Pay to Play rates in SD

People on here are missing the point.Pay hunting is not a good thing, in any form.
Folks who have no other option would disagree with this analogy. If there weren’t pay to play, there would be many, many less hunters in the field. This would likely result in fewer hunters, hunting dogs, firearms, higher costs to those who actually have opportunities. If they are willing to spend money to enjoy a sport in a state with no opportunity then they also help increase hunting and outdoor sports for all. Put and take programs are just one aspect of hunting.
Anyone whose ever trained their dogs has very likely used pen raised birds.
 
I have. Its guaranteed success.

However, I would never call it "hunting."
The point being- You train on pen raised birds. You also likely still live in an area with an abundance of birds. If not, then you pay even more for hunts in another locality/ state. in many instances hunters can’t afford numerous trips hunting and would likely instead be sitting in front of the tv watching a game - but not hunting.
if we didn’t have pay to play hunters sporting goods stores wouldn’t have as much reason to be open and sales prices would be higher than they currently are.
Give those a break who don‘t have the time, money, resources a break. We’re all here because we have a passion. Hopefully no one will take this away from us.
 
I don't care what other hunters do or where they hunt.

My only gripe with the lodges, is the way many of them hunt. I don't like the drive and post hunting. I don't like group hunting. I don't like pass shooting.

I want to hunt solo with my pointers.
 
Where I am from, there are very few opportunities for quail and dove hunting on state or federally owed lands. As far as i know, we dont have any other upland bird species available, except for maybe woodcock and snipe.

The big three game animals around here are deer, duck, and turkey; and folks pay big money for leases to gain exclusive access to lands that can be managed for wildlife and hunted at their convenience.

For folks that don't have the funds to lease or buy their own land, the days of knocking on doors and getting permission from strangers to hunt a piece of land in Mississippi are long gone. Everything besides state or federal land is pay-to-play in the sense that large timber companies, corporate farming operations and other big landowners lease their lands exclusively to certain groups (i.e. deer camps/duck clubs) for the entire year, and many of the renters have rented the same lands for decades. For example, a timber company with 100,000 acres will lease out blocks of 2500-6500 acres to a hunting club with 20-30 members. if not leasing to clubs, if a landowner (individual, family, or LLC/corporation) owns a large tracts of land (2,500-20,000 acres) they will sell guided deer, duck, and turkey hunts for several hundred dollars for a half-day duck hunt to thousands of dollars for a multi-day world class deer hunt.

The SD walk-in public access program was completely foreign to me- the state renting lands from landowners and opening it to public access. I very much appreciate that opportunity for what it is, and intend to take advantage of it when I have the chance to come up.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy roaming the the public access land by myself with my dog and I spend a lot of time studying where and when to try to make my trips. At the same time, since we don't have pheasants or other upland bird species besides quail and dove, I have accepted the fact that I will have to travel a long way to be able to hunt them, and if I can maximize my opportunities to expose my dog to as many birds as possible, I am willing to pay extra for access to private lands.
 
Winchester30 - you speak like a fool.
Talk all you want, I’m in SD right now, real hunting, public land. If I wanted easy, guaranteed birds, I’d go hunt a club, but I’d do it when wild bird season is closed or take the kids for an easy hunt.
I’ve seen plenty of farmers supplement their land to keep customers coming back and many will pay extra to have birds raised without peepers so they “appear” wild. Ever wonder why you see more roosters than hens on your special farmland?
 
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No I’ve never wondered why I see more roosters than hens….because I’m not seeing more roosters than hens.

But I am wondering why you keep making so many incorrect assumptions?

I agree, about going to a hunt club for easy guaranteed birds…but we aren’t hunting easy guaranteed birds. We limited out today…but we hunted bell to bell.

If you are hunting around the Winner area, it’s a totally different story…but im not hunting around Winner…im hunting a small family farm that I’ve hunted for 25 years.

You might also just be hunting in the wrong areas or don’t have a good dog. I shot 2 birds on a GPA area near Colome yesterday on my way out and got out last 2 out of 18 today Road hunting.
 
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No I’ve never wondered why I see more roosters than hens….because I’m not seeing more roosters than hens.

But I am wondering why you keep making so many incorrect assumptions?

I agree, about going to a hunt club for easy guaranteed birds…but we aren’t hunting easy guaranteed birds. We limited out today…but we hunted bell to bell.

If you are hunting around the Winner area, it’s a totally different story…but im not hunting around Winner…im hunting a small family farm that I’ve hunted for 25 years.

You might also just be hunting in the wrong areas or don’t have a good dog. I shot 2 birds on a GPA area near Colome yesterday on my way out and got out last 2 out of 18 today Road hunting.
 
This will never be solved. It is interesting to hear the different views. Yesterday I had a gentleman from Mississippi come up to me after the hunt and shake my hand and thank me and for his first pheasant hunt. Eight guys hunted however they wanted and shot 22 birds and said they saw a lot of hens. That handshake is part of the reason I do what I do.
 
But I am wondering why you keep making so many incorrect assumptions?.

You might also just be hunting in the wrong areas or don’t have a good dog.
And yet you assume I’m not getting birds?

When you show your picture of six birds on the tailgate, I am to believe it is you and one other person hunting. Congrats, good job.

If you read my previous posts, my point is that the 8-9 man party hunts who are limiting out everyday on the same property are not hunting wild birds. Ask a wildlife biologist how much land you would need to sustain harvesting approx 27 birds a day/ 7 days a week.
 
The original question was what is the going rate on trespass rates for guided and non-guide hunts.

5 pages and running ... most on this site are freelancing and hunting public ground (at least so they say) so there probably is not too much practical advise on this request from this group.
 
I guess I don't really care what a guy does. It's the misleading posts and pics that make me shake my head. If they'd just add to the post, "Birds holding tight today, bird boy shook em good, and those paths we walked with no briars have my legs feeling great too. Great day!"

Keep hammering those feathered clay pigeons just know when you post about it, a guy who knows what's what, is laughing about it.
 
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