IdahoCountryBoy
Active member
I am a little behind but wanted to share my hunt over thanksgiving break. It was a really good hunt this year and what I was reading in this forum was a pretty good indication of what I saw. I flew out of Idaho on Thursday November 21st and my dad picked me up in Sioux Falls. We camped out in Mitchell, SD.
Friday we got up and went south of the interstate I 90 between Mitchell and Chamberlain and we limited out with 6 bird in hour and half. It was amazing. I haven't finished that quick on public land in a long time. No complaints. Went back to Mitchell and hung out. I was a little tired from a late night the night before. We hunted on a waterfowl production and only had to go to one area and we just hit the jackpot.
Saturday we went north of I 90 between Mitchell and Chamberlain. We ended up getting our limit about 5 minutes before shooting time was over. We hit up several areas but I agree with what some of the people said on the forum. If you're not seeing the birds, just move 1/2 hour in another direction and that can usually help. That is what we did. We tried a couple areas close together in the morning but just weren't seeing the birds and the cover wasn't that great either. I don't think we got our first bird until like 1 or 2 in the afternoon and not until we moved to another area. Once we moved we were able to get our birds fairly quickly.
Sunday we went north of I 90 again but ended up around Huron. My dad wanted to go to breakfast with a friend. I didnt' mind and we just went west of Huron and just worked out way back south towards Mitchell and came out somewhere around Kimball or not quite sure. For some reason we just didn't run into as many birds up this way but we still were able to get a limit. The first two days I was shooting really good but today I finally missed my first two birds. Easily could've been done sooner but missed. One I know I hit because I saw his foot dangling and feathers go poof but he kept flying.
Monday we went south of I90 again between Chamberlain and Mitchell and found another area where we just hit the jackpot and got our limit of 6 birds and were done at noon this time. We checked out of our room that morning and after we had our limit we dropped down into Platte to check out some of the public areas but they are plowing up several of the WPA in that area. Must be replanting some of it. We were going to hunt down there the last day on Tuesday but just didn't feel like we found any good areas scouting so we headed west to Martin to hunt around LaCreek Nat Refuge.
Tuesday I went for a 3-4 hour walk but didn't see as many birds as we were seeing in the Mitchell area. I only saw about 10 hens and 1 rooster and flat out missed the rooster. We hit the road around noon or 1 and went south into nebraska and made it to Casper WY just as it was getting dark. Nice to be able to break up the trip and hunt half a day and then drive half a day. Can be home the next day on Wednesday around lunch time and get ready for Thanksgiving.
I would say the birds are about as good as last year or slightly better. Definitely the best it's been in the last decade. I am in my early 40,'s and I have been going every year since my first year at 12 years old. I have seen a lot of ups and downs over the years but I don't care. I just enjoy going to South Dakota and having the option to go for a walk and bag a wild rooster. Speaking of which, I even checked all my beaks and feet and I didn't harvest any pen released birds. All mine appeared to be wild birds! So to recap I limited out 4 days and got skunked on the 5th day. 24 birds out of 30 is a very successful hunt in my book. I will be back over Christmas break. Plan to leave Dec 28 or 29 and hunt 5 days again and I can't wait to get back.
Friday we got up and went south of the interstate I 90 between Mitchell and Chamberlain and we limited out with 6 bird in hour and half. It was amazing. I haven't finished that quick on public land in a long time. No complaints. Went back to Mitchell and hung out. I was a little tired from a late night the night before. We hunted on a waterfowl production and only had to go to one area and we just hit the jackpot.
Saturday we went north of I 90 between Mitchell and Chamberlain. We ended up getting our limit about 5 minutes before shooting time was over. We hit up several areas but I agree with what some of the people said on the forum. If you're not seeing the birds, just move 1/2 hour in another direction and that can usually help. That is what we did. We tried a couple areas close together in the morning but just weren't seeing the birds and the cover wasn't that great either. I don't think we got our first bird until like 1 or 2 in the afternoon and not until we moved to another area. Once we moved we were able to get our birds fairly quickly.
Sunday we went north of I 90 again but ended up around Huron. My dad wanted to go to breakfast with a friend. I didnt' mind and we just went west of Huron and just worked out way back south towards Mitchell and came out somewhere around Kimball or not quite sure. For some reason we just didn't run into as many birds up this way but we still were able to get a limit. The first two days I was shooting really good but today I finally missed my first two birds. Easily could've been done sooner but missed. One I know I hit because I saw his foot dangling and feathers go poof but he kept flying.
Monday we went south of I90 again between Chamberlain and Mitchell and found another area where we just hit the jackpot and got our limit of 6 birds and were done at noon this time. We checked out of our room that morning and after we had our limit we dropped down into Platte to check out some of the public areas but they are plowing up several of the WPA in that area. Must be replanting some of it. We were going to hunt down there the last day on Tuesday but just didn't feel like we found any good areas scouting so we headed west to Martin to hunt around LaCreek Nat Refuge.
Tuesday I went for a 3-4 hour walk but didn't see as many birds as we were seeing in the Mitchell area. I only saw about 10 hens and 1 rooster and flat out missed the rooster. We hit the road around noon or 1 and went south into nebraska and made it to Casper WY just as it was getting dark. Nice to be able to break up the trip and hunt half a day and then drive half a day. Can be home the next day on Wednesday around lunch time and get ready for Thanksgiving.
I would say the birds are about as good as last year or slightly better. Definitely the best it's been in the last decade. I am in my early 40,'s and I have been going every year since my first year at 12 years old. I have seen a lot of ups and downs over the years but I don't care. I just enjoy going to South Dakota and having the option to go for a walk and bag a wild rooster. Speaking of which, I even checked all my beaks and feet and I didn't harvest any pen released birds. All mine appeared to be wild birds! So to recap I limited out 4 days and got skunked on the 5th day. 24 birds out of 30 is a very successful hunt in my book. I will be back over Christmas break. Plan to leave Dec 28 or 29 and hunt 5 days again and I can't wait to get back.
