Where???

W

wsumner

New member
I have never been to SD. I may be going out the week after Thanksgiving to hunt. I have been looking at the Hunting Atlas but have not decided on an area to hunt. Can someone make some suggestions as to the best area for a newbie to try. I find it hard to get a feel for the area just using the atlas. Not sure exactly how large some of the WIA are looking at them in the atlas. I will be hunting public land unless I find someplace private to hunt while I'm there.

Thanks,
Wayne
 
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Concentrate on the central part of the state, Southern border to the northern border is all pretty good in the middle of the state.
 
Aberdeen, Huron, Winner... pretty much a line from that. according to pheasant numbers, those are the best areas.. anyone can correct me if im wrong.
 
wsumner said:
I have never been to SD. I may be going out the week after Thanksgiving to hunt. I have been looking at the Hunting Atlas but have not decided on an area to hunt. Can someone make some suggestions as to the best area for a newbie to try. I find it hard to get a feel for the area just using the atlas. Not sure exactly how large some of the WIA are looking at them in the atlas. I will be hunting public land unless I find someplace private to hunt while I'm there.

Thanks,
Wayne
Click to expand...

The roads in SD are pretty much gridded out in one mile sections. So a square bordered on all four sides by a public road would be a square mile or 640 acres. East of the river most of the WIA's are going to be 160 acres (1/4 section) or less.

By the time you come out the birds will be very educated and maybe bunched up. I would opt for an area (east river) with a high concentration of public access even if the pheasant numbers are only moderate.

Also pay attention to the details in the atlas because some areas with lots of public access are more waterfowl related properties. There will be pheasants there but often times you will need a dog that can dig them out of the sloughs.

Good luck
 
A friend of mine goes to the Aberdeen area for years and always does well, except last year when the crops were still in the fields.
 
Fenway,

Does he hunt public land? Is there much public land in that area?

Thanks,
Wayne
 
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Bang,

Thanks. That info is very helpful in understanding the hunting atlas. It is a lot different then here in New England.

Wayne
 
wsumner said:
I have never been to SD. I may be going out the week after Thanksgiving to hunt. I have been looking at the Hunting Atlas but have not decided on an area to hunt. Can someone make some suggestions as to the best area for a newbie to try. I find it hard to get a feel for the area just using the atlas. Not sure exactly how large some of the WIA are looking at them in the atlas. I will be hunting public land unless I find someplace private to hunt while I'm there.

Thanks,
Wayne
Click to expand...

I would try to hunt Hwy 281 or west. There certainly are good areas east of there, but definitely more birds west of 281. The public this time of the year is very hard to hunt because the birds are bunched up and hard to get at in these bigger areas. If you do hunt them, take the time to walk toward each other and trap them between you. 99% will flush wild, but when you get about 50 yards apart, stop and stand there for 3-4 minutes. The stragglers may then flush. I would take the time to knock on doors. Shelter belts and small sloughs that you can surround will be a bonanza. This is a good time of the year to knock on doors becuase farmer's relatives are done hunting, crops are in and for the most part they had a good year. They are much more relaxed now. By the way, when hunting, be quiet! No talking, slamming doors, etc. Birds are spooky
 
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