I just got the chance to do a late season hunt in South Dakota. A friend and myself with his 2 shorthairs. We had a great time hunting public land and a few private lands. We shot 20 birds in 4 days, the dogs did great, we didn't do too bad ourselves. There was no snow but we did have a few cold days. The bird #s were down but there are still birds to be had. View attachment 46436 View attachment 46437 View attachment 46438 View attachment 46439 View attachment 46440
It was a great trip.Good dogs,and good hunting,and it didn"t cost 3000 a day. I hope to go again next year. So back to work,time to hang up the shotgun and get ready to start fishing. I hope you all have good hunting, and tight lines.
My brother-in-law and I have been pondering a trip to S.D and are wondering if it is relatively easy to put together a trip hunting public land, and if the locals welcome 'door knockers'? Relative to WA...I find this State tougher to get permission than it was in Michigan. Thanks for sharing! Andrew
Public land is allways easy but door knocking in South Dakota not so easy. They wont money or there land is leased out to a lodge. Late season bird hunting most people are more likely to let you hunt. Out of probubly 8 farms 3 let us hunt. It never hurts to have a game plan before you get there. Do your reserch on lands that are public in case door knocking doesnt work. Hope this helps. Good luck. BOB
Your right Jim. I was just thinking when I get back from Alaska ill still be able to hunt the res. I hope all is well with you and yours. Sounds like the pup is doing great.
It is nice to hunt SD on your own. Most guided hunts (that I have been on) there are big drives through milo or corn, with birds popping up everywhere. It is really shooting instead of hunting. I hunt the Choteau area of Montana each year. We hunt private land, and most of it is $75 or $100 per day per gun. That gives you access to some really good land and the 8 of us who hunt together always bring our possession limits home (and also get a couple days floating the Missouri when the Baetis are hatching!). I like central Montana because it is a relatively easy one day drive from Puget Sound. Contact the local granges or chamber of commerce to get leads on places to hunt. Rick
I've never hunted South Dakota but it sounds like you had a great hunt. I have several friends who have done the guided hunts where the birds are driven as Rick described. They shot their limits and were finished by 8 or 9 AM at the latest! Like Rick, I'm lucky to have access to private land in Montana where we hunt all day with great dogs and usually get our limits. (I say usually, because I always miss a few birds...... its part of bird education program that I've been working on since I started hunting. It guarantees that a bunch of roosters will survive till the following year.)
Well put Steve we all miss birds. The driven hunts arent for me but i would do it for the hell of it. sounds like I need to hunt Montana.
my great/great grandfather bought several hundred acres near Miller SD from the Federal Government in the 1800's.. my Dad sold it before he passed away, my family leased out that land forover 100 yrs....wish we still owned it... the only problem with "limiting out" in SD at 9am is there isn't much to do until tomorrow.
When I've hunted SD, you can't start hunting for pheasants until 12 noon (11 am in the western part of the state.) So we hunted sharpies in the morning and if we limited with daylight left (I don't like drives so we hunted with dogs and just shot birds over point so it took longer for our limit) we would go to a prairie dog town and shoot those guys! Rick
I also hunt in miller (the friend I have there probely knew your grandpa) also the first 2 weeks is hunt after 12 then goes to 10am.. I think that is to keep people in the bars longer. If you ever get a chance to go to sd do so no better place to hunt pheasant.
I am hoping to do just that next fall. In fact will take along the 1931 Winchester model 12 16 gauge that my great grandfather , grandfather and father all hunted with around Mitchell and Parkston SD before WWII.
