benbosh

Just the area in general within reasonable driving distance, half hour or so.. May be able to swing up to the Brookings/Madison area but may just stick closer to SF if theres decent angling opportunities with rod/reel.

Has anybody speared in South Dakota before (specifically around the Sioux Falls area)? Heading out there Wednesday night and will have basically all day Thursday to do what I want. I could just bring my rods and angle but would rather spear. Doing a little research on the SD dnr page but If anybody has any input it would be appreciated!

I keep second guessing myself on what I could've done different in that situation to try and pull a shot off but with them being so close and basically out in the open I was more worried about spooking the doe off being I knew he wasn't going anywhere without her so I just waited to see how it played out hoping he'd pass by me far enough that I could turn around and get a shot but either way it was just awesome to experience that alone regardless if I got him or not.. Sat Monday night but didn't see anything except one smaller buck about 80 yards away right at last light cruising

Friday night was pretty exciting and depressing for me.. Decided last minute to head out to the stand after work, got showered and walked across the field to the woods. Using my climber in this spot, I got it all set up by 445, just clipped my bow onto the rope, only having to put my jacket on before I was heading up the tree. As I said, I just clipped my bow onto the rope and I hear something on the trail that runs in front of my tree 30 yards away. Just a doe and she seemed pretty mellow and content walking along, I freeze and slowly crouch down hoping she would pass so I could get up the tree then I hear something else coming behind her. Being it was Oct. 30th I knew what it was.. Yep sure enough a buck, and a beast of a buck at that. By the time I see the buck behind her she had taken the trail that goes right by me. I'm basically curled up in the fetal position helpless and hopeless wearing nothing but camo pants and black base layers as my bow sits clipped to my rope and my release in my pocket. They get 5 yards directly up wind of me to the south and the doe is stopped bobbing her head looking at me and the buck is focused on her. She was partially behind a tree so got my bow unclipped and I wiggled my release out of my pocket and got it on. She gets kind of nervous and ends up circling back around to where they came from and then about 10 yards away she cuts straight north still trying to figure me out but walks north cautiously. The buck just stands there 5 yards away for a good 3 minutes watching the doe, glancing at me every once in a while. He then turns around and follows the exact path the doe took when she circled around me but stops at 20 yards so I slowly grab my bow and get an arrow nocked and he slowly proceeds to cut straight north and stops again 5 yards to my right for another couple minutes, glancing at the doe then me then staring at the doe. He was definitely in rut mode as being downwind of him I could smell him. By this time the doe is 30 yards to the north head bobbing and stomping her foot trying to figure me out being down wind of me (this made me a firm believer that my scent control system works) she was definitely nervous as she starts stomping her hoof. This made the buck nervous and he bolts to 30 yards so I stand up quick to draw but he stops behind some brush so I had no shot and he slowly walks off to the south. I look and the doe is still down wind of me 40 yards or so away but now walking away feeding and not nervous at all.. Awesome experience but sort of depressing too being so close but it just didnt come together. This buck would have easily scored 150"+

This season I've been getting out after work and get maybe roughly an hour of hunting in and have been doing it just business as usual. Seems like 15 minutes after setting up I get the first shots in and the other ducks on the lake get scared up and start flying around and once they are ready to land its usually steady shooting for a while then you get the last minute ducks coming in before dark. And of course the flocks that try to land in the decoys as you are picking up. Never fails

Had a doe and 2 fawns in front of me for a while last night and about 15 minutes later I see a buck heading from bedding making his way to the edge of the woods towards them. He rubbed a maple behind and to the left of me and the doe got nervous and took off with the fawns just standing there. He came out and the fawns made their way towards the doe and the buck was checking the does trail and started heading her way chasing. Nothing overly agressive but its starting! He was a heavy respectable basket racked 8.

Finally got mine submitted..

Total Score is 62.5625

I shot a decent bird this morning at 630.. But yes I tried decoys, no decoys, blind, no blind, agressive calling, calling then shutting up, very little calling, just about everything I could throw at them without putting too much pressure on them and had these birds patterned very well but mother nature was over powering me no matter what. The one I got this morning was no decoy, light tree talk calling, fly down call, a few soft yelps then shut up, down in the river bottom near a steep bank that keeps the wind from blowing too hard down there where I had two toms last week on one of the really windy days. Scored 63.8125. 23# 9.6oz 1 1/8 and 1 inch spurs and a 9.5 inch beard.

