You really don't know why? Pheasants have value. Wild pheasants located where they can be hunted have more value. When I was a kid I hunted a lot of land and never thought about asking and I am sure people hunted our land without asking, nobody cared. Now access to those roosters is worth about $100 a piece. Can I come to your place and take something worth $100 in exchange for a six pack or some other gift?
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- Thread starter hunter94
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You really don't know why? Pheasants have value. Wild pheasants located where they can be hunted have more value. When I was a kid I hunted a lot of land and never thought about asking and I am sure people hunted our land without asking, nobody cared. Now access to those roosters is worth about $100 a piece. Can I come to your place and take something worth $100 in exchange for a six pack or some other gift?
benelli-banger
Well-known member
Just returned from 8 days, hunting was good, not stellar...got limits most days, hunted with another guy each day, but there were three guys i hunted with who each could only stay a few days....more later. Birds are up, but it varies from area to area, of course...lots of corn! Hot! Dry conditions. Tough on dogs hunting 8 days in a row, rested them by rotating a good amount....
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Goosemaster
Well-known member
Yeah, I don't agree with that.I can hunt good private land for free
That's right, free. South Dakota has gotten out if hand.
That's right, free. South Dakota has gotten out if hand.
benelli-banger
Well-known member
on this past saturday, the second saturday of the season, I went on a little detour to view several pieces of CREP that were within an easy strike of both Sioux Falls and Mitchell...and by the way, there were at least ten other pieces in the area that I didn't take the time to view...anyway, the pieces I looked at were fantastic, and guess what? NOT ANOTHER HUNTER! Feel free to have debates about paying to hunt vs. not paying to hunt...let me tell you, there is ample GOOD public land in SD...
Goosemaster
Well-known member
Yes, I've hunted sd 3 times.Wegot a few birds in those walk in areas, which were basically just tall grass, but they were ok. Another time, we stayed at a farm for 3 days, I think the guy charged us 300 dollars for the hunting, lodging, and great steak dinners.Also, the hunting was good, so that was a great deal. My dad paid, I never pay.Another time, my dad paid at a swanky preserve near Gregory.We hunted in March, and I got a bunch, I don't think my dad got any.They drove us out in a big bus, just me and my dad.400 bucks a day. Circle, something ranch. But yeah, I've seen some decent looking public ground, but I'm sure it gets hammered at times. You know, it's these guys who are willing to spend thousands of dollars at these swanky farms, that are screwing everything up.
jackrabbit
Active member
At least you can admit that your dad is screwing everything up and you area also one of the fortunate ones who can hunt private land without paying out of your own pocket.
519vx
Member
So....you're really not opposed to paying for hunting access, as long as someone else is the one paying?
carptom1
Well-known member
Maybe we should start calling him Moochmaster
Sounds like a Democrat
BeirlSetters
Member
There is some exceptional public ground that can be hunted in SD some people just have to learn to research and put boots on the ground to find it. I guess Goosemaster feels that the hard working farmers of SD who work the land all year and manage to some degree should just let out of state people on their land at no cost, hey just roll out the red carpet. If they can supplement their income by charging people to hunt, good for them they deserve it! I myself don't hunt pay to play but I don't complain about what someone may charge, that's their given right to do so. SD is about the experience and the reward of fooling a few wild pheasants with good dogs at day's end and if it's on public ground I know I have really good dogs. I mean if some people expect to get out of the truck and shoot three birds in 10 minutes you are better off hunting a game farm. Nothing is or ever will be free in this world, well unless you win the powerball.
I understand that you don't agree with it. It is a fact of life. I don't like it that much but I do like to eat and the ag world is going through hard times. I would rather save the hunting for me, but the fact is $3 corn is not going to cut it so something has to pay the bills. This is not personal do what you do. This is a big boost to a lot of people and the state of South Dakota.
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carptom1
Well-known member
While I agree with that in theory it may be different for those of us that drive 9+ hrs to hunt. I can only be away from work for so many days and don't have the luxury of spending a couple days scouting out public land, and unless you do that it is a crap shoot as to what you will find. if I could be away for 8-10 days I certainly would hunt more public as there is a satisfaction over competing with the masses. But unfortunately about 5 days away from work is all I can muster without my GM losing his mind because he does not believe in vacations or spending money on anything other than bare necessities.
