Leaving for first trip to SD - questions

[jhb076]

Headed west of Aberdeen, really excited. Public game map shows lots of walk in and Wpa's. Also school land. From what I read these are open to hunting. Are they marked? Plat maps had what appeared to be land owner names? Any feedback/advice on school land?

Any grouse around there? Are they hard to distinguish from hens?

Finally, some in group are duck hunting in ND, is it worth it to get license to give that a go?

 

[Headin west]

School land is not marked. If you have a GPS, download from the Game and Fish or you will have no clue where it starts and ends. Most of the time this is pature land and isn't good.

There is grouse but they are in super flocks and pretty smart by now, not saying you wouldn't stumble into some.

Watch the weather, the duck hunting could be awesome this weekend. So might be worth it to pick up a tag.

The WIA area's suck this year. Not saying you might not stuble into a good one.

 

[small munsterlander owner]

that region of the state really is not known for prairie grouse but you could get into some but if you have not prairie grouse hunted id maybe hold off on shooting at brown birds flushing in that part of SD... you may get into huns??? you can tell them they are much smaller then pheasants & are in coveys much like bob white quail but bigger & faster & they fly much farther when kicked up...

the prairie grouse are indeed in large flocks now & will have look outs watching & when 1 flushes they all flush so you better get your ass to that spot you seen the 1st flush ASAP like RUN there!!! & you will mite get rewarded with a few straglers that will still hold tite prairie grouse are famous for this... they are not runners like pheasants... use terrain to help approach some of the birds if you think there are birds in the area or seen them go down someplace...

form what i have looked at on the SD public land atlas i was very easily able to find & see the borders of the school lands i looked at so far??? they may not be marked but if you have the atlas you should be good to go??? if not print a aerial photo of the land B4 hand & you can compair when you get there??? i would do that any way my self...


dont know how long you have to hunt??? but duck hunting in the morning & pheasant hunting till dark is always fun this time of year... mite just want to do the ND trip & save $$$ & just do the same there in ND??? but they have a pheasant season wear wear it legal to shoot pheasants at sunrise & it think it be doing that as ive never hunted B4 9:00 am

look for crops & water & hope there is cover there when you get reguardless of WIA GPA or school lands if you find good water river & or sloughs you should get cattails & cattails in close proximity to crops is good pheasant country... from reports so far if you look for the perfect cover on public you will not find it its all cut or hayed ETC. id do some on-line aerial scouting B4 you go & find the above mentioned cover... & please let me know how you did???

P.S. if your working the cattails you wont get into any prairie grouse or huns just pheasants prairie grouse need prairie grass lol & sunflower seed soy bean then corn in that order for preferred foods... good luck & happy safe hunting out west ... PM me on how you do out there...