Anyone going to South Dakota too?

[Stcloudangler]

Just wanted to see if any keyboard cowboys are heading to South Dakota this year with the down reports. I myself cant help but be thinking about my first trip which is in 17 days.. but whos counting? We are heading to our usual stomping ground, NW of the crazys. Even with the bad outlook, I cant miss an opportunity to stomp some weeds and see 30 birds flush from a little thicket of sage. That just doesn't happen around here.

[reddog]

Im just back. I think youll be surprised, I know I was..

[Wanderer]

M-kay, is that a good surprised or bad?

I'll be out to So Dak for deer and some pheasants in November. The pheasants are just the side dish but I'd still like to see enough for a couple dinners.

[BLACKJACK]

Im just back. I think youll be surprised, I know I was..

Not good, ehh??

I know when we left last year the farmer where we hunt had a big front end loader picking rock and taking out fence lines, with a semi nearby hauling the rock away. Not sure what we're going to see when we get back there, sure it won't be good. We've been going out there for over 10 years and when we first went out there, you could hardly find a cornfield, now there are sections of corn. Plus he had a stockyard with 3000 head of feeders, now hes given that up and is tearing up the corral fences too, just going to be a crop farmer.

I think our time out there is getting short.

That being said, I'm still getting psyched, I'll be out there on the 19th for the opener. A bad South Dakota is still better than MN. Hunt pheasant all day, drink beer, play cribbage, and talk smart half the night, and turn around and do it again the next day!!! Great fun!!!

[walleye18]

still birds to be had....gotta put in the time with the dogs.

Too bad its all going away....wish my kids coulda seen and experienced what I have.

[smackem33]

I'm going for the opener. My first time to ever go, buddy moved there couple years ago and now finally get to head out there. Really excited, but then kind of bummed about the numbers too I guess

[reddog]

I hope you guys fare better than I did. I bought the tribal license (which I have done for 5 years). I hunt with two proven GSP bird dogs. I hunt alone, and follow the dogs. (no group)

Friday was a scouting day, as the Pheasant didn't open till noon on Saturday. I drove a lot of miles, both on the rez and off, and seen 8 pheasants. At that time, I committed to buying the license. The clerk asked me twice if I was sure I wanted to buy, because its bad. I told her that "What else am I going to do, IM here. She laughed and punched out my license. No refunds she told me with a smile. I said run the card, so I can go grouse hunting.

I drove out to a large prairie pasture and turned the dogs loose. Ordinarily, I don't put both dogs on the ground, but in this situation, I was basically interested in covering some ground looking for some bird contact. My young dog stuck a point after about an hour of walking, and the old dog moved in to back. I walked up, and a prairie chicken flushed. I missed on the first shot, and struck prairie gold on the next. After the second shot, a second chicken jumped up, and I promptly bent the trigger on my Beretta double barrel.

Nothing else the rest of the day.

Saturday found heavy rain all day. I left the cabin at daybreak. drove 234 miles between Chamberlain and Pierre, and seen 25 or so pheasant's all day, with 18 of them in the city limits of Kennebec. Pretty slim. I only hunted with the dogs for 45 minutes or so, because of the heavy rain, and seen nothing on what is considered one of the primest areas of the tribal land..

Sunday found me leaving the cabin to a bright morning. Sun was rising to clear skies, and I was excited to get out and see all the pheasants standing around trying to get dried off.

I made a 30 mile drive from Oacoma to Big Bend dam that took an hour and a half. (slow) I was looking for pheasants, but took the time to look at deer also. If every pheasant along that 30 mile drive was standing out for all to see, then there is only 1 pheasant on that route. This is a known bird area, and it would not have been uncommon to see several hundred on this same route under the same conditions in years past.

