2011 Spring Black Hills hunt

[duckhuntr21]

Does anyone know when the 2011 spring season usually begins? When I was looking on SD's HSOforum, it appears that you can use a rifle to hunt turkeys in the Black Hills zone. Is this new this year?

[Cheetah]

Yea you can use rifle, it's nothing new. In the area we hunt the back roads are closed for the first month or so, but once they open for the last couple weeks all the rifle hunters drive through trying to shoot birds from their trucks. I don't recall the exact season dates from this past spring, but it's about the same as anywhere else. The hard part is that the black hills area can get freak snow storms and stuff right in the middle of the season.

Here's the SD GFP page for spring turkey.

http://gfp.sd.gov/hunting/licenses/limited/app-blackhills-springturkey.aspx

[DonBo]

Season runs from the second Saturday in April thru the third Sunday in May.

[Scoot]

Seriously? Turkeys with a rifle? How much sense does that make???

Seems to me that'd add a whole new twist to putting out a decoy and hunting over it. Do they have any problems with it?

[DonBo]

Lots of western states allow rifles. Few use them. The thing is, so much of the area is wide open and being able to view turkeys from hundreds of yards away is pretty common. Don't believe it's any more dangerous than our use of decoys in areas with very limited visibility.

[duckhuntr21]

Thanks for the info guys. I thought last year when i checked out the regs, that rifles weren't allowed in the Black Hills zone. Not the first time I have been wrong though. Anyone planning their trips yet? I am already pretty excited.

[Borch]

The Black Hills trip is a favorite trip for me. I usually go later in the season. Last trip out we were stuck in the cabin for a day and a half with 3 feet of snow on the ground and the wind howling.

[duckhuntr21]

Having a cabin in that situation would be pretty nice. We are planning on tenting starting on the opener. I would like to go later for weather reasons but the scheduling doesn't work out. Is it foolish to go that early?

[Cheetah]

Not foolish, the Black Hills just has finicky weather. Be prepared for high and low temps and keep track of the weather reports from day to day.

[DonBo]

Tenting on the opener is realy asking for trouble. IMO, the opener is pretty darn early anyhow. Birds are usually still in large flocks. Much easier hunting after they break up in early May and the weather will probably be much nicer.

[Borch]

Cabins are fairly cheap out there that time of year and much easier to warm up and dry out when you get dumped on. I like heading out the end of April to first part of May. Even then you can get dumped on and birds can be flocked up.

[elevatorguy]

I tented it the first year I went out there and we went in May. The next 2 years we pulled a tent trailer out there and the one year we barely got it out of the hills where we camped due to 14 inches of snow. Thats when we decided to get a cabin. Where we stay is cheap and he has charged us 50 a night for 7 years now. They are nothing fancy but the shower and beds do make it nice. And as for the hunting the other guys summed it up pretty well. Me personally, I have had success early and late. We have tried both. Just when we think we have it figured out WHAM! there the weather goes and screws things up or the birds just do not cooperate.

Wow just a little talk has me fired up to go turkey hunting now the deer hunting is over for me. I can't wait now since I missed last year....

[gp13581]

Check out Silver City. There is a couple there that have several small cabins for rent. It's right in the heart of the hills halfway between Deadwood and Hill City on the north end of Pactola. My family has stayed there several times. Cabins are nice and Rita and Tally, the owners, are great people. Have fun!

[Rob M]

What kind of a learning curve is there for the Black Hills? I am seriously considering heading out there for the first time this spring.

Thanks

[sticknstring]

There's a curve. Our first year to Custer, we came home birdless and I consider myself a pretty experienced turkey hunter. The prairie units were similar to back home but our timing was off and the birds were still bunched up. Hunting in the was hills was really different. You don't have the visual aspect in locating birds. Just miles of ponderosas and hills. We saw some birds but never gave ourselves close oppportunities. This was an archery hunt. Had we been toting boomsticks, our coolers would've been a little heavier. Gorgeous place to be in the spring however. Saw lots of deer, whitetails & mulies both, speed goats, & a day of sightseeing. If you've never made the trip before, I recommend it.

[Borch]

A different style of hunting for sure. We hunted sight for 2 straight days and never saw or heard a bird. When we found out from the locals how much these birds travel in a day we got a lot more aggressive and covered a lot more ground. Success rocketed.

So I'd recommend covering ground, calling aggressively and using locator calls. Also don't get hung up on sign too much. Just because your seeing fresh tracks doesn't mean those birds are anywhere nearby. They cover 9-12 miles a day based on tracking studies out there. But if you find spot with concentrated sign stop back and develop a milk run of hunting spots. That's what has paid off for us.

Oh, Also get in good hiking shape. If you are able get around birds and cut them off on these steep ridges you have a higher likelihood of filling your tag.

[DonBo]

Good advice Borch. Merriams do cover a lot of ground. They are also very vocal and can be called from a long ways. Cover a lot of ground, call often, then call loud to get a response from birds a long ways off.

[elevatorguy]

Well it looks like the season opens on the 9th of April and we are gonna be headed out the 13th. I am getting excited already. I am gonna try and get one with the bow this year. I see they finally got a bag to carry a blind with a little easier so I am gonna pick one up and give it a whirl. Looking forward to the Hills!!

[sticknstring]

Best of luck elevatorguy - it sure is a beautiful place to hunt. You'll have a great time.

[elevatorguy]

Thanks Sticknstring I can't wait. We actually had to change it to the 27th of April due to my wife and I and daughter will be marching in the walk for babies for the March of Dimes. I missed last years trip due to our daughter being born 3 1/2 months early. This will be my 10 trip in 12 years out there. I love going out there cause it is so beautiful out there and it really is an affordable trip.

[Borch]

Good Luck Marshall.

My favorite hunting story from out there was one you told me out there at the cabin.

It is truelly a wonderful place to chase turkeys.