3 days in South Dakota

[Birddog23]

Sure we all go to see if we can get some birds, not doubt about it.

But for a non-resident, which I am now, but grew up in SD, this guy spent 3 days pheasant hunting and expected to see tornadoes of birds on public land that has been hunted hard for the past few weeks?

So many different variables go into how birds are going to act.

We went on Pheasant Opener and got 15 birds, should have had 20 birds easily. It was 52 degrees.
The next 2 days it was 70 degrees, way too warm, and we just did not see the birds like the first day. But a big
part of this was there was still lots and lots of corn in and also soybean fields holding birds.

I'm the same way, attitudes are up when seeing birds, but seem to trend downward when not seeing many birds.

But, that's how it goes!

While I can't argue with your last sentence, the rush of the flush and "warming the ol' gun barrel" is a big part of it. If you want to sit back and be theological, go ahead but there is a reason its called hunting and not sunset watching.

I can only hope that one day, it will be close to the first year I ever hunted out there, 2010. (which wasn't even the best)

[BRITTMAN]

Some SoDakers are getting a little defensive ? The guys is simply disappointed.

Of course there are birds in SoDak and most are still wild (well the stats say that around 75% of your reported rooster harvest is wild birds) ...

I for one cannot imagine visiting SoDak to pay $150 - $200/day trespass fee (I usually have one or two of my kids with me), hunt overcrowded public land or worse, hunting road ditches. Quiet ditches and old section lines are great places - but would not be the sole place hunted if it was me. The best part of SD pheasant hunting is that it draws a lot of MN hunters away from their own "backyard". From my perspective (maybe goggles or blinders on) ... South Dakota is over saturated with nonresident hunters. Wouldn't it benefit most resident and nonresident hunters alike for the number to drop from say 80K to maybe 60K or less ??

In most years, Minnesota pheasant hunting is good enough that with a little work you can achieve limits or at least shots at a limit of birds for a few hunters - each and every time out. Group of 6 - 8 or 10 ... maybe on private land, but not likely on MN public land.

[sleepwalker]

I'm heading to Aberdeen on Thursday for a hunt. I am a non-resident from Miami, Florida. I would suggest doubling the non-resident hunting license fees to help fund better habitat, etc. While I'll be hunting on private land with a preserve license, I think that the price could stand to be a bit higher if it would result in more habitat. I can't wait for our trip. This will be my 3rd time at this location and I know how lucky I am to have the chance to hunt it. I'll post some pics if we manage to get a few. Love this forum. thx.

[Birddog23]

I can tell you one thing. Minnesota does not compare to SD.

I hunt Western MN 2-3 times each year on public land. It's tough hunting and typically I'm pretty happy if I come home with 1-2 birds for the day. Hunted all day in MN about 4 weeks ago, was able to walk through cattails because it had been so cold and we did not get a bird and we hunted hard. And I have a pretty good dog!

SD? I expect to come home with birds every time I go. Sometimes it's just not as many as the last time, and so forth.

Some SoDakers are getting a little defensive ? The guys is simply disappointed.

Of course there are birds in SoDak and most are still wild (well the stats say that around 75% of your reported rooster harvest is wild birds) ...

I for one cannot imagine visiting SoDak to pay $150 - $200/day trespass fee (I usually have one or two of my kids with me), hunt overcrowded public land or worse, hunting road ditches. Quiet ditches and old section lines are great places - but would not be the sole place hunted if it was me. The best part of SD pheasant hunting is that it draws a lot of MN hunters away from their own "backyard". From my perspective (maybe goggles or blinders on) ... South Dakota is over saturated with nonresident hunters. Wouldn't it benefit most resident and nonresident hunters alike for the number to drop from say 80K to maybe 60K or less ??

In most years, Minnesota pheasant hunting is good enough that with a little work you can achieve limits or at least shots at a limit of birds for a few hunters - each and every time out. Group of 6 - 8 or 10 ... maybe on private land, but not likely on MN public land.

[jackrabbit]

I can tell you one thing. Minnesota does not compare to SD.

Being a Minnesota resident, the pheasant hunting is good but not great. But just like SD it is hit or miss each day. I have a young family and it is getting tough to get out for me. My hunting consists of 2 SD trips each year that are roughly 3 days long, and 2 hours per week on public land near home. I usually get the, "you have 2 hours from now to be back home when the kids wake up from an afternoon nap," so my trips are close to home and quick. I often consider it a success if we flush several hens, and a bonus if we bag a rooster. There's just something about SD, and the excitement and expectations that at any time a bird will flush. When walking in Minnesota, it's more of a how much longer do I need to go before I flush one.

All that said, Minnesota is still a pretty good place to hunt and I feel blessed to have the opportunities I have near home.

[Birddog23]

There are a lot of really good public hunting areas in Minnesota. I hunted one a few weeks ago that I made sure that I marked on my GPS because it was an excellent spot. Just gotta go west towards you know where(South Dakota) to have a chance at seeing more birds.

