carptom1
Well-known member
South Dakota October 2014. Thought I would share some observations and a couple pics from South Dakota. I have had a trying year this year and was wondering if this trip would happen for me. After spending 4 days chasing roosters in SD with my boy's for the fourth year, there was no way it couldn't.
Day 1
Left Basehor, KS at 3 am on Thursday. Was raining hard and foggy. Makes for a stress filled drive, but oh well. Got into SD at about 11 am. Met up with a friend to hunt his property for a day. Temp when we hit the field at noon 77 degrees, up to a high of 83
. Pretty tough on an old fat guy. We walked some milo and some stripped corn with some success. My poor dog was full bore in the first field, but slowed some after that. We spend a good deal of time on conditioning, so he stayed with it while others were wilting some. There was quite a bit of water for him to get in, and he took many drinks. Several nice retrieves, and very active flushes in the grass. One of the other guy's commented that he was a very proud Lab. That describes him well he stands tall and almosts struts at times. The highlight of my day was watching my oldest son (23) shoot a rooster dead at about 50 yards. It was easily the best shot he has ever made and he was very proud. My oldest and I ended with limits, my younger son ( 17) had two. We did lose a couple as conditions were very poor. Also a highlight was watching my younger son eat a 2lb burger in Chamberlain.
Day 2
Again very hot. We had moved up to Jones County. There we hunted with Britchaser, JonnyB, his friend kirk, his son, and johns nephew. All good company and good guys. We started in a long waterway through a freshly cut cornfield:10sign:. Many birds fell there. By the end of it we had 11 of our 24 birds. My younger son made a great overhead shot on a bird at the end. It was great for him as all the guy's told him what a good shot it was. I was very proud. He isn't involved in a lot that brings him praise, so this is great for him. At the end there is an old pond with massive cattails. My dog was going in and out, in and out. He is fun to watch. When he finally found one. It is so easy because when he locates, his tail tarts the Thump, Thump, Thump. Then the bird shoots out and I made a good shot and him a good retrieve. It doesn't get any better than that. We ended up getting a few more but were several short but who cares right? Great day! A bunch of sweating for the fat guy
Day three
Still pretty hot but better at 70
We started in a tree belt and grass waterway. As I was coming towards the end, Buddy put up a rooster from the thick grass. I whacked him, but as soon as he hit his head was high and running. Buddy got over to him quickly, and then we watched for 3 or 4 minutes while he zig-zagged trailing that bird up and over the hill for a hundred yards plus. It was really cool to watch. It is a shame dogs have to get old. At 5 1/2 he really has this pheasant thing down. We left there and hit a couple food plots and had a limit by 2pm. My younger son had a really good day shooting his first SD limit. Again a great day. We drove around 3 hrs or so exploring and watching pheasants. We saw a couple in one patch, stopped and flushed them only to watch a hundred or so take off out of the ditch. What fun.
Day 4
Got up and road hunted home. Did manage a double a couple miles south of Chamberlain. It has been awhile since I have done that. Made it home at about 830 in time to watch the Royals get their arse kicked. Can't wait untill december.
Habitat
Tired dog
Day 1
Left Basehor, KS at 3 am on Thursday. Was raining hard and foggy. Makes for a stress filled drive, but oh well. Got into SD at about 11 am. Met up with a friend to hunt his property for a day. Temp when we hit the field at noon 77 degrees, up to a high of 83
. Pretty tough on an old fat guy. We walked some milo and some stripped corn with some success. My poor dog was full bore in the first field, but slowed some after that. We spend a good deal of time on conditioning, so he stayed with it while others were wilting some. There was quite a bit of water for him to get in, and he took many drinks. Several nice retrieves, and very active flushes in the grass. One of the other guy's commented that he was a very proud Lab. That describes him well he stands tall and almosts struts at times. The highlight of my day was watching my oldest son (23) shoot a rooster dead at about 50 yards. It was easily the best shot he has ever made and he was very proud. My oldest and I ended with limits, my younger son ( 17) had two. We did lose a couple as conditions were very poor. Also a highlight was watching my younger son eat a 2lb burger in Chamberlain.Day 2
Again very hot. We had moved up to Jones County. There we hunted with Britchaser, JonnyB, his friend kirk, his son, and johns nephew. All good company and good guys. We started in a long waterway through a freshly cut cornfield:10sign:. Many birds fell there. By the end of it we had 11 of our 24 birds. My younger son made a great overhead shot on a bird at the end. It was great for him as all the guy's told him what a good shot it was. I was very proud. He isn't involved in a lot that brings him praise, so this is great for him. At the end there is an old pond with massive cattails. My dog was going in and out, in and out. He is fun to watch. When he finally found one. It is so easy because when he locates, his tail tarts the Thump, Thump, Thump. Then the bird shoots out and I made a good shot and him a good retrieve. It doesn't get any better than that. We ended up getting a few more but were several short but who cares right? Great day! A bunch of sweating for the fat guy
Day three
Still pretty hot but better at 70
We started in a tree belt and grass waterway. As I was coming towards the end, Buddy put up a rooster from the thick grass. I whacked him, but as soon as he hit his head was high and running. Buddy got over to him quickly, and then we watched for 3 or 4 minutes while he zig-zagged trailing that bird up and over the hill for a hundred yards plus. It was really cool to watch. It is a shame dogs have to get old. At 5 1/2 he really has this pheasant thing down. We left there and hit a couple food plots and had a limit by 2pm. My younger son had a really good day shooting his first SD limit. Again a great day. We drove around 3 hrs or so exploring and watching pheasants. We saw a couple in one patch, stopped and flushed them only to watch a hundred or so take off out of the ditch. What fun.
Day 4
Got up and road hunted home. Did manage a double a couple miles south of Chamberlain. It has been awhile since I have done that. Made it home at about 830 in time to watch the Royals get their arse kicked. Can't wait untill december.
Habitat
Tired dog
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