Visited SD…..

benelli-banger

Well-known member
Crisscrossed the state from one side to the other, and back again; definitely dry, but didn’t look like potato chips! I was surprised at how green parts of the state were…I drove to the hills on I-90, and back on 2 lane highways…the latter gives a better idea of the state of things. In my general area I saw some broods and some adults…5 pm on a hot sunny day, not peak time for spotting birds, but I was pleased with what I saw. Not worried about bird #’s as much as the cover…hard to hunt them without decent cover…but we’ll adapt.
 
Last edited:
Really hard to tell a 22 year old desperate rancher who I’ve known for 20 years that I don’t want my CRP hayed…☹️ I did it for another guy in 2012….disruptive for hunting
 
lack of cover is my main concern, opener could have people stepping on each other, worse than most years.
 
Ok, there is a report from one of the cool kids that everyone will accept. Doesn't it seem strange to just keep repeating the mantra of "come to SD! we need as many people hunting as we can get" At some point people will have to start accepting the fact that "the pheasant capital" can't support the entire nation's upland hunter population.

Good luck to whomever does decide to come to our state. Respect landowners and property rights, respect road hunting laws (lots of liberties taken by these guys"), and use common sense if someone is in a field before you.
 
Was happy to see my food plots looking good…corn had tassels, about 6’ high…wasn’t planted until 6/2…no rain for first month.
 
SD isn’t my favorite state to hunt…just coming up on my 29th season there, same basic area, and have had land for 21 years. Having many good friends there is great, but it comes with many obligations, too…it’s fun going to new states, new areas, and being anonymous and starting over…that’s a lot of the fun. Give me more hills, more wheat, and fewer fences, and lots of coulees!!! And big vistas…and 3-4 game birds that may present!!! That’s my favorite scene…
 
Benelli.., you've been annointed a cool kid...im a lucky guy... friend with much land so won't be fighting the crowds... my guess is most out-of-town peeps make it one year out of 8-10 years of livin... wondering what might be the entire bird hunting population...
 
All I think about is bird hunting, the geography they inhabit, the dogs I use for said endeavor, and the guns I carry for said endeavor…that’s about it! Oh, I cultivate and maintain many friendships with farmers in ND, SD, and starting to know a few in MT…I bring smoked salmon, incredible fruit pies, and bakery goods from great harvest bakery…and candy from a confectioner in knife river, mn…trying to get them hooked, so they are forced to let me hunt..I want them to suffer terrible pie withdrawal!!!! I’m the one that can hook them up…😆
 
The kind word, helping hand, and true friendship is what develops long lasting relationships that turn into hunting opportunities. The art of doing that is gone and now we just wave a couple of bucks in front of people and hope it "buys" us a one day hunt. I too live and dream about upland hunting. I am always looking for my next connection. My wife wonders why I never "connect" with a jeweler, I guess it is because I am nbot looking for those guys!
 
I attend lots of graduations, weddings, and funerals…these are friends of many years, even decades. I smoke LOTS of pork shoulder throughout the year as well…it gets distributed widely! We host the evening meal every night when we’re in camp in SD…my buddies can cook! Me, too. I was asked last year to do the pulled pork for a grooms dinner…SD farmer and his new bride…I was honored! Fun stuff…hunting is fun, these friendships are equally fun and meaningful.🍻👍☀️
 
Honestly, I watch weather radar for the high plains states daily…want to know about rain in May? June? July? August? April? I can tell you. And there are tools one can use that allow you to look back for this info. Priceless! I call bars, C stores, seed dealers, game wardens, etc to confirm what the computer tells me…some of these folks are helpful, sometimes I may know more about their weather than they do!🤪
 
That last comment is directed at a grocery cashier I talked to earlier…she was kind, she heard raindrops on the roof, that was about it! But a sweety! A hotel clerk told me custom combiners made reservations, so there must be crops to harvest…MT…good report!
 
BB you are a true upland bird hunting junkie. Some of the farms I have hunted over the past few decades have allowed me to hunt because they just love to see someone who is passionate about birds and is crazy enough to walk that slough that no-one wants to get into. I truly am interested in their farming operation because it is not something that is a part of my world and I love to learn.
 
Back
Top