I've been watching this thread and have even commented on it and I think Randy S. got it spot on with his comment.Out of state hunters,like I once was,come a long way to hunt and do a great deal of homework on the area they plan on going.Game and Fish departments,public walk in booklets etc. and they don't have time to re-adjust once they get there.So if the numbers are really off or the walk-in public land is pasture land or just non huntable land they probably don't come back like I did.
Wasting time in South Dakota
- Thread starter guyndog
- Start date
ranchodeluxe
New member
My advice is to come in December. The birds are bunched-up, by then, and when you find them, you usually find several. If you have some snowpack, so much the better as you can see what's going on in the cover you are sizing-up.
The best reason to come in December is that you can re-adjust if the area you chose is not panning-out. The motels have rooms at great prices, the restaurants are not packed. Don't get locked-in for a week at the same hotel. Just be honest with the owners and tell them you may, or may not want to stay the week, and why. They will try to accommodate you, either way. Now if the hunting sucks you can go somewhere else and try. At 75 mph you can be somewhere else in short order.
If you are the type who can't do without civilization, with it's titty bars, lounges, etc. Or if you want to drink all night and sleep it off instead of driving 100 miles to try a different spot, I can't help.
The best reason to come in December is that you can re-adjust if the area you chose is not panning-out. The motels have rooms at great prices, the restaurants are not packed. Don't get locked-in for a week at the same hotel. Just be honest with the owners and tell them you may, or may not want to stay the week, and why. They will try to accommodate you, either way. Now if the hunting sucks you can go somewhere else and try. At 75 mph you can be somewhere else in short order.
If you are the type who can't do without civilization, with it's titty bars, lounges, etc. Or if you want to drink all night and sleep it off instead of driving 100 miles to try a different spot, I can't help.
Some of the land, especially the CREP, is scheduled to be mowed, disced or burned in the middle of the contract. Unfortunately last year, this year and next will be when most of that is done. It's part of the plan and the state has no control over that. I believe they lease the land for several years at a time also. They don't have the man power to go to all the land enrolled to see if this year is the year it has proper pheasant habitat. Remember it is hunting land not pheasant hunting land, some might still be fine for deer or predator hunting.
Also if the feds OK mowing or grazing of CRP for emergency livestock feed there is nothing the state can do. That land has probably already been paid for.
Also some areas that people are talking about had drought. It's easy to look at the drought monitor in mid summer and see those areas might not be as good.
I also wouldn't get caught up by the advertisements that some communities put out. They are talking about private land that is pay only. Some of the public lands in those areas have not recovered from drought and bad winters.
There will never be a guide that says go here to find birds and not to those over there.
BTW The numbers are well below the peak about 6 to 10 years ago and NOBODY in the GF&P is saying otherwise.
Tim
Also if the feds OK mowing or grazing of CRP for emergency livestock feed there is nothing the state can do. That land has probably already been paid for.
Also some areas that people are talking about had drought. It's easy to look at the drought monitor in mid summer and see those areas might not be as good.
I also wouldn't get caught up by the advertisements that some communities put out. They are talking about private land that is pay only. Some of the public lands in those areas have not recovered from drought and bad winters.
There will never be a guide that says go here to find birds and not to those over there.
BTW The numbers are well below the peak about 6 to 10 years ago and NOBODY in the GF&P is saying otherwise.
Tim
benellibygolly
New member
good hunting
just returned from hunting 10-31/11-5. group of 9 brought home 102 roosters. temps were 65-80, dry. they are there if you put forth the effort. all ditch hunting.
just returned from hunting 10-31/11-5. group of 9 brought home 102 roosters. temps were 65-80, dry. they are there if you put forth the effort. all ditch hunting.
Just returned from our annual S.D. hunt. Having been blessed to to hunt 27 year's on private land, but it is obvious to us that we need to make a change. No habitat left to hunt. What isn't plowed under, mowed or filled in is grazed over. Completely understand my friend has to do what's best for him, and his family. Very few bird's there. Moved to some crep land, and found that to hold some hen's, and not many rooster's. Looked like it had been hunted quite heavily. Moved on to some other public, and found more of the same. It really is about the habitat. Where you have it you will find bird's. We will have to do our homework for next year. Did save our trip, and pride by hunting some private land in southwestern Wisconsin, and did very well.
Miforester
Well-known member
I just returned my trip 11/6-11/10 and had a great time despite the warm dry conditions which made for some tough scenting conditions and even worse shooting (my story I'm sticking to it)......Hunted only public land and have never really been disappointed in the ground that I have hunted regardless of birds they have or have not held. Had one day where it seemed I was chasing my own tail and every place I went either had hunters already walking the fields or a few crep lands were baled. I just located another parcel and forged ahead while hitting some nice ditches. I'm a newcomer to hunting SD only been coming out since 2012, however, I hold my lifetime license for Nebraska and hunted Iowa for 20 some years, private land hunting to boot. All I can say is the poor years in SD are way better then the years I spent in Neb or Iowa. I feel fortunate that state agencies and farmers are working together to provide opportunities for hunters who don't have private land contacts. I hope they continue to work together and I hope that our weather patterns get back to some sort of normalcy so our birds and habitat can flourish for years to come.
