Public land newbie

Goose's Hot TIps for Hunting SD WPA During Deer Rifle Season:
  • Wear the best camoflauge you have in your aresenol but not that gucci Sitka gear.
  • Set up a very realistic 6x6 buck decoy about 100 yards in the WPA near a well traveled gravel road.
  • Sit directly behind the buck decoy and wait for the iron ponies to drive by and flush the rooster over you.
  • While waiting to pass shoot pheasants, use your turkey call....you know...just in case.
  • Finally, stay hydrated while you wait. Make sure to bring a cooler of Pabst.
The only thing that should stick from this post is the following - Wear orange, lots of it and suit up your dog. I shoot plenty of roosters and wear it before, during and after deer season. It may save a life of either you or your "best friend".
 
The Michigan grouse woods don't have much in the way of barbed wire. Any vest recommendations for my setter?
 
Everyone will have their favorite for vests, I have a browing I run on my setter and lion counrty supplies I have for my Brittany. IMO, use vest if you are hunting ditches where your dog is going back and forth thru fence. If hunting large public I don't use vest, unless large amounts of briar.

Regarding places to hunt, NE has a lot of public ground but low numbers for SD. If hunting by yourself, finding 3 birds shouldn't be hard any where. Lynn Lake Lodge is a greatvplace to stay and if you hunt within 90 minutes west your re in good hunting, if you like both waterfowl and phez this is ideal. Redfield is another good base of operation and an hour radius you have very good hunting. There are Airbnb on cotton wood lake that welcomes dogs, pm me if you want more information on lodging.

Another note wear orange don't listen to Goose, especially during their deer season, think Michigan hunters with wide open prairies!
 
NDPheasant said:
Goose's Hot TIps for Hunting SD WPA During Deer Rifle Season:
  • Wear the best camoflauge you have in your aresenol but not that gucci Sitka gear.
  • Set up a very realistic 6x6 buck decoy about 100 yards in the WPA near a well traveled gravel road.
  • Sit directly behind the buck decoy and wait for the iron ponies to drive by and flush the rooster over you.
  • While waiting to pass shoot pheasants, use your turkey call....you know...just in case.
  • Finally, stay hydrated while you wait. Make sure to bring a cooler of Pabst.
The only thing that should stick from this post is the following - Wear orange, lots of it and suit up your dog. I shoot plenty of roosters and wear it before, during and after deer season. It may save a life of either you or your "best friend".
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You have to be a pimp to wear Sitka.
 
Goosemaster said:
I'm thinking of western Minnesota next fall, so I think I have to there.
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Not just your standard upland orange either. You need basically full orange above the waist if firearms season is open. Bear in mind that there's also an early anterless and youth gun season in October too.

Not a fan of all these special deer seasons here but that's what most people hunt so that's what the DNR prioritizes.
 
gfo said:
Looking to make a mid November trip to South Dakota for our first out of state upland hunt. Pretty set on sticking to public land birds and trying to pick a city for base camp with an airbnb. Couple questions:

1. I know populations can experience regional booms or declines based on weather. Should I wait until early summer to pick a location based off the winter and spring nesting weather?

2. Looking at the public land maps, would it be smart to go for quantity or quality? I.e there's much public land in the NE part of the state, but the better pheasant hunting may be in the central part of the state.

Any input or tips for a first timer are much appreciated!
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1. Keep an eye on the rest of winter and nesting. At the same time, it would take something truly catastrophic to make next fall's pheasant population not worth hunting. I heard the cries of many different folks about how last winter was the death of the majority of pheasants and it was going to take years for the pheasants to come back. In truth, it took one great nesting/brood rearing season and, in my opinion, bird numbers are higher this season than they were last season.

2. The age old debate on location is up to you. I hunt in the NE part of the state and will be the first to tell you that a lot of that public land isn't worth hunting. Pasture land, Walk In Areas that are harvested and plowed, etc., aren't going to produce many pheasants. Some of the hunts I do are spent chasing the handful of birds that live on a quarter section of grass and slough. It's not easy and can be frustrating. At the same time, there are birds around and you just have to commit yourself to finding them. Benelli-Banger gave some good advice on location to target and, as always, if you aren't finding pheasants, adapt your strategy.

Best advice would be to prepare for a wide range of temps, have extra boots and it might not hurt to have an extra gun. I've seen more than one person make a trip to SD with one gun only to have that firearm turn to dumped mud early in their hunt.
 
gimruis said:
Not just your standard upland orange either. You need basically full orange above the waist if firearms season is open. Bear in mind that there's also an early anterless and youth gun season in October too.

Not a fan of all these special deer seasons here but that's what most people hunt so that's what the DNR prioritizes.
Click to expand...
I do own a vest with some orange on it.I wear it when my cousin is around.
 
Golden Hour said:
1. Keep an eye on the rest of winter and nesting. At the same time, it would take something truly catastrophic to make next fall's pheasant population not worth hunting. I heard the cries of many different folks about how last winter was the death of the majority of pheasants and it was going to take years for the pheasants to come back. In truth, it took one great nesting/brood rearing season and, in my opinion, bird numbers are higher this season than they were last season.

2. The age old debate on location is up to you. I hunt in the NE part of the state and will be the first to tell you that a lot of that public land isn't worth hunting. Pasture land, Walk In Areas that are harvested and plowed, etc., aren't going to produce many pheasants. Some of the hunts I do are spent chasing the handful of birds that live on a quarter section of grass and slough. It's not easy and can be frustrating. At the same time, there are birds around and you just have to commit yourself to finding them. Benelli-Banger gave some good advice on location to target and, as always, if you aren't finding pheasants, adapt your strategy.

Best advice would be to prepare for a wide range of temps, have extra boots and it might not hurt to have an extra gun. I've seen more than one person make a trip to SD with one gun only to have that firearm turn to dumped mud early in their hunt.
Click to expand...
I hunted north of Mitchell to yhe border. Yeah there are birds on public, but you have to think outside the box.
 
Golden Hour said:
1. Keep an eye on the rest of winter and nesting. At the same time, it would take something truly catastrophic to make next fall's pheasant population not worth hunting. I heard the cries of many different folks about how last winter was the death of the majority of pheasants and it was going to take years for the pheasants to come back. In truth, it took one great nesting/brood rearing season and, in my opinion, bird numbers are higher this season than they were last season.

2. The age old debate on location is up to you. I hunt in the NE part of the state and will be the first to tell you that a lot of that public land isn't worth hunting. Pasture land, Walk In Areas that are harvested and plowed, etc., aren't going to produce many pheasants. Some of the hunts I do are spent chasing the handful of birds that live on a quarter section of grass and slough. It's not easy and can be frustrating. At the same time, there are birds around and you just have to commit yourself to finding them. Benelli-Banger gave some good advice on location to target and, as always, if you aren't finding pheasants, adapt your strategy.

Best advice would be to prepare for a wide range of temps, have extra boots and it might not hurt to have an extra gun. I've seen more than one person make a trip to SD with one gun only to have that firearm turn to dumped mud early in their hunt.
Click to expand...
For boots. I watch your videos, see the cattails and the wetlands. Are y'all wearing muck style boots primarily?

Goosemaster has been pushing the sitka pretty hard but they don't seem to have any boots....
 
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