At 10 am, I decided that it was time to put the dogs on the ground, and started out on an area that I have hunted in the past. Going down the first tree line, a small group of pheasants flushed out the end and flew out into the grass prairie. I worked around down wind and got two points. When the birds flushed, they were too young to determine what exactly they were. 2 hours later, I got one more beautiful point (with a back) on a hen on the edge of a harvested corn field.

I moved to a different area and worked it pretty well, only to find nothing. I stopped the warden and asked him what he was seeing. He said he just checked 4 guys from Colorado that didn't have anything yet for the day, and only shot one phez and one grouse for all day Saturday.

Im not giving up, but Im not going back till at least November.. The walleyes may be in trouble earlier this year is all..

[walleye18]

Reddog - All I have to say to that is...WOW!!!

Hope you fare better on your next trip.

[Stcloudangler]

Hey, I've read the other pheasant hunting forums too, but I don't believe we will have a super bad year out there. There is just too much area for the birds to hide, and no hunters walking around to kick them up. I understand it is down to an average of 2 birds per mile, but I will be ready to go the extra mile to find 2 more. I'm 34 and still pretty fast so lets go! October 24th cant come fast enough.

[WalleyeChaser]

I seen the same thing as Blackjack out there on the property we hunted a few years back. Went back the next year and he tilled up half his CRP leaving about 250 left. Told us the rest was coming out the following year. Sure enough it was gone 3 years ago. Haven't been back since. Too many farmers ripping up land and forcing crowds on the walk-in lands. And Too many people not cautious of where they're shooting for my liking on those lands. The game farm route has fixed my itchy trigger finger many a times. I still like to hunt out local land for a challenge though!

[reddog]

Local opener is this weekend. I will guess we shall have some insight into what its going to be like quickly. Youth opener was last weekend, but realistically with the weather on Saturday, I doubt there were many that ventured out.

[rundrave]

Local opener is this weekend. I will guess we shall have some insight into what its going to be like quickly. Youth opener was last weekend, but realistically with the weather on Saturday, I doubt there were many that ventured out.

I had lined up to "borrow" my dogs and help with a youth hunt this past weekend, they were doing me a bigger favor by letting me tag along than I was to them so I wasn't going to push it but we didn't make it out for youth opener because of the weather.

I have no plans or desire to go out this weekend, but I can already see the looks in both my dogs eyes they know its time. You can bet we'll be out just before dark just to get some miles on them and scout some areas. We wont hit it hard for a few more weeks yet until all the crops come out and the temps are a little cooler.

Reddog did you see any signs posted on WPA's or have any conversation with the Warden about the WPA's being closed?

[reddog]

I was in a different Nation... Their government is still operating. but no, nothing posted on the national Grasslands, and I spent quite a bit if time up that way.

Didnt get by any WPAs

For those of you heading out, its extremely beautiful out there this year..

Enjoy!

[BLACKJACK]

Received a call last night from the land owners in SoDak where we hunt, to warn us that they're not seeing very many birds. Not good when the people that live on the land tell you that!!! They're blaming the bad weather/cool wet spring more than the lack of habitat.

We're still going to go, its still an adventure and a vacation, we'll still be pheasant hunting, and having a few brewsiki's in the evening, just won't be the big shootout that we're had in the past. Plus we want to preserve our reservations for opening weekend, hopefully the pheasants will spring back in the upcoming years.

[rundrave]

hopefully the pheasants will spring back in the upcoming years.

It could be 65 and sunny year around and I don't think we will ever get back to the glory days. With the loss of habitat its not going to happen. You cant nest or stay warm when you don't have place for cover. Enjoy it while you can.

It will be interesting to see how many out of staters will still continue to spend $$$ on gas and non-res licenses to come here and support these small rural areas when there are not any birds around.

There will be the preservers and lodges that will release birds for you but thats not hunting and I hope none of you get the impression that's what SD pheasant hunting is about. The day someone figured out how to make a buck and commercialized pheasant hunting it also regressed the sport.

[TylerS]

rundrave hit the nail on the head. I'm going there for a work trip the last week of October, but I'm sure the "wild" birds we're hunting won't be what I'm used to in Nodak.

[walleye18]

Ditto that!...Rundrave is spot on!

[BLACKJACK]

It could be 65 and sunny year around and I don't think we will ever get back to the glory days. With the loss of habitat its not going to happen. You cant nest or stay warm when you don't have place for cover. Enjoy it while you can.

[blindluck]

I was hoping to make a trip to South Dakota some day but it won't be this year with the sound of things. I won't go anywhere in Iowa either. I don't want to waste my time. It'll be game farms again for me. My dogs are only a few years old so I figure it's better for them to see birds rather than not. The way I look at it I'd spend more money in SD than doing the game farm here. Is it hunting? No, but it is a hell of a lot of fun. I love seeing those dogs get birdy.

[Stcloudangler]

Alrighty, down to one week away from a sleepless night... starting to put my list together already HA!

Anything that can keep me occupied... So, what are the first 5 things that are on your packing list?

1. Gun / shells

2. Beer / water

3. Cash

4. Clothes bag

5. Phone charger

Do you know of any apps that would be nice for WIA or other public land that SD puts together?

[rundrave]

if you have dogs, get a map or contact info for local vets close to the area your are staying

and on the topic of dogs don't forget a med kit, and bath supplies for skunk

[Stcloudangler]

Yeah, the place we stay at has a sheet printed on the door with contact for the town vet, and a number for a lady that can get the stink off your pup for only like 25 bucks... We haven't had to call her yet, but that is nice to know!

[newoodhntr]

Go to the SD game and Fish web site you can down load public hunts to your Garmin nuvi or other devices. were leaving Sunday to hunt five days and visit with friends.

http://www.gfp.sd.gov/wildlife/gps/default.asp

[BLACKJACK]

Alrighty, down to one week away from a sleepless night... starting to put my list together already HA!

Anything that can keep me occupied... So, what are the first 5 things that are on your packing list?

1. Gun / shells

2. Beer / water

3. Cash

4. Clothes bag

5. Phone charger

Heres my list, been slowly adding to my piles, going to start packing the truck tonight, brother shows up tomorrow, by this time Sat morning hope to be pulling into Ken's in Aberdeen to get a license. The pheasant population may be down but the beer will be cold, the coffee will be hot, and the cribbage board will get a workout!!

South Dakota list

94.1 FM/913 TV Classic Rock

Hunting

- Gun/shells/spare gun

- Hunting knife

Clothes

- Red coat/hunting vest/red hat

- Two pair hunting pants

- long underwear

- Raincoat

- Stocking cap/neck gaiter/gloves

- Long sleeve shirts/under ware/sweatshirt

- two pair hunting boots/wool socks

Food and utensils

- paper plates/bowls

- paper towels

- plastic silverware

- sandwich bags

- salt and pepper/one pound salt

- coffee/coffee filters

- pizza/chicken/burger/

- stir fry stuff/veggies/rice/noodles/soy/corn starch

- cereal

Misc

- head lamp/spare flashlight

- checkbook *****

- gun oil/rags

- ziplock freezer bags for pheasants

- dry dog food/canned dog food/dog dish

- water buckets/water jugs

- coolly cup

- shaving kit

- cribbage board

- 6 gallon bucket/paper

- Boot dryer/power strip

- thermos

- Ice cream buckets

[Nels]

Just had worst day in the past 10 years of SD pheasant hunting. Webster area. Not much pressure from other hunters. 4 guys, 2 dogs. Zero birds in the first three fields. Last field flushed 3 hens. Temperature was great, mostly sunny. A bit windy. Didn't see any birds while driving around, which is a first for us. Saw lots of ducks, though. Would've been nice to get that waterfowl lottery this year. We'll hunt hard tomorrow, but doubt we'll make a second trip out here after the harvest like we usually do.