Maybe this years presidential will teach everyone just how much stock you can put into polls/surveys as the Dems thought they had the election locked up from the polls.....look how that turned out. I put as much stock into roadside counts as I do the political polls....
Well I've rambled enough and just wanted to put my thoughts out there
Maybe this years presidential will teach everyone just how much stock you can put into polls/surveys as the Dems thought they had the election locked up from the polls.....look how that turned out. I put as much stock into roadside counts as I do the political polls....
Well I've rambled enough and just wanted to put my thoughts out there
A5 Sweet 16
Well-known member
Buzz & I "wasted" 1 hr., 15 min. in South Dakota on Saturday (plus 20 minutes back to the car). Picture below. I've hunted 11 times this season, about 1/2 on public land & the other half on WIA's & CREP (also essentially public). I understand that occasionally "public" land gets grazed, disked, burned, replanted, and sometimes reverts to pasture or crops. In most cases, that's land management & is for the better. But I think that in general, the cover open to everyone this year is as nice, or nicer than usual. Bird numbers are definitely UP somewhat in the areas I've hunted (roughly the Salem area, up around Howard & then toward Arlington). With the warm weather, it's led me to hunt more around water (for the dog's sake), & lo & behold, there have been birds near the water. Success (shooting birds for Buzz) has come a little more easily than usual. We've probably hunted on average 1 hr., 40 min. per outing, averaging over 2.5 roosters, and we've seen plenty of others. I just think that if anyone thinks trying to hunt pheasants in SD a waste of time, they're simply not in the right place at the right time, or their expectations are unrealistic.
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BeirlSetters
Member
Buzz & I "wasted" 1 hr., 15 min. in South Dakota on Saturday (plus 20 minutes back to the car). Picture below. I've hunted 11 times this season, about 1/2 on public land & the other half on WIA's & CREP (also essentially public). I understand that occasionally "public" land gets grazed, disked, burned, replanted, and sometimes reverts to pasture or crops. In most cases, that's land management & is for the better. But I think that in general, the cover open to everyone this year is as nice, or nicer than usual. Bird numbers are definitely UP somewhat in the areas I've hunted (roughly the Salem area, up around Howard & then toward Arlington). With the warm weather, it's led me to hunt more around water (for the dog's sake), & lo & behold, there have been birds near the water. Success (shooting birds for Buzz) has come a little more easily than usual. We've probably hunted on average 1 hr., 40 min. per outing, averaging over 2.5 roosters, and we've seen plenty of others. I just think that if anyone thinks trying to hunt pheasants in SD a waste of time, they're simply not in the right place at the right time, or their expectations are unrealistic.
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Nice report.
ranchodeluxe
New member
Hunted private land around Platte yesterday. Limited, no problem, but could have done about as well on public judging by what we were seeing in the ditches around the public land.
BeirlSetters
Member
Good to hear that. Will be out Friday. Private I figure by the look of the background?
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yes, we hunted public land on thursday without dogs and kicked up 6-8 roosters and about the same number of 5 or 6 hens.
hunted private land with a guide and 2 GSP on Fri, Sat and Sun.
Miforester
Well-known member
Nice photos glad you guys had a great trip!
thanks for supporting my post
Being the originator of this post I appreciate your honesty which supports my original post about the poor quality of SD public hunting land for pheasants. Glad you had fun and got lots of birds. Private lands and guided hunts (with most likely planted birds) can make fun times and great dog work. Thats what it is all about.
Being the originator of this post I appreciate your honesty which supports my original post about the poor quality of SD public hunting land for pheasants. Glad you had fun and got lots of birds. Private lands and guided hunts (with most likely planted birds) can make fun times and great dog work. Thats what it is all about.
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ranchodeluxe
New member
How much are you willing to wager that I can take you to a South Dakota Walk-in area, and get you three quality opportunities at wild South Dakota roosters in 2 hours? Just do us all a favor and spread the word.
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ranchodeluxe
New member
Just got done cleaning six roosters.
You never have told us what the source of your "research" was.
You never have told us what the source of your "research" was.
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kennedyrec
New member
Time
Heading to SD in just over 24 hours. There is no way this trip would get canceled due to an internet post or comment. I hunt public grounds nearly exclusively; if you put time in scouting and get boots on the ground you will get your chances.
Heading to SD in just over 24 hours. There is no way this trip would get canceled due to an internet post or comment. I hunt public grounds nearly exclusively; if you put time in scouting and get boots on the ground you will get your chances.