South Dakota pheasant hunt

[(563)]

Has anyone here pheasant hunted South Dakota in the past few years? I’m looking for any Dos, Don’ts, things to watch out for while hunting there.

For as long as I can remember my dad has talked of hunting SD but never gone so I told him we’re going this year. Tentatively planning to hunt 3 days the week before Thanksgiving. We will be taking my 10 yo black lab and 2 yo yellow lab. Most likely will hunt the Southeast quadrant of the state.

 

[Acylum]

Get your hotel booked. I got sent to the Alpena/Huron area during the opening weekend and ended up getting a room I wouldn’t board my pets in.

 

[BCClone]

If you see a pheasant on George or Tom’s nose, don’t shoot it.

 

[ForbinsAscynt]

I’ve only done it with a guide but we saw a ton of birds. We had four guys plus the guide and I would like to go back with a few more people. Those birds are fast and smart enough to find the gaps so a group of 8+ guys is perfectly fine.

 

[cyfan92]

Become a member at Sutton Bay

 

[Isualum13]

My grandpa, dad, and uncle own a fair amount of land in South Dakota so we go a few times every year. When I was in high school on opening weekend we could have a group of 20 guys and have our limit in 45 minutes. It was absolutely insane. Then corn prices went up and some habitat got turned to farm land. The pheasant hunting is still great but need to walk a few fields to get our limit.

Advice is to buy your license online instead of trying to stop somewhere and make the second hunting period the last week of the season. You can change the date as long as the period you chose hasn't passed. If you decide to use the second weekend that is.

Also, sorghum food plots are a lot easier to shoot out of than Corn. They say corn is a better food source but sorghum provides better coverage. The birds gizzard's we shoot with a corn field right next to the plot will still be full of sorghum though, so they obviously don't mind eating the sorghum at all.

Going that late in the season the birds will be more skittish so shut doors gently and try to not make unnecessary noise. Unless your hunting somewhere where they stock the fields before you arrive. You'll basically be right on top of them before they flush in that case.

Also a collapsible dog bowl you can carry in your hunting vest and carry some water for the dogs.

 

[kirk89gt]

Dogs will definitely help that time of year. The hunting is definitely harder the later in the season you go. The birds have been hunted for about a month at that time and will be either jumpy or sitting tight depending on the weather. The dogs will be able to get them to flush.

Second the booking the hotel earlier. Again later in the season, there should be availability and most are dog friendly. Lots of mom and pop joints that are pretty reasonable (again especially later in the season).

Figure out where you are hunting first and then try to find a place to stay so you don’t have to drive all over creation which gives you more time in the field.

If you are looking for more of a guided, canned hunt, let me know as I have a contact in the Huron area I might be able to put you in contact with.

 

[(563)]

Dogs will definitely help that time of year. The hunting is definitely harder the later in the season you go. The birds have been hunted for about a month at that time and will be either jumpy or sitting tight depending on the weather. The dogs will be able to get them to flush.

Second the booking the hotel earlier. Again later in the season, there should be availability and most are dog friendly. Lots of mom and pop joints that are pretty reasonable (again especially later in the season).

Figure out where you are hunting first and then try to find a place to stay so you don’t have to drive all over creation which gives you more time in the field.

If you are looking for more of a guided, canned hunt, let me know as I have a contact in the Huron area I might be able to put you in contact with.

Canned as in birds are planted or just that it’s private ground and they take you to the spots?

 

[cyfan21]

Can I come?

 

[JK4ISU]

Make sure your dog is well trained.

 

[kirk89gt]

Canned as in birds are planted or just that it’s private ground and they take you to the spots?

Honestly, could be both. One place we went later in the season raised pheasants to sell to the state for populating public ground. Toward the end of the season they basically cleaned out their pheasant pens and turned their “crop” loose on their own private property. The only thing that was lacking that day was our ammunition supply (not enough of it for all the birds).

 

[nfrine]

Honestly, could be both. One place we went later in the season raised pheasants to sell to the state for populating public ground. Toward the end of the season they basically cleaned out their pheasant pens and turned their “crop” loose on their own private property. The only thing that was lacking that day was our ammunition supply (not enough of it for all the birds).

Should only take one shell per bird...

 

[mvh]

If you haven't quite figured out locations, a subscription to onX Elite or just the SD state would be a good tool to scout for areas ahead of time. Has all public access types on one map. Not sure if SD has something like that on the Game & Fish site. It can also be used to see prior year crops adjacent to these properties so one can use it to see what might be beans/corn/etc this year. That is if the farmer follows a every other year rotation. I believe there is usually a 30% off code around Father's Day.

 

[kirk89gt]

Should only take one shell per bird...

Yes, but when you have 25 birds flush at a time………..so many options……not enough ammo.

 

[(563)]

Thanks for all the help. Got an Airbnb in Brown county. There were still rooms available in hotels but we opted to find a house so it would be easier to deal with the dogs.

 

[1100011CS]

Been going at at least once a year for 30-some years with a few breaks due to family/health issues. Go to the local taverns and buy the locals rounds. The best land is private and that's the best way to get on some without paying out your nose.

 

[DesertClone1]

Don't let Noem on your hunt.