Hunting in three states in one day! Can I do it?

goldenboy

Well-known member
Hey guys I have a question for you. I am hunting in NW Iowa in December. I have one day off then I start another hunt in South Dakota. On that middle day I was thinking about trying to shoot a limit of birds in Iowa in the morning, cross over into Minnesota and shoot a limit there, then head to South Dakota and finish off the day with a limit in South Dakota. Is is possible? Anyone ever done it? Am I too ambitious? Anyone willing to PM me with any public or private lands close to the corner of all threee states where I might pick up a limit in one of the states? Is there enough good public land near the borders where I could do it? It would just be me and my two dogs and the date is in the middle of Dec. I think Monday Dec. 14th would be the day.
 
Have you figured in drive time yet? How much time will you be in the truck between each area (approximately)?
 
Sounds like an ambitious but very noble personal challenge!! Go for it!! In SD, the public spots I’d say you’re most likely to pick up a quick, late-day limit are a couple real small WPA’s. They don’t hold tremendous bird numbers, but are somewhat overlooked early on, so I leave them alone until later too. Each is good for about 1 limit apiece during the last hour of daylight. After they've seen a few of their brethren shot, they stay out feeding or in the trees across the road until after sunset. Sounds like I better hit one on the 12th & the other on the 13th.
 
I figure the closer I am to the corners of the states the beeter my odds are of having enough time. But I need to find the right land. I can't waste time scouting. I have to try and scout now via google to see what is available.
 
Another option might be SD, NE & IA, stay, there is public ground in southern Woodbury Cty, within 30 mins of Sioux City. Not sure about public area NE and SD hunting.....I ususally don't normally venture more than 30 minutes from home for bird hunting. Good luck with this adventure!
 
Even 1 bird in each state "in a day" would be quite a feat, let alone a limit in each. I live in Iowa and am 10 minutes from Nebraska and 20 minutes from South Dakota and would not even consider a limit in each state a feasible en devour. But hey don't let that stop you, good luck!!!!!
 
There is a smattering of WMAs and OFWs (private-public access) up in Dixon and Cedar counties in upper Northeast Nebraska, 10-15 miles off the Missouri River/SD border. Haven't been up there to any of them yet, so cant tell how good numbers are, but might be worth a look for ya. Nebraska Game and Parks website has an online atlas you can look at too.
 
That sounds like a great day even just getting some hunting in 3 states in a day would be something. I have done ND and SD on the same day before, but ND can start early morning.
 
I'm happy with 1 limit in a day, so 3 would be remarkable. I'm sure it won't be easy but I'm sure it could be done if everything lines up just right. Sounds like a bucket list type of day!
 
Well if anyone wants to hunt with me in your respective state come join me! Looking for guys in all three states. Send me a message and we can maybe try and connect.
If you pull it off, your going to have some tired but happy doggies...
 
You are pretty optimistic to expect to find a limit of birds on public in mid December in any state, LOL. I am guessing you will as you stated in prior post, exercise your dogs and yourself, along with the gas pedal....
 
Well guys my plans are coming together more and more each day. I will be hunting private land over the weekend in Iowa so I will try to hunt some of that same land on Monday morning. I have been looking around on google for farms in SW Minnesota and I have secured some private land in Minnesota as well! I have an opportunity to hunt with one of the guys from this forum in South Dakota for the end of the day. I am thinking a limit each state might be pushing it. That is still my goal but I will be forced to watch the clock more than the number of birds. I will probably be limited to about 1 1/2 hours of hunting in each state. 4 1/2 hours of hunting and about 2 hours of driving is about all I will have time for with an 8 am start in Iowa.
Anybody got any more tips for me?
 
You may want to consider being possession of that many birds. I know you can not fish both the ohio side and michigan side of lake erie in the same day and secure a limit in both. Your are restricted to the possession limit for your port of call. I have hunted in Iowa and than went to S Dak on same trip and if i remember correctly the Iowa birds counted against our possession limit S Dak.
 
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