Huron, SD

I have hunted that general area once a year for a number of decades. There has been good numbers within 20 miles to the north of Huron, especially in dry years where you will still find water near James River and Lake Byron. However even better numbers of birds have been found 40 miles to the north and west that have had more favorable crop rotations and weather in the last 5 years. Those are also pockets of country with less concentration of paid hunting outfits. I do believe that many hunters sign up for a day or two of guaranteed paid land and fill out the rest of the 5 days with public land sections nearby so the pressure is higher right near to towns like Huron. Like sjohn, I also walk the "minimum maintenance" section line roads which are primarily for field access but still public roads as well as ditches by the gravel side roads in between. I hunt exclusively opening week and I get the advantage of the max number of birds and most of them dumb for the first couple days when they don't know to stay in the crops. I see and get birds regardless of the harvest progress during opening week. Since I am never at the few main walk-in areas, I never see another hunter and rarely another vehicle on the roads. I stay away from fields being actively harvested until the tractors are done so I don't get in their way and that is the only traffic I see normally. If it's too hot to run the dog all day long, I take shorter roads and cool the dog in air conditioning in between spots. Well defined ditches with another guy to be a blocker are nearly as effective as using a dog as long as you are willing to get into the thick stuff every once in a while. I hunt half the time without a dog and still get all our birds every day with the numbers in these areas above.
 
When EF Hutton, I mean PeteRevvv talks, people listen. (Except when it comes to shooting spreader loads at long range birds). And don't worry windy, as long as Pete can pop a clutch and shoot and such, he'll ride that pheasant hunting wave right till he hits the grave. Good huntin' and shootin' this year Pete!
 
thanks PeteRevvv for the information on opening week. I have never heard anyone speak about opening week like that before. You have seemed to adapt well to crowded and hot conditions. Maybe when I am older and can't take the cold or just want to change things up I will not be so intimidated by crowds when I can still use my late season tactics to find uneducated birds on MMR and ditches.

Sounds like you have a lot of "friends" on this forum!
 
Get tickets now for the sequel- MadPete: Fury Gravel Road.

I get around. Huron's my kinda town. I'm a real cool shot, I'm making good meat. It's just I'm getting bugged driving up and down the same old strip, I've got to see new fields where you geezers try out the new hip.
 
Start with danish and coffee from the donut shop, then refuel with a bagel sandwich from manolis’ grocery store after bagging your birds…good town. Love the Dakota Inn!
 
Fun starts 6:30PM on 10/20 at the Mellette Volunteer Fire Department Gun Raffle where my new weapon of mass pheasant destruction is waiting for me for $100 American. Stop by, drinks are on me.

Next on the itinerary is Leo's Good Food in Redfield for the breakfast buffet about 10AM so I can avoid most of the Orvis Filson Gang. See, dog walkers, I do feel your public ground pain- but only when I take a $89 blaze orange forearm to ribs going after the last pancake.

Then a traditional 12:00 noon shotgun start at Spink County 15 and 388th Ave; it's where pheasants in SD started and so do I- no 10AM gummint start time for me. Then 12:01 unjamming of the Remington versa max followed at 12:02 with a hearty "lock and load bitches" and "gentlemen, start your engines".
 
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You all are giving me a good chuckle today. Wish I were closer so I could join in on the traditions. As one commercial says, "Make memories today as we are not promised tomorrow."
 
Hunted the Huron area for the first time last December, saw birds in every field. Hunted within 15 minutes of town and hour+ away. Birds were a bit more seasoned the closer to town we hunted, but also had a 30+ bird flush in a 15 minute outside of Huron field. 30 birds is about how many I flush per season on public land in Michigan. So the trip was more than worth it!
 
What are the rules regarding semi-auto's and having plugs in or out for SD? Kansas and Nebraska no plugs for upland hunting. Thanks
 
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