Please Help. First SD Trip This Fall
- Thread starter atbrdly
- Start date
Ohiouplandhunting
New member
I live in SW Ohio and made my first trip to SD last year. I went alone with my dog. I stayed in Mitchell and hunted from there. One thing I learned is everything in SD is an hour away. There is plenty of public land, but the drive between can be long. I planned each day out so I had a general route to go.
As far as crowds I went during the week around Nov 10th and only ran into group at on spot. They had about 10 hunters and 6-7 dogs. They got on line and flushed a field. I stayed across the road and found all kinds of birds.
A couple of things I learned from my first trip. If you have a pointer they may struggle with wild birds. Pheasants don't like to hold if they can run. My dog also lost a significant amount of weight, even though she was eating a good food and I doubled up the amount. We hunted all day and it is a lot of running for them. This year I may plan a rest day. The wind in SD is no joke if the local news says it is going to be windy, it will almost knock you down. The game wardens are friendly and helpful. In fact everybody I met out there was very friendly. They will give you advice or help if you need it. Do nt slam your truck doors, in fact stop down the road and get your dog ready and gun out of its case but unloaded. The pheasants will be watching as soon as you pull up. And the will take off as soon as they can. I had the most luck in waterfowl management areas.
People have mentioned it before, but always have fuel, it is a long way between towns. Roads in SD end for no reason, even if they are on a map. Apparently you can put a fence across a road and block it for your cattle. So be prepared to have to back track a bit.
I only hunted public land. I am willing to pay a trespass fee, but I'm not sure how that works. There are fields, but no houses within miles, so I'm not sure how you find the people to pay and I did not ask.
I can't say enough about how great the people and hunting are in SD. I can't wait to go back. I'm still planning on going in earlier nov if your going to be there around then message means maybe we can meet up.
As far as crowds I went during the week around Nov 10th and only ran into group at on spot. They had about 10 hunters and 6-7 dogs. They got on line and flushed a field. I stayed across the road and found all kinds of birds.
A couple of things I learned from my first trip. If you have a pointer they may struggle with wild birds. Pheasants don't like to hold if they can run. My dog also lost a significant amount of weight, even though she was eating a good food and I doubled up the amount. We hunted all day and it is a lot of running for them. This year I may plan a rest day. The wind in SD is no joke if the local news says it is going to be windy, it will almost knock you down. The game wardens are friendly and helpful. In fact everybody I met out there was very friendly. They will give you advice or help if you need it. Do nt slam your truck doors, in fact stop down the road and get your dog ready and gun out of its case but unloaded. The pheasants will be watching as soon as you pull up. And the will take off as soon as they can. I had the most luck in waterfowl management areas.
People have mentioned it before, but always have fuel, it is a long way between towns. Roads in SD end for no reason, even if they are on a map. Apparently you can put a fence across a road and block it for your cattle. So be prepared to have to back track a bit.
I only hunted public land. I am willing to pay a trespass fee, but I'm not sure how that works. There are fields, but no houses within miles, so I'm not sure how you find the people to pay and I did not ask.
I can't say enough about how great the people and hunting are in SD. I can't wait to go back. I'm still planning on going in earlier nov if your going to be there around then message means maybe we can meet up.
mnmthunting
Banned
This is a good post, informative from a guy willing to work at it.
Thanks Ohiouplandhunting, I'd hunt with you. :cheers:
kansasbrittany
Banned
Agreed! A real "nugget" for first-timers:thumbsup:
mnmthunting
Banned
The only waterfowl production areas closed to upland during the migration are the NWR, as far as I know?
Some good info on this thread......Thanks guys! 
I too will be heading to SD for the first time just me and my dog. A question I have is how do you guys prefer to handle the processing of birds on a 4-5 day hunt and be legal? Can I keep them on ice in a cooler after pulling the entrails out and finish the processing when I get home? Is there Meat Markets in town that you can have them processed at and pick them up frozen at the end of the hunt if a person would want that option? Just wondering what you more experience out of state hunters found works best. I will be basing out of a hotel in Aberdeen and hunting all public.....again thanks for the info.
I too will be heading to SD for the first time just me and my dog. A question I have is how do you guys prefer to handle the processing of birds on a 4-5 day hunt and be legal? Can I keep them on ice in a cooler after pulling the entrails out and finish the processing when I get home? Is there Meat Markets in town that you can have them processed at and pick them up frozen at the end of the hunt if a person would want that option? Just wondering what you more experience out of state hunters found works best. I will be basing out of a hotel in Aberdeen and hunting all public.....again thanks for the info.
519vx
Member
Richwood - Last year I hunted Thursday, Friday, and Saturday in South Dakota. I had 6 roosters (1 on Thursday, 3 on Friday, 2 Saturday) that I kept whole/intact but in a cooler on fresh ice. I had no problem whatsoever and those birds tasted just fantastic. Be diligent about draining the water and replacing the ice. I will be doing the same thing this fall, cleaning them once I get home.
