Things are not looking too good for locals that don't own land either. Many landowners that used to let neighbors hunt their land no longer do. Due to the times and conditions, most have started charging locals trespass fees too. Some have hunted these farms for over 30 years and no longer can without paying. We may have to due to poor public areas this year. I rode around for 4 hours today and hit 6 public areas. Only one had any huntable cover. A mile long cattail slough near my house where I run the dog every morning was mowed down yesterday. Not a cattail or reed left. This was in a long draw in the middle of about 2 sections of beans. The only cover left. Now all gone.
Will public be any good in SD this year?
- Thread starter UGUIDE
- Start date
1pheas4
Moderator
I agree. Many of us in the Midwest (SD included) got lucky this year due to so much rain the past few years. Ponds, creeks, streams, lakes were all very full. This helped get the birds through a portion of this summer resulting in increased bird #'s.
Next year, if the same hits again, it spells trouble. Kansas is going through this right now. Their bird numbers will most likely reflect that.
For this year, let's get out and enjoy chasing those birds this fall:cheers:
1pheas4
Moderator
No Huns and sharp-tails, or no pheasants? I think you will regret not heading out there if you're planning on hunting pheasants this fall.
I think this is the last time I'm going to say it. lol There's pheasants out there! Yes, cover will be tough, but I've been out there in the past with 40% to 50% of the cover/fields cut and did just fine.
I've hunted with snow up to my waist, and yes, I did just fine. Birds! Drought, floods, rain, freezing rain, strong winds, snow, Blizzards (many of those
), 20 below, 90 degree heat....Birds! There out there.Now, with that said, I have to say I'm a bit concerned for the south east portion of the state. (Charles Mix) and east may be a tough sell.
They really got the drought handed to them this year. Time will tell with reports from that portion of the state. Anyway, God willing, I'll be out there hearing birds, seeing birds, get video of birds, get photos of birds, flushing birds, shooting at birds, missing birds, hitting birds, losing birds, finding birds, grilling birds, eating birds, dreaming birds, waking up in the middle of the night because I'm dreaming of flushing birds that sound like they're next to me, maybe hitting birds with my truck or have one fly into the cab of the truck (long story), and on and on and on.
GET OUT AND HUNT:cheers:
No Huns and sharp-tails, or no pheasants? I think you will regret not heading out there if you're planning on hunting pheasants this fall.
I think this is the last time I'm going to say it. lol There's pheasants out there! Yes, cover will be tough, but I've been out there in the past with 40% to 50% of the cover/fields cut and did just fine.
I've hunted with snow up to my waist, and yes, I did just fine. Birds! Drought, floods, rain, freezing rain, strong winds, snow, Blizzards (many of those
Now, with that said, I have to say I'm a bit concerned for the south east portion of the state. (Charles Mix) and east may be a tough sell.
Anyway, God willing, I'll be out there hearing birds, seeing birds, get video of birds, get photos of birds, flushing birds, shooting at birds, missing birds, hitting birds, losing birds, finding birds, grilling birds, eating birds, dreaming birds, waking up in the middle of the night because I'm dreaming of flushing birds that sound like they're next to me, maybe hitting birds with my truck or have one fly into the cab of the truck (long story), and on and on and on.
GET OUT AND HUNT:cheers:
Well said.:cheers:
Just being in SD is half the fun for me.:10sign:
Our trip cost
Here is our costs for the SD trip. Its bordering on ridiculous for 3 pheasants a day. Yes, there is cheaper ways but this is how we have been going the last few years.
3 days hunting x $175 per gun x 6 hunters = $3,150 to Farmer
Renting of House 4 nights $1160 total divided by 6 = $ 193.00 per guy.
Gas. 6 tank fills @ $100 = $600 divided by 3 guys = $200
Liscense $110.00
Food $50 per man
Miscellaneous... Shells, snacks, few beers at bar, tips, etc etc $50 per guy.
SO........
$525 Treaspass
$193 Lodging
$200 Gas
$110.00 Liscense
$50 Food
$50 Miscellaneous
TOTAL for one hunter to kill 9 Roosters is $1,128.00
As I said earlier, its bordering on ridiculous that we even go to SD anymore.
Here is our costs for the SD trip. Its bordering on ridiculous for 3 pheasants a day. Yes, there is cheaper ways but this is how we have been going the last few years.
3 days hunting x $175 per gun x 6 hunters = $3,150 to Farmer
Renting of House 4 nights $1160 total divided by 6 = $ 193.00 per guy.
Gas. 6 tank fills @ $100 = $600 divided by 3 guys = $200
Liscense $110.00
Food $50 per man
Miscellaneous... Shells, snacks, few beers at bar, tips, etc etc $50 per guy.
