Where To Go--Where To Stay ????

M

Mauser

New member
Hunted Pheasant only once, a day hunt in CO 12 years ago. I've been trying for the last three years to coordinate a SD hunt with my son-in-law. No success in this department, so I'm thinking of going by myself in 2011. Well, not by myself, but with my non-hunting wife. Some friends of mine have hunted the Winner, Gregory, area and gave it high marks, but they hunt public lands and stay in the local Motels.

I'm looking for a "All Inclusive Lodge" that will accommodate a non-hunting spouse, but don't know where to start looking. Would prefer to stay south of I-90 because I will be driving from Tennessee and have concerns about the weather, but I'm open to any suggestions.

Another question is when to go. Some say "Don't go opening Week', but others say, "Don't go second week, but third". I would really appreciate some help in this area.

The last question would be the gun to use. I have a Browning 12 Ga. Auto 5 with a 26" imp. Cyl. barrel and a Charles Daly 12 Ga. with a 28" Mod. Barrel. Should I take Both? The Browning I have used to hunt Quail and the Daly to hunt Waterfowl.

Thanks for any information.

Mauser
 
If I was you I would check out the outfitters listed on this site's home page. I see some of them are in the area you want to hunt. I do see a problem in trying accomodate a non-hunting spouse, but you sure could ask the outfitter about that.

If you are doing an all inclusive hunt I probably doesn't matter when you come, or it certainly isn't as important as if you were going to hunt public land.

As far as your guns go I would bring both just in case one would break down. Either would be great but I would be incline to use the A5 with the IC choke. But with the Daly in Mod. you have it covered.

Good luck.
 
South Fork

South Fork Lodge in Dallas,SD is all inclusive and south of I-90. I think your wife would have a great time, and if your in the area you have to stop at Pete's Taxidermy in Burke, SD it really is something to see. Now, what do about that no good son-in-law?
 
If it is just you hunting it may be hard to get a lodge to take you. Most are not mixing groups and won't take just a single hunter. You will not get a lodge to take a single the first four weeks of the season for sure. Ed Keefe by Colome (in between Winner and Gregory) may be your best bet for a single hunter with a non hunting wife. Antler Ridge is very nice, I believe Kevin Costner and his dad stayed there this past season.
 
Thanks ever one for the very useful information. This hunt may not happen, but I will start planning anyway.

Mauser
 
Well the information won't go to waste if you don't get to use it :) other newbies, like myself, are taking notes as well.
Havn't been married long? :confused:

When I flew from AK to AR, 10yrs ago, it was a miserable cold snowy trip (100 mph bush plane). So after crossing the boarder at Williston, my wife and I were looking for some place to stay. In the dark we found Pierre, SD., after making a pattern for the lit up bridge, I found the airport. It was so cold and my little multi colored (lots of primer) plane needed to thaw, so we asked to rent a hanger. There was 1 spot in this huge hanger which already had maybe 20 planes in it. It was full of beautiful multi-engine planes and jets. When I asked about it, the attendant just said "Pheasant Season". As we drove into town there were signs everywhere, "Welcome Pheasant Hunters". It reminded me of a Gold Strike Boomtown. Hotels & Motels were booked. We finally found a nice place to stay. When I went to wash some clothes, there were long johns and hunting clothes hanging all over the laundry rooms. It was quiet the scene! :)
 
You flew from AK to AR in a 100 mph bush plane? Holy smokes..your a brave soul. I'm surprised that you took a rout through the Dakotas. I would think a more direct rout would be through just east of the Rockies and across western Nebraska..not so far east. Sorry for the thread jack
 
Well the original plan was as you suggested and my in-laws lived in Colo, at the time also. However this big storm started in AK, the day before we left, and we travelled in it all the way down through Canada. We were on the tailend and would catch up and have to land each day, which ended up being seven. After thawing my pitot tube twice, in Red Deer, we saw that by redirecting east to N Dakota we could finally get out of it and Colo was about to get hammered. From Pierre we zipped SE to Arkansas. I remember flying below 1000 ft because of overcast though - probably scared some of y'alls critters. Hey flying the plane back was a lot nicer than the March trip up, 20 years before. :)
 
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