Can confirm exactly what Mr. Zeb is reporting. I have been hunting that area coming from Redfield east towards Watertown for 30 years and we generally stop about 50 miles out from Watertown, not crossing far past Hwy 37 (Groton to Doland). There were a few more birds out that direction in the 90s but nothing lately that we would ever leave prime territory for. Watertown is in the middle of the prairie pothole region and while there are potholes of pheasants in between the potholes of ducks, it just never seems to produce as many as the massive crop fields of the James and Snake river areas to the west. If you have honey holes around Watertown and know how to get there without drowning, you get a lot of birds but that is local, experienced hunters in Coddington county on private land. That is a different group of hunters than Spink for instance that has many more lodges and all the CRP and CREP public land around James River. Too many variables in the hunter success reports to take anything but the broadest of assumptions from them. I've not found anything more reliable that local reports, with the farmers in the fields giving the most complete picture compare to people driving through though both are valid if they've seen enough years to compare hatches. From those kind of sources in the Redfield area, the numbers are way up from last year.
South dakota (and north) roadside survey.
- Thread starter Bob Peters
- Start date
A5 Sweet 16
Well-known member
Golden Hour... have you & your videos been fooling us the last several years? I was of the understanding that the majority of the pheasants you shoot every year come from public land, primarily WPAs, almost all within 30 miles of Watertown, all season long. And I know you're generally not hunting more than a couple/few hours to shoot those birds, usually walking considerably less than 5 miles a hunt. And your videos indicate good numbers of pheasants in those areas. Are you, in fact, hunting cherry, unpressured private land all season long? Or are the people that say there aren't many birds around those areas simply not hunting them the right way or at the right times of day? I mean, I honestly think in general Codington County public land is equal to or better than much of the public land I commonly hunt in Moody & Lake Counties. And I feel like I see/shoot plenty of pheasants in those "dismal" spots. Time to come clean, GH.
As with all general statements YMMV. But if a first time poster says they have an opportunity "to stay in either Waubay or Aberdeen to pheasant hunt and which should they choose?" then what would you tell them is generally the better option for them? Watertown vs Redfield, Madison vs Mitchell, Lake City vs Britton? Or the evergreen post "I'm headed out to the Fort Pierre national grasslands and want to know the best spots for pheasants" to which someone seems to post frequently that "you can get them there as long as you hunt hard" which vastly understates the relative amount of effort and success vs hunting east river. Yes, you can find birds in the pothole regions but in general if you are looking for a place to come hunt and have a choice you should head farther west and stop if you hit a big, wide river.
A5 Sweet 16
Well-known member
This post hasn't been about "where should a novice go?" Two seemingly experienced hunters are claiming the Watertown area isn't much good, especially on public land. That's just far from accurate in my humble opinion. That said, if novices can shoot pheasants where I hunt (& they do), they can shoot them in Codington County too. They can't ALL hunt in the absolute "best" areas. And why should they? It's completely unnecessary.
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Coddington ain't like south central where I grew up but I still hunt there a couple times a year with buddies from college/rodeo. Cover most of the county west of 29 & some east. Public & private, It suprisingly good. I seen the new report & GFP estimated 3000 hunters in Coddington last year who also did pretty good. GFP must be all wrong tho sense 2 guys say they don't see pheasant there. A out of state road hunter & a guy who says he spend lots of the season in Arizona. Ahhh I can't find them so they don't exist! Denial much? Or you trying to discourage people from hunting there? Hell some guys on here freely say where they hunt. Even tell others to try it & i guarantee you there hunting ain't effected one bit by it.
Golden Hour
Well-known member
I went through my notes on harvest numbers and location for the past 4 seasons and .724 of the birds harvested came from public land within 30 miles from home. I grew up in this area and have hunted it my entire life, so without knowing about other parts of the state, it could be possible that the pheasant hunting here sucks. Last January, I shot limits on 7 of my last 8 hunts. The only time I didn't shoot a limit was when I was on private land, the rest were public. I suppose there is a real possibility Sage magically makes pheasants appear and without this magic, the birds simply aren't there.
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gimruis
Well-known member
Is anyone else worried about how hot and dry its been lately?
Obviously being so dry heading into hunting season isn't anything new, but dryness on the landscape can greatly reduce the amount of scent birds leave, inhibiting dog work. Over here in MN we have not recorded a single drop of rain the entire month of September, and it was also the warmest September on record. And there is no rain in the 7 day forecast.
Obviously being so dry heading into hunting season isn't anything new, but dryness on the landscape can greatly reduce the amount of scent birds leave, inhibiting dog work. Over here in MN we have not recorded a single drop of rain the entire month of September, and it was also the warmest September on record. And there is no rain in the 7 day forecast.
Dakotazeb
Well-known member
Same here in most of South Dakota. There were Red Flag warning out the past couple of days that covered a large part of SD and parts of western Minnesota. No rain in the forecast. All hunters will need to be extra cautious this year in the field.
What we need is a freeze. The beans are dry but the plants are still green. Makes combining slow.
Matt D
Well-known member
Had a landowner north of you send me a picture this morning of his truck dash which showed 39 degrees so it’s getting close. Hopefully soon!
gimruis
Well-known member
I can't imagine there's going to be any real hurry to harvest if the weather doesn't start changing. The price for soybeans (and corn) is terrible. Or it at least it was the last time I checked.
charlottehunter
New member
Found this interesting:
www.agweek.com
South Dakota's soybean and corn harvest races against dry, hot conditions
Corn and soybean crops in South Dakota are already drier than the ideal moisture for harvesting. Farmers like Dave Ellens of Wentworth have been rushing to get the crops out of the field.
www.agweek.com
Soybeans are very temperamental for harvesting. Too dry and the pods shatter when it hits the combine and the beans are lost in front of the head. Too much dew in the morning or evening and they have to stop as the pods get sticky and tough with just the small amount of humidity and plug up the combine or end up in the hopper. They would lose far more money from harvest yield in poor conditions than waiting for prices to increase. But the price is based on weight and not bushel size so waiting to long in dry conditions and the beans get below ideal moisture level and drop in weight. That's why they tend to start bean harvest first and get at it. Corn us much more forgiving and loses moisture slower so they have time. Look around and you will see far more farmers with their own bin operations these days. They are farming more acres to make it worthwhile but they get so much more money timing the market for better prices than you get in the fall. Even a million dollar bin site can pay off in 10 years.
Even though it is dry right now, the sloughs and stock dams are mostly full from the June floods so it doesn't sound like we will have to concentrate on spots near water this year as we have had for previous seasons with full summer droughts.
Even though it is dry right now, the sloughs and stock dams are mostly full from the June floods so it doesn't sound like we will have to concentrate on spots near water this year as we have had for previous seasons with full summer droughts.
Bob Peters
Well-known member
Sounds like hunting is gonna be good right out of the gate with lots of crops out. Although scenting conditions could be tough with the dry weeds and dust.
Talked to local farmers last night in the Aberdeen/Redfield area and most beans will be done this week. There is not a rain in sight on the forecast so they plan to have a solid two weeks and be well into the corn harvest by opening weekend. Weeds are high and thick everywhere as they had all they could do to keep up with field hay and skipped ditches and CRP this year. They say don't ever see a lot of birds while harvesting beans but do say the bird numbers are up based on what they see driving around.