

But a flush at 30 yards with the bird going away requires a heavier shot, especially if you have a windy SD day. I opt for more shot as well in the hopes there are fewer holes in my shot pattern. I use an over/under with modified and improved cylinder chokes.

The birds at my hunt club are pen-raised birds and tend to be more complacent, so they often are shot at closer ranges. I will use a steel shot #6 for close up and a #4 for further out when I hunt there.
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I hunt with a springer yearly my buddy has 1 only bad thing is she is micro small & the thick cattail sloughs & way thick stuff I hunt just wipes her out fast... Great great Lil dog hell of a retriever...

Yeah I used 3in when I had no dog & or hunted with my bros lab now that I have a pointer I get shots way way closer push em into the wind then shoot I use improved all season just switch shells 3in late season 4 them cluster flushes & multi birds etc.

Early season I will use a #6 prairie storm 1st shot then #4 in MN we can use lead so not the same I guess I'll never use #6 steel loose velocity way fast pheasant too tuff...

O/U are great for mix n matching loads & choke combos I'll get 1 my next gun I think... I have the pointer so I'm trying to get as open of choke as possible & fill the pattern with biggest pellet I can to break bone & kill birds good retriever good to have also...

U ever try any hevi shot type loads? Bismuth ? They non toxic & hit like lead some like hevi shot hit harder then lead... I use hevi shot turkey hunting extends range a Lil but is devastating on the birds #6 hevi shot on pheasants would be perfect out of a improved pattern I bet...
 
We have two springers, normal size. Kind of stocky and heavy boned. Great heart and nose. The older one is a Master Hunter and the youngest one is just a year old so he is just getting trained. Cattails are tough for just about any dog. The only ones that don't seem to care much are labs. They do everything with a smile on their face.

I'm hunting at the club this Saturday. My son is using Bismuth and possibly rounds from tungsten (I think). I'll let you know how that goes.

I have a Browning Citori 725 Field model. Love that gun. Not sure what your price range is. I back it up with a Beretta A3901 semi-auto. I've had guns break down on hunts so I always bring a spare.

I think your #2 shot would do a number on the birds. Maybe too heavy, even for a pheasant. Someday compare the shot pattern between #2 and #4 steel shot and see which one your gun likes best at a normal range for you. The birds will drop if you have enough velocity. And the dog will get them if they're just wounded.
 
MustangGT said:
We have two springers, normal size. Kind of stocky and heavy boned. Great heart and nose. The older one is a Master Hunter and the youngest one is just a year old so he is just getting trained. Cattails are tough for just about any dog. The only ones that don't seem to care much are labs. They do everything with a smile on their face.

I'm hunting at the club this Saturday. My son is using Bismuth and possibly rounds from tungsten (I think). I'll let you know how that goes.

I have a Browning Citori 725 Field model. Love that gun. Not sure what your price range is. I back it up with a Beretta A3901 semi-auto. I've had guns break down on hunts so I always bring a spare.
I think your #2 shot would do a number on the birds. Maybe too heavy, even for a pheasant. Someday compare the shot pattern between #2 and #4 steel shot and see which one your gun likes best at a normal range for you. The birds will drop if you have enough velocity. And the dog will get them if they're just wounded.
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I use #2 steel & #3 mostly 2 3/4 now not to much shell. Maybe the hypersonic will be? I only use hypersonics on my last shots...

My dog grew up hunting cattails & sloughs will hunt em the SD 5 day hunt no problem if only 1 - 3 guys most labs I see are heel lickers fat & house dogs seen a few not even wanna go into cattails...

Puddlepointers , large munsterlanders , GWP draths labs & a few others are maid for cattails my girl acts like a a good lab in cattails loves em sorghum Cain grass bull rush she will hunt tears her face up under eyes a lot 1st few hunts...

I have a old Beretta A390 I use & old 870 & a few old Ithaca model 37s
 
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