Being a Minnesota resident, the pheasant hunting is good but not great. But just like SD it is hit or miss each day. I have a young family and it is getting tough to get out for me. My hunting consists of 2 SD trips each year that are roughly 3 days long, and 2 hours per week on public land near home. I usually get the, "you have 2 hours from now to be back home when the kids wake up from an afternoon nap," so my trips are close to home and quick. I often consider it a success if we flush several hens, and a bonus if we bag a rooster. There's just something about SD, and the excitement and expectations that at any time a bird will flush. When walking in Minnesota, it's more of a how much longer do I need to go before I flush one.

All that said, Minnesota is still a pretty good place to hunt and I feel blessed to have the opportunities I have near home.

[James O]

Things have changed for me as I got older.When I was younger pheasant hunting had to be close to big towns with all the bars and strip clubs etc.
Road hunting etc.,no dogs ,getting away from wife for a couple of days.Now I have dogs and I am more interested in less hunting pressure
Than outside activities.Close to big town much more hunting pressure.
This year I went to North Dakota for that reason.After opener
You hardly see another hunter,but less birds.I did not get my limit every day.I did have great time watching dogs work could have limited most days
If I've shot better ,that seems less import to me know.I was a better shot
when I was younger.I feel bad for locals in a South Dakota that have to put
Up with hunting pressure today.A lot of hunters today are looking for limits as fast as they can get them without the work.

[Downtown Bang!]

The planted birds thing is way overblown. Yes the SDGFP says 264,000 of the total 829,000 roosters harvested in 2017 were released birds. Thing is those released birds were shot on 227 preserves averaging 972 acres in size for a total land mass of 221,000 acres.

If you are hunting on a preserve in SD the odds a pheasant harvested in 2017 being pen raised bird was roughly 93%. If however you hunted on the 1.2M acres of Walk-in or 295,00 acres of Game Production Area or 150,000 acres of Waterfowl Production Areas in SD etc. etc. the odds of shooting a pen raised bird are so low it isn't worth calculating.

If you are hunting on private land for a trespass fee that doesn't hold a preserve license then buyer beware I guess but still think the odds pretty low. Hunting private land with no trespass fee see public land estimate above.

Plenty of opportunity to hunt wild roosters in good numbers all over the state of SD. Have hunted wild birds in MN, WI, ND & KS. None of them really compare. Will try NE next week but suspect the real benefit to giving that a go will be the chance to run into a few covey's of quail and a December hunt with no snow & no cattail busting.......

[BRITTMAN]

We must be hunting different parts of the state (MN) because every time I go out "west" ... I/we usually spend more time driving there and back than actually hunting (limited and done too early) ... unfortunately rarely stay overnight. If by myself I will not shoot two birds on a single walk.

SD is certainly far superior in bird numbers, but I have found for small groups and solo hunters ... MN is more than fine most years. If you have access to private land (I do once or twice every five years or so - through common friends - connections) in core MN pheasant range ... the hunting can be absolutely fantastic. I have not knocked on doors because I do not have to. I would love to spend two weeks straight in that part of MN and learn more spots and knock on a few doors to see if access is available.

In the past 10 years I have only traveled to Western MN once and NOT shot birds. That was last year and I wrote about it on here. On solo hunts I average about 1.8 birds per trip over the past 4 - 5 years.

[BRITTMAN]

The planted birds thing is way overblown. Yes the SDGFP says 264,000 of the total 829,000 roosters harvested in 2017 were released birds. Thing is those released birds were shot on 227 preserves averaging 972 acres in size for a total land mass of 221,000 acres.

If you are hunting on a preserve in SD the odds a pheasant harvested in 2017 being pen raised bird was roughly 93%. If however you hunted on the 1.2M acres of Walk-in or 295,00 acres of Game Production Area or 150,000 acres of Waterfowl Production Areas in SD etc. etc. the odds of shooting a pen raised bird are so low it isn't worth calculating.

If you are hunting on private land for a trespass fee that doesn't hold a preserve license then buyer beware I guess but still think the odds pretty low. Hunting private land with no trespass fee see public land estimate above.

Plenty of opportunity to hunt wild roosters in good numbers all over the state of SD. Have hunted wild birds in MN, WI, ND & KS. None of them really compare. Will try NE next week but suspect the real benefit to giving that a go will be the chance to run into a few covey's of quail and a December hunt with no snow & no cattail busting.......

Agree most hunters never see a released bird hunting in SD.

The issue I would have is if SD issues hunter success (birds harvested per hunter) based on preserve data inclusion. That and I guess buyer beware, but then again those that frequent high end guided operations likely do not frequent this site and most likely could care less where the pheasant was born and raised. Their motto is often "let's limit early so we can get back to the lodge".