SO........
$525 Treaspass
$193 Lodging
$200 Gas
$110.00 Liscense
$50 Food
$50 Miscellaneous
TOTAL for one hunter to kill 9 Roosters is $1,128.00
As I said earlier, its bordering on ridiculous that we even go to SD anymore.
Can one of our farmers, ranchers on here explain why you would cut down cattails in a slough?
Michigan Gunner
Member
A bit High
For that amount you should get at least four days of hunting, perhaps five. On the other hand, any other type of vaction you would take would probably cost more. Things like a Cruise, a Golfing trip, Deer Hunting, etc.
Lock and Load!
For that amount you should get at least four days of hunting, perhaps five. On the other hand, any other type of vaction you would take would probably cost more. Things like a Cruise, a Golfing trip, Deer Hunting, etc.
Lock and Load!
To know why that one was cut you would have to ask the fellow that cut it. At this time of year it probably was not for feed. My guess is that he is hoping to farm it next year. This is the start of getting it ready, that is just my guess, I do not know.
reddog
Well-known member
Gawd I wish you wouldnt have done this..
1pheas4
Moderator
I normally go for 5 days, sometimes more.
Taking my 2500hd, gas usually costs $400-$450 to get there, drive back and forth while we are out there, and to get home.
A dumpy motel that allows dogs, $40-$50 each night. Monday through Friday night we're looking at $200-$250.
License fee $110
Meals $100
Miscellaneous $100
Split the motel and the gas with one other guy, hunt public land, maybe find a farmer willing to let you hunt his land once or twice while your out there.
Now you're looking at a cost of around $600 to $800 each.
My last trip we rented an apartment for a week, cooked all our own meals. The trip cost each of use (group of 5) $490 to $550 each. Some guys like to spend $ at the bar so they were on the higher end.
How bad do you want to go? There's ways of saving $. We hunt primarily public land. Bang the birds up pretty good. Dec. 2010 we flush we'll over 700 to 800 birds. Obviously most were out of range. Nevertheless, we always had our chances at our limit each day. Always hitting those birds is a different story.
Taking my 2500hd
, gas usually costs $400-$450 to get there, drive back and forth while we are out there, and to get home.A dumpy motel that allows dogs, $40-$50 each night. Monday through Friday night we're looking at $200-$250.
License fee $110
Meals $100
Miscellaneous $100
Split the motel and the gas with one other guy, hunt public land, maybe find a farmer willing to let you hunt his land once or twice while your out there.
Now you're looking at a cost of around $600 to $800 each.
My last trip we rented an apartment for a week, cooked all our own meals. The trip cost each of use (group of 5) $490 to $550 each. Some guys like to spend $ at the bar so they were on the higher end.
How bad do you want to go? There's ways of saving $. We hunt primarily public land. Bang the birds up pretty good. Dec. 2010 we flush we'll over 700 to 800 birds. Obviously most were out of range. Nevertheless, we always had our chances at our limit each day. Always hitting those birds is a different story.
UGUIDE
Active member
Here my costs on 700 acres per year:
Mortgage = $60,000
Property Taxes = $9,000
Insurance = $3,000
Food Plots = $8,000
Repairs = $4,000
Fuel, Seed, Herb & Fert - $3,000
Equipment Payments = $10,000
Total cost at least per year = $97,000
FCSpringer
Moderator
Yes there may be a cost for opperating. But chris come on bud. Farmers are not hurting. 8$ a bushel corn. We all know what kinda doe farms are pulling down the last years. I my self at least have a clue, since my family farms. But folks have to look at it as well, if you go pay and support the gouging, your gonna keep paying it. Best way to stop it is dont go. Dont pay, and hit publics etc. Or just go elsewhere close to home and support a local preserve. Now if a person goes all the way out there and forks out all that doe, you really have no right to bitch about it either. Many well off folks love it. So if your not happy, try looking else where, or go about it different.
My costs here
Lic? 26.50$
Gas, emm maybe a hundred bucks for all season.
emm 30 bucks for shells
Took about 40 roosters last time I counted.
So thats about 3.91$ per bird. All private land asking for the day, public, and walking from home. Never ever, will I pay to enjoy the great old USofA's bountiful God given wild life.:thumbsup: Well, shouldnt say that cause I spend about 3-4 dollars a bird. Before I would shell out that doe. I would just go buy 9 roosters at 10 bucks and release them on a public and go find a few. I'm cheap LOL I like to keep the money I made.