Matt D
Well-known member
The other thing that so often gets over looked is that the guys like haymaker that are managing for birds are helping the areas around them also. It’s not like the birds all stay strictly on his property. Some obviously move off thus improving the area around him. Have been blessed and lucky to be able to hunt private ground and always treat the land owners that grant us permsiion like kings and make sure they know we appreciate it in a variety of ways. No hard feelings here at all for anyone that is charging to hunt. When you own the land and are paying the bills you can do as you please in my book!!
benelli-banger
Well-known member
i do a lot of my best intel work on the computer, looking at the weather from spring through late summer...there are great resources out there...my predictions back in mid august weren't too far off from reality if you revisit that thread...hell, you can't hunt til noon, or ten, it isn't that hard to look at 6 or 8 pieces of public stuff from 7-9 am or so...to each his own, hope we are all having fun while there.
Benelli Rooster
Member
I agree with all of this 100%. Well said.
I've been hitting SD for 20 years for pheasant and have never really paid to hunt. One area we've been going for 10-12 years now, we've gotten to know a few land owners, treat them with respect, bring some fresh walleye to drop off when we first get to town, maybe a bottle of Johnnie Walker Black, and everyone is happy, especially because we come later in the season. If they say they'd rather we didn't go to this area or that area of their land, we stay away.
Before that, I had been near Mitchell for a short time until it was abundantly clear that you were NOT wanted or welcome anywhere near Mitchell unless you were paying to hunt. I haven't been within 50 miles of Mitchell since then.
I pump a significant amount of money into the SD economy every year without paying a landowner to hunt, which in turn makes for the favorable tax situation for SD residents. I'm heading there this coming weekend for what I'm sure will be a great 10-day hunt with a great friend and my best friend German Shorthair Pointer. We have a saying, hunting (particularly pheasant hunting) has never been about body count for us, but we usually do better than most.
Looking forward to a great hunt again this year!!!
A5 Sweet 16
Well-known member
I've never paid to hunt pheasants & hope I never do. That said, my hunting is done on the govt's dime (which is a bit conflicting for me). But I have the luxury of being 45 minutes to an hour away from a ton of pretty good hunting......every weekend & whenever I feel like taking a day off work. As has been pointed out, let the private market be just that, the private market. If somebody wants to pay $5,000 for a week of pheasant "hunting" & somebody's willing to provide exactly what they're after...more power to both parties & hooray for my state's economy. If a farmer is ok charging $100/gun/day.....let him. If they want to save it for their brother in law to hunt a couple times after deer season ends (the age old story) & then open it up on a 1st-come-1st-served basis.....fine. It's their land. If you get lucky & get on some "free" private land loaded with birds....by all means, give the guy some PBR, golf balls, clean his tractor, or whatever. Why should how others hunt pheasants affect me? Answer....it doesn't.....as long as there's public land.
BeirlSetters
Member
If you have access to private land through friends or asking the right people by all means hunt it. But just because you can hunt private for free back home don't expect that in SD. Non-residents aren't entitled to free private access when they come to the SD and shouldn't expect that. Pheasants in SD is a business, better said it provides a livelihood for some residents of SD. Once again I don't pay to play but I do all I can to support the economy where I hunt. I even have donated several pups to different chapters of PF for their banquets to raise $$$ for habitat. I just appreciate the opportunity to hunt this wonderful part of the country.
SD public ground can be excellent and give up her bounty. I have been coming to SD for over 20 years. I enjoy the country so much I purchased a residence mainly for hunting season but do spend time there in the summer. SD public ground takes research, determination, and good dogs to be really successful. For me it use to be how many birds can we shoot and how fast can we do it. As I have grown older it all about the experience of SD. Its about family, friends and the dogs you spend all year honing to perform like superior athletes until they meet a public land rooster and get the next level of their education. Good luck to all and be safe!
SD public ground can be excellent and give up her bounty. I have been coming to SD for over 20 years. I enjoy the country so much I purchased a residence mainly for hunting season but do spend time there in the summer. SD public ground takes research, determination, and good dogs to be really successful. For me it use to be how many birds can we shoot and how fast can we do it. As I have grown older it all about the experience of SD. Its about family, friends and the dogs you spend all year honing to perform like superior athletes until they meet a public land rooster and get the next level of their education. Good luck to all and be safe!