So. Dakota Pheasant

didn't see one post this fall about SD. Did anyone go? We were suppose to go to a bed and breakfast place and then you could have 2200 acres on the farm to hunt. The farmer let us know that because of the drought they have grazed or mowed most of the normal cover. We cancelled and he had no problems with that.

We went the week after Thanksgiving like always,had a hard time finding birds.Like said before lots of cover was cut because of the drought.I think we had 25 or 26 roosters in four days three guys hunted,that's the worst we have ever done.One guy had a terrible shooting trip though.I will go next year but the friend that had the shooting slump said he is done with SD.He wants to just go to shooting preserves. I do not under stand that thinking, that's just not the same thing

Went opening weekend this year to mitchell.. We hadd 2 labs and 6 guys..ended up with 21 birds in 4 days.. This is the second year we have went.. we hunt all public hunting grounds..I would go again..

3 of us and 2 german shorthairs went the 2nd week of November. Northern Coddington County. Hunted several nice looking public areas....nothing. NOTHING !! Hunted on the property we stayed at (planted birds) and got shooting. Public land is way over rated. At least in the northeast part it is. Won't waste my time and money to go back until the bird populations come back. I can spend that kind of money close to home at local game farms.

Just got back from a 3 day hunt in central South Dakota. Cold temps, single digits to low teens, 3-6" of snow and hundreds of birds. The birds were bunched up in the shelter belts and cattails, lots of areas with no birds, however, when you found them it was "game on" tunes

Went in Oct as I do every year.....best hunt I have ever had out there. 150-300 birds flushed every day.

Griff, Went out there twice. Late October and after Christmas. The drought did have negative impact on pheasant population. In October we found numerous abandoned nests with rotten eggs. We hunted property managed for pheasants one day and the guide refused to take money based on the poor pheasant population. Certainly had to work hard for the birds. The ditches were all cut so not much there either for late season. Cattail swamps were dry but provided good cover, albeit tough hunting. Here is a pic of hunt last week on public land