My costs here
Lic? 26.50$
Gas, emm maybe a hundred bucks for all season.
emm 30 bucks for shells
Took about 40 roosters last time I counted.
So thats about 3.91$ per bird. All private land asking for the day, public, and walking from home. Never ever, will I pay to enjoy the great old USofA's bountiful God given wild life.:thumbsup: Well, shouldnt say that cause I spend about 3-4 dollars a bird. Before I would shell out that doe. I would just go buy 9 roosters at 10 bucks and release them on a public and go find a few.
I'm cheap LOL I like to keep the money I made.
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1pheas4
Moderator
I know this is not typical for most in a drought year, but my buddy just bought a new Case IH combine with tracks for front tires. The dang thing drives itself. It will literally harvest the crops without hands on the wheel.
He's not all too concerned about $ right now.
FCSpringer
Moderator
I know this is not typical for most in a drought year, but my buddy just bought a new Case IH combine with tracks for front tires. The dang thing drives itself. It will literally harvest the crops without hands on the wheel.
He's not all too concerned about $ right now.
No thats right. But you can not blame the farmer for wanting the money either. They took a risk, they invested, they earned it. But it may come back to bite some down the road. I think there will be a ag driven econimical collaps before too long. The world as we know just cant sustain these prices. Sad, but true. Its goona get messy for a while, but times will change people including hunters will addapt and life will go on. But like I said, if one pays, one has no one else to
snible to but them self in a mirror.
Non resident hunter from Illinois
I know what I'm getting when I pay the treaspass Fee. I haven't complained too much but the teeter totter that I've been on is beginning to tilt in the wrong direction for our group. The costs are getting tough.
Its really a simple question for us with three possibilities.
1. Pay a ridiculously large sum of money as a treaspass fee to have more acres you can walk in a week, great cover and see lots and lots of birds...
OR
2. Hunt public land exclusively, have acres and acres to walk knowing that the ground your on could have been pounded for weeks on end. Cover (this year) could be a real problem and the Number of birds would be hit or miss.
OR
3. Stay home, put that money into local preserves where you will get many more days afield, shoot way more birds but you are hunting pen raised birds. There is no exception in my book for wild birds.
Bob
I know what I'm getting when I pay the treaspass Fee. I haven't complained too much but the teeter totter that I've been on is beginning to tilt in the wrong direction for our group. The costs are getting tough.
Its really a simple question for us with three possibilities.
1. Pay a ridiculously large sum of money as a treaspass fee to have more acres you can walk in a week, great cover and see lots and lots of birds...
OR
2. Hunt public land exclusively, have acres and acres to walk knowing that the ground your on could have been pounded for weeks on end. Cover (this year) could be a real problem and the Number of birds would be hit or miss.
OR
3. Stay home, put that money into local preserves where you will get many more days afield, shoot way more birds but you are hunting pen raised birds. There is no exception in my book for wild birds.
Bob
carptom1
Well-known member
I too pay for acess a couple times a year. I mix it with public which I also enjoy. I guess to some on here those of us that pay are somehow less noble sportsmen. I also hear things like well healed, and well off to describe those of us who pay. I am sure many of you who say that make more money than me, smoke, drink, go to titie bars, drive 60k trucks etc. I am a pretty middle of the road earner. Save some money for retirement, drive an older truck, live in a modest home on a few acres and don't have 30-40 days to hunt and cultivate a bunch of relationships. Years ago I could get into some decent hunting in a couple hrs in southern Iowa, northern Kansas/Mo. It's not like that anymore. I have acess to 4k acres in southern Iowa that I haven't hunted in 5 yrs. I don't bitch about it. How about you don't either?
treedaddy
Member
I am a life long quail hunter from the south. I used to be able to get out of school, hunt 2 to 3 hours and find 2, maybe 3 coveys. Those days are over. Now I have to buy quail and pheasants to have something to hunt. I started going to Kansas in the late 90's and did alright. Went to South Dakota about 2006 and have been going since, sometimes twice a year. To me there is no substitution for wild birds. I have hunted mainly on public ground and have done fairly well. The opportunities are there if you scout and work at it. I drive about 2300 miles total up and back and while I am there. We stay in a nice hotel with a good breakfast that can double for lunch also. Gas, hotel ,meals and license comes to about $750 for 5 days. I have been satisfied hunting public so far. It doesn't take clouds of pheasants to make it worthwhile. Seeing new land meeting people, getting to talk with friends and family make it a much anticipated experience. That being said, I might would pay $50 to hunt some private ground a day or two if the public wasn't productive. In the past, it has been hard not to kill limits on the road. I hear that may not be the case this year, but I'm still going and will be there in November.