Still having troubles with birds hanging up and its frustrating.. I even tried setting up so my blind wouldn't be visible until I would have a shot if the birds would stay on/near the trail heading to the field with my decoy 80-100 yards away in the field so when it was visible and they would hang up that would give me a shot as they pass by or right when they hang up. Did it work?.. Of course not! The tom completely out of view was 20 yards into the CRP and out of view the whole time but must've been able to see my decoy through the brush of the fence line and was about 30 yards too far to the west and cut through the fenceline which I expected him to go around it. He ended up having a hen with him, strutting 80 yards from the decoy but followed the hen. Time to hunt my public spot thats barely been touched and find some fresh birds and give me a fresh sense of hope!

I've been having a hard time with birds hanging up. Been seeing and hearing birds everyday and actually had two new gobblers move into the property sometime between Sunday afternoon and Tuesday morning. Had one gobbler hang up at 40 yards Tuesday morning but not quite comfortable to take a turkey at that range even though I practice that far with as small of vitals as they have

Hunted Thursday morning, had a tom come into about 80 yards but he had a hen with him and she came into about 40 yards and headed back to the woods and he followed. Saturday afternoon was hot, windy, and the woods were dead. No birds seen or heard. Sunday, woke up late at 615, seen the bird in the field on the north end of the property at 625 when I drove by almost to my parking spot so waking up late was a blessing cause I was planning on setting up on the way opposite end of the property. Got set up where I hoped he would make his way to but by about 9 he was done gobbling all together and no sightings. About 1130 I decided to pack up and cross the river to find my decoy stake that had fell out of my bag Thursday morning. I crossed the river, got on the trail through the woods and got to where it "Y"s off either through the woods or into the field corner. I caught movement out in the field, it was a hen. I knew if she was out at this time of day he wasn't probably far behind being it was only 100 yards from where I seen him right away in the morning. After looking around a little, there he was silhouetted on the hilltop in the field. I quickly found a spot to hunker down. I got set up in a spot where right before I would have a clear shot at him there was a stump and a tree so I would be able to draw back on him. I made a few yelps and cuts and sure enough he heads my way, drumming, then walk aways, strut then I lost sight of him. Waiting and waiting and not seeing him he finally gobbles and I knew he was on the edge of the woods. Time stood still and he still wasnt showing until finally I see his head above the gooseberry bushes and other vegetation between us. Spit, drum, walk for the next couple minutes closing the distance down the trail and finally he gets behind the tree and I draw back my bow. Get anchored, he takes a step from behind the tree, perks his head up, takes another step. Two more steps to clear a few bunches of shrub at the corner of the trail, 10 yards away, until I can release the arrow. He takes one step... One step to turn around that is. He headed back out towards the field knowing something wasn't right. Close and quite the adrenaline rush but no kill. Still considered it a successful hunt. Thats the kind of stuff I love about bow hunting, fooling animals so they are up in your face, it ain't about the kill!

Got permission for the property I've hunted every year I've turkey hunted (This will be my 7th season). Went out right away this morning to scout and find one on the roost and heard a gobble immediately. I walked along the trail to get out of the wind and not long after I seen him up in the roost. Good first morning of scouting. Hung the trail cam and will be back for more scouting

Yesterday evening I was out shooting bow in the yard and in the field seen a hen and the tom I seen the other day, him strutting then walking ahead to catch up to her. This morning headed out the door for working this morning about 545 and heard a gobble immediately straight to the north along the river, then another. Two gobblers were going almost non stop back and forth gobbling their heads off. I'll be hunting the archery season.. April 30-May 28

I had the same problem even with the Victory arrows (yes the arrow spine was correct for my set up) but last night I tried a flu-flu arrow and they flew a lot better and more accurate to the point that I may actually give them a try this year.

Scouted a little bit last night at sunset to see if I could hear any gobbles right before or when they were up in the roost and ended up seeing a strutting tom and two hens before I could even cut across the field to the woods so I watched them for 10 minutes as he strutted and then they eventually headed into the trees to roost.

I'm here.. I'll be buying the archery tag but not sure which zone yet

Found 128 Saturday afternoon then 148 Monday afternoon

My dad found 32 this morning.. They should really start popping up in the next few days!

Our group is in for Area 31!!

Found one today south of kato.. south side of a knoll in a little clearing in the woods

Found 3 morels Saturday afternoon, SC MN

I've been thinking about trying other states too.. As for the broomstick, it crossed my mind but just couldn't get myself to do it. Could've sealed the deal Thursday morning if I would have but I don't regret it.. Of course this evening I had a tom and a hen 20ft from my front door

That's how B season was for me too.. Shy birds, could get them to come but not fully commit. Decoys, no decoys, calling, little to no calling even when they weren't henned up..