First South Dakota trip was a blast

Quailnerd

Quailnerd

Well-known member
My dad, brother, two friends and I just finished an outstanding sd trip. Seeing a new part of the world with my 70 year old dad that is full of birds was an amazing experience. I’ll start by saying this, we never made a walk in 4 days without a shooting opportunity. Corn and sunflowers in our area definitely affected our pheasant walks, estimate 30-40% were still standing. It didn’t matter much because the first time we saw a group of sharpies pointed by the dogs our trip shifted to them. Day 2 we dedicated all day, 13 miles of boot leather to a huge property and saw 50 plus sharpies with a few chickens. Day 3 was special on the first walk as my dad got a chicken, sharpie and pheasant on the same walk. What an amazing place touched by the hand of god, I love it and will be back!IMG_5522.jpegIMG_5522.jpegIMG_5532.jpeg
 

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They've got it all. Sure, pheasants are king...but the prairie birds and their fishing are what set them apart IMO. So much versatility up there. Pick your poison and you can swing it if you're willing to put in the work. The vast communities are awesome, too. Literally live and die by hunting/fishing. Such a cool place up there.
 
Quailnerd said:
I’m blessed to have a great friend that owns a 1940’s old farm house in a small town that I have access too…. The prarie birds blew me away, we went for pheasant for the most part but forgot about them in half a day.
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Wait until you knock down a Hun. You can't stop thinking about them..
 
Not only is the upland bird hunting and the fishing awesome in SD, the deer hunting is phenomenal too.
Grew up there, went to college there, for some reason moved to Minneapolis area, but hopefully find our way back to SD soon.
I go back to SD hunting enough, I think it's time to move back. And get away from what MN has become.
 
I abuse the prairie dawgs in SD...a state for a sportsman for sure! I edited in pics, kept them thumbnail, for the sensitive folks 20230611_145511.jpg20230610_162727.jpg
 
birddude said:
What in the crap did you shoot him with? A howitzer??:oops:
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That's pretty common for a PD. Shoot them with a frangible bullet (I like 50 grain Vmax) out of a typical varmint rifle and that's what you get. "Prairie Dog Olympics"--that one pulled off a triple with a twist. "Red Mist" is another descriptive term.

I like a 50 grain Vmax out of a 223. Recoil is low enough that you can see the impact most of the time and it has a better "splat factor" (another great term for it) than the 40 grain version or anything smaller (204 ruger, etc.) There's lots of slow motion video out there on the internet.

It's not about filling the freezer. We tell ourselves it's about helping out the ranchers, good rifle practice, etc. But it's just fun :) I've never shot them in SD though. Always in Kansas.
 
Quailnerd said:
I’m blessed to have a great friend that owns a 1940’s old farm house in a small town that I have access too…. The prarie birds blew me away, we went for pheasant for the most part but forgot about them in half a day.
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It would be great to stay on a farm.Unfortunatly that can be very spendy!!
 
matto said:
That's pretty common for a PD. Shoot them with a frangible bullet (I like 50 grain Vmax) out of a typical varmint rifle and that's what you get. "Prairie Dog Olympics"--that one pulled off a triple with a twist. "Red Mist" is another descriptive term.

I like a 50 grain Vmax out of a 223. Recoil is low enough that you can see the impact most of the time and it has a better "splat factor" (another great term for it) than the 40 grain version or anything smaller (204 ruger, etc.) There's lots of slow motion video out there on the internet.

It's not about filling the freezer. We tell ourselves it's about helping out the ranchers, good rifle practice, etc. But it's just fun :) I've never shot them in SD though. Always in Kansas.
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I got you. I'm not sure what frangible is, but I assume it's the high velocity + a fragmenting bullet. I'm not much of a high-power rifle guy. I'm used to shooting squirrels with 22 short hollow points!
 
Goosemaster said:
It would be great to stay on a farm.Unfortunatly that can be very spendy!!
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5 years ago they were passing through a small town and a bought the house off a guy they met in the coffee shop for 25000. It’s seen better days but works well for hunting camp. Came with vintage 1950’s furniture and kitchen utensils, kind of a time capsule.
 
Quailnerd said:
5 years ago they were passing through a small town and a bought the house off a guy they met in the coffee shop for 25000. It’s seen better days but works well for hunting camp. Came with vintage 1950’s furniture and kitchen utensils, kind of a time capsule.
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I might look in south Dakota for an old farm house,out of town a few miles.I have cash.
 
Quailnerd said:
5 years ago they were passing through a small town and a bought the house off a guy they met in the coffee shop for 25000. It’s seen better days but works well for hunting camp. Came with vintage 1950’s furniture and kitchen utensils, kind of a time capsule.
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Goosemaster said:
I might look in south Dakota for an old farm house,out of town a few miles.I have cash.
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Spend it then goose!
 
matto said:
That's pretty common for a PD. Shoot them with a frangible bullet (I like 50 grain Vmax) out of a typical varmint rifle and that's what you get. "Prairie Dog Olympics"--that one pulled off a triple with a twist. "Red Mist" is another descriptive term.

I like a 50 grain Vmax out of a 223. Recoil is low enough that you can see the impact most of the time and it has a better "splat factor" (another great term for it) than the 40 grain version or anything smaller (204 ruger, etc.) There's lots of slow motion video out there on the internet.

It's not about filling the freezer. We tell ourselves it's about helping out the ranchers, good rifle practice, etc. But it's just fun :) I've never shot them in SD though. Always in Kansas.
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Spot on Matto! There is just something special about a 50 grain Vmax running at 223 velocities that ruin a prairie dawg's day like nothing else. I shoot that, plus 204 Ruger, 20 Practical, 17 Hornet these last few years. Everything I take now is small primer. I do have some 25-06 and 243 Win loaded from a decade ago, that I should take out and "unload".
 
remy3424 said:
Spot on Matto! There is just something special about a 50 grain Vmax running at 223 velocities that ruin a prairie dawg's day like nothing else. I shoot that, plus 204 Ruger, 20 Practical, 17 Hornet these last few years. Everything I take now is small primer. I do have some 25-06 and 243 Win loaded from a decade ago, that I should take out and "unload".
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For me, anything smaller than a 223 is unsatisfactory and anything bigger, even a 22-250, you loose sight picture under recoil. I have 25-06 that I load with 75 grain Vmaxes, but I only shoot it when the 223 is cooling. That 75 grain Vmax is SHORT. That bullet is hanging in that case by just a thread if you want it out close the lands.
 
matto said:
For me, anything smaller than a 223 is unsatisfactory and anything bigger, even a 22-250, you loose sight picture under recoil. I have 25-06 that I load with 75 grain Vmaxes, but I only shoot it when the 223 is cooling. That 75 grain Vmax is SHORT. That bullet is hanging in that case by just a thread if you want it out close the lands.
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I use Vmax bullets in everything except couple 204R that just shoot the 39 gr BK Sierra bullet much better. I seat just off the rifling or the max length that will feed from the magazine. I do think the mist affect is better with the 50 gr than those 75 grain 25 cals or even the 58 grain 6mm. The 17 Hornet is way better than the HMR, great for those 200 and under shots, I use the 20 gr Vmax in that...about the same recoil as a HMR, none.
 
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