Has anyone had good success hunting public land in Hand county maybe around Miller? I have a 5 month old WPG that I would like get on alot of birds! This season will be about him having fun and hopefully lots of bird contacts! Any suggestions/info/guidance to help me achieve that would greatly be appreciated! Thanks, Stu
Hand County
- Thread starter Stu
- Start date
Public hunting - hand county,SD
Greetings Stu,
Will try and offer some guidance regards the Miller area.
Have hunted Hand county for about 17 years - all on private land. Your request assumes we have a current Walk-In map, which I do not. Any walk-in areas will be heavily hunted and relatively large.
One area is 10 miles south and about 6 east. This area has water, but can be productive once it freezes. Another is 10 miles south of Miller and 3 east. I'm referring to a 1993 sportsman's atlas. The 2010 Atlas is available from the SD- DNR.
Looking at my map I find very few areas north of Miller.
Hope this helps you - good luck.
Jon-Minneapolis
Greetings Stu,
Will try and offer some guidance regards the Miller area.
Have hunted Hand county for about 17 years - all on private land. Your request assumes we have a current Walk-In map, which I do not. Any walk-in areas will be heavily hunted and relatively large.
One area is 10 miles south and about 6 east. This area has water, but can be productive once it freezes. Another is 10 miles south of Miller and 3 east. I'm referring to a 1993 sportsman's atlas. The 2010 Atlas is available from the SD- DNR.
Looking at my map I find very few areas north of Miller.
Hope this helps you - good luck.
Jon-Minneapolis
Hand County...
Hi Stu,
Here's a resource that might help you in Hand County:
Rural Farm Directory
The County Atlas
PO Box 1452
Watertown,SD
It's been several years since I contacted them, but their maps are helpful in determining who owns what in SD. I believe you can order them by the county.
Good Hunting,
Jon
Hi Stu,
Here's a resource that might help you in Hand County:
Rural Farm Directory
The County Atlas
PO Box 1452
Watertown,SD
It's been several years since I contacted them, but their maps are helpful in determining who owns what in SD. I believe you can order them by the county.
Good Hunting,
Jon
Zeb, I replied to your email on the 23rd I just sent it again, thank you!
Hunting Atlas and Rural Farm Directory
Stu,
The SD Hunting Atlas is very helpful in locating walk-in , identifying management areas et al.
Apparently the rural Farm Directory is no longer, at least there isn't a web site. I didn't try the phone directory in Watertown.
Over the years I've used both directories. The Farm directory was very helpful in determining land owners, gravel roads, creeks and other map information.
You might try walking ditches that appear productive ; railroad tracks are usually good spots for birds.
jon
Stu,
The SD Hunting Atlas is very helpful in locating walk-in , identifying management areas et al.
Apparently the rural Farm Directory is no longer, at least there isn't a web site. I didn't try the phone directory in Watertown.
Over the years I've used both directories. The Farm directory was very helpful in determining land owners, gravel roads, creeks and other map information.
You might try walking ditches that appear productive ; railroad tracks are usually good spots for birds.
jon
Dakotazeb
Well-known member
Not all RR right of ways are open for public hunting. Here is a section from the 2010 South Dakota Hunting & Trapping Handbook that addresses Railroad Rights of Way: