Dec 11-12 Report

[Zimm]

Hunted around Springfield and Lamberton on Saturday. Our group ended up with 17. On Sunday in the wind we got 5 but only hunted the morning. We were around Olivia. All on private land. There are plenty of birds around and found them bunched up in cattails and willow patches. I am waiting for the snow and things will really heat up. Zimm

[gspman]

My pup and I had a great day on Sat. We got 2 old birds with long sharp spurs. Moved about 25 birds total. I didn't go out on Sunday. I'm considering this a training season for my pup so I am doing things by the book. I figured the high wind would make it really hard for her to find and point birds and didn't want to screw up all the good things she learned on Sat. Hopefully I'll get out again before the year is up.

[Dancing Bear]

I got out on Saturday for 3 hrs down by Redwood Falls, tons of Birds on the edges of the catails and right in the willows. Found single roosters in the dry crp spots.We must have flushed over 30 and had our limits down by noon (6). What a blast, I love late season pheasants and plan on spending every xmas vacation moment possible down there blasting away. Thanks to the DNR for extending the season! The swamps were not frozen and I was busting through on the edges, this weather probably changed that now though. My buddy found that the new muskrat house that popped up in his swamp makes a neat new place to fall through, right up to his nards he was done after that one

DB IBOT #68

[Perch Jerker]

I think it's tough to come back from SD WITHOUT a limit of birds! My dad & I came back from 4 days with our possesion limit and getting them was noooo problem. The 14mo old lab got NOTICEABLY better two weeks ago from day 1 to day 3 due to thousands of birds in the fields. She was stellar the last 4 days.

PJ

[DrJ]

PerchJerker,We found it tough going on public land and ditches.Did you have to pay for your birds or do you have some farmer friends.A limit is easy if you pay,but thats not the way we try to go. DrJ.

[Perch Jerker]

We mainly hunted ditches NEXT TO CORN. My father would drop myself & my dog on the down wind end and he would drive up and post every 1/2 mile or so. The shaggier (cattails, brush, etc) the ditch the better. This is what we would do when it was just the two of us.

Thur, Fri, & Sat we hunted with 4 other guys & 2 other dogs at 'their' spot west of Huron. It was large CRP fields (1mile by 1/2mi with no sections/paths cut through it to frame the drives) that the 6 of us had no chance of working properly. We pushed birds around and most flushed 50-60yds ahead of us spilling out every spot there wasn't a poster. They thought it was a great spot, we thought it stunk. Thur-Sat it was $50 a day per hunter property, but dad & I picked up most of our birds on our own when the group would disband for road hunting the last hour of sunlight and we would work ditches. If we had our choice we wouldn't have hunted it Fri & Sat, but stayed out of respect.

On Sun we hunted 'our' spot away from the previous 3 days. It was also a pay per day ($50) but the hunting spots were 50-100ft wide sorgum strips adjacent to cut corn, ditches through corn fields with 5 rows of sorgum framing the ditch, and cattail sloughs. It also has 2 large prariedog towns on the place as well as plenty of deer (we saw 8 on Sun, 4WT & 4MD). Next year were bringing the .223 & .220 Swift for the dogs and each applying for a deer Lic. And yes, its our secret spot . I don't mind paying (no more than $50) IF it's worth it. Pretend they are $17 game farm birds that are better flyers and saves you a buck for the 3 of them. Remember, if you want meat - it's a lot cheaper at Cub Foods.

Just hunting ditches upwind next to corn will easily fill your game-bag. We've never been stopped or questioned doing this even when the dog 'explores' over the fence a few feet. The farmers don't care, just don't shoot toward their house or within 660ft of occupied buildings or livestock. They realize hunters $$ is the main 'tourist' income for the area. The hotels, restraunts, and bars have to survive too.

PJ

[mwal]

PerchJerker,

Was out in SD couple weeks ago. We had good luck on CRP. Watch the news for next year as the locals told us a judge ruled in favor of ending ditch hunting. This could be a huge issue in the future for the way you are hunting ditches. It wouldn't be a good trip if you couldn't of hunted ditches. The locals are worried about the drop in license sales and hunters spending money in the towns etc. Hopefully the State can get it appealed.

Mwal

[DrJ]

Perch Jerker, Thanks for the report.I was out by Chamberlian with my 15 year old son.We asked at 4 places and the going rate was $150/per gun and it was to much for the 2 of us.I guess keep knocking until someone isn't so spendy. Oh well off to LOW we go. Good Fishing DrJ.

[Mille Lacs Guy]

We had no trouble getting our birds on all public land near Mobridge a couple weeks ago. I don't understand why people think they have to pay to hunt SD. We hunted for 5 days and hardly ran into another hunter. We hunted public spots that we flushed 100s of birds out of. A lot flushed wild but enough held close enough to get them. Get a good map and do some exploring and you will find birds. They may be spooky but they are there.

[Perch Jerker]

First,

Most hunters want to hunt just over the border into SD hence the 'public birds' are skittish as heck and mostly hens with roosters few and smart enough to elude all previous hunters.

Secondly,

If they ACTUALLY outlaw ditch hunting, I'll have to get a ticket before I'll stop them and then weigh the cost compared to 'pay land'. Example- 8 days of ditch hunting in SD and 1 ticket costing $80 is $10 a day per gun. Also, pleading ignorance will probably get you off the hook most of the time. Call me an A-Hole, but they set the rules to decrease income for the locals in the fall - not me.

Personally I think it's a stupid move. Look at any local hotel/diner/bar in rural SD and you'll see SUV/trucks lineing the street, go inside and you'll think it's a blaze orange festival. If they effectively eliminate road hunting, the tourist/service industries WILL suffer.

Ever see a rural hotel/motel that does not allow dogs? They know who butters their bread.

PJ

[LABS4ME]

PJ... the problem you may run into (I'd watch the regs closely over the next year) is that it may become a trespass issue. Ignorance will NOT work with trespass in SoDak. Unfortunatley besides a fine it includes loss of hunting privleges for 1 year. I know the new law stinks, but I hate to see you get in hot water and lose your hunting privledges. The law is not set in stone yet, maybe it will be in place in some form, maybe it will be appealed, I don't know... I know our non-resident voices WILL NOT be heard (ie: NoDak with their anti non-res regulations), maybe a call or e-mail to their Gov. explaining your side may have some bearing....

Good Luck!

Ken