One other VERY important thing...be sure to keep your South Dakota hunting license even after you get home after the trip. In Wisconsin, we can legally have 2 times our daily bag limit of birds in the freezer. That's just 4 birds. If you have some luck in SD, you'll be over that limit. Having that SD license would show an inquiring warden that those are not wisconsin birds and therefore not a part of the Wisconsin possession limit. :thumbsup:
One other VERY important thing...be sure to keep your South Dakota hunting license even after you get home after the trip. In Wisconsin, we can legally have 2 times our daily bag limit of birds in the freezer. That's just 4 birds. If you have some luck in SD, you'll be over that limit. Having that SD license would show an inquiring warden that those are not wisconsin birds and therefore not a part of the Wisconsin possession limit. :thumbsup:
Bird cleaning
Haven't hunted Aberdeen for a few years but when last there most of the motels had signs on bulletin boards offering cleaning services. Most motels have freezers for storing birds during your stay. Chamber of commerce has a ton of info for bird hunters. Do a google search.
Haven't hunted Aberdeen for a few years but when last there most of the motels had signs on bulletin boards offering cleaning services. Most motels have freezers for storing birds during your stay. Chamber of commerce has a ton of info for bird hunters. Do a google search.
Some good info on this thread......Thanks guys!
519vx
Member
Be careful about how you clean birds if you do so out there. To be legal for transport, you need a wing or leg attached. Don't just breast/quarter them out.
small munsterlander owner
Banned
there are plenty of spots in sd u can freeze ur bird for$ just a few buck some places clean ur birds for u even hotels bars butcher etc. u can ask they can help u??? also u must if u will be leaveing ur frozen birds at or with a 3rd party got to have ur name address info clearly attached to ur birds mite even need hunting license # etc. order a sd hunter rule book b4 ur trip to be sure. ..
i hunted 4 days limited out daily i would stop quick after done hunting clean aka gut my birds then throw em in a bag 3 to a bag and in the cooler they go...
i would highly recomend you gut your birds b4 u toss em in a cooler better safe then sorry unless u shoot all ur birds in the head or wings only u dont want any bad gut juice marinateing ur bird for 2-4 days thats bad news a few pellets in the gut of a bird is all it takes...
guys said i was scared of guts last yr when i didnt get let n the entrails sit in a bird for days all i can say is if i was scared of the guts i would not dress them daily i just goes against everything i was taught??? u shoot something u dress it asap and get it on ice asap???
sd is commercialized so u will find places to freeze ur birds solid if u want i move around alot when hunting so i didnt do that i will this yr the people at the bars and cafes will help you no doubt jusy ask nice lol
i hunted 4 days limited out daily i would stop quick after done hunting clean aka gut my birds then throw em in a bag 3 to a bag and in the cooler they go...
i would highly recomend you gut your birds b4 u toss em in a cooler better safe then sorry unless u shoot all ur birds in the head or wings only u dont want any bad gut juice marinateing ur bird for 2-4 days thats bad news a few pellets in the gut of a bird is all it takes...
guys said i was scared of guts last yr when i didnt get let n the entrails sit in a bird for days all i can say is if i was scared of the guts i would not dress them daily i just goes against everything i was taught??? u shoot something u dress it asap and get it on ice asap???
sd is commercialized so u will find places to freeze ur birds solid if u want i move around alot when hunting so i didnt do that i will this yr the people at the bars and cafes will help you no doubt jusy ask nice lol
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I have kept cleaned birds (with a leg) in a cooler for over a week. Drained water and add ice every day. Add birds add ice. Set cooler outside at night if freezing wx. When I got home nearly all birds were froze solid. Just don't take cooler with u when hunting during the day for obvious reasons. :thumbsup:
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small munsterlander owner
Banned
i 2nd don c thats all i did add ice with birds had birds bagged up and drained water daily kept birdd out side at nite in shade in day i didnt have a base hotel i moved from area to area daily i keep a silver tarp that help keep heat from sun off cooler... my birds were frooze stiff when i got home on day 4.5-5 ...
why not bring birds with you don c ??? cuz of heat issues??? game warden issues??? what am i missing???
why not bring birds with you don c ??? cuz of heat issues??? game warden issues??? what am i missing???
mnmthunting
Banned
I clean my birds after a days hunt. Leave on a leg, cleaned up nice ready for the pan. Usually two to a bag. I'm camping, put the bag on top the camper or hood and most of the time by morning they are a least partly frozen. into the cooler, next night the same thing. Never had a bird go bad.
i have never been "bag challenged" yet.....long as a wing or leg is attached you can out them in a gunny sack if you want...all 15 of 'em.
Dakotazeb
Well-known member
ah, key word, frozen......thanks.