South Dakota pheasant hunt

My son and I are going to South Dakota pheasant hunting. We are not going to do the guided thing. We are looking for any tips on our trip. We are going to stay in a motel and hunt public land. Anybody got any advice for us. Thinking the Aberdeen area. anybody got any tip for that area?

Sand Lake Wildlife Refuge is near there I think and it’s not open for public pheasant hunting until deer gun season is open. So it will not receive pressure until November. I don’t know when you plan to go but that would be an area to try.

I’d avoid the first week of the season. It will be a zoo.

There’s generally less hunters as the season progresses and their season goes all the way through January. That’s when I’d go if the weather allowed it.

I should of stated first week in November

I wish there were more secret tips for pheasants, but there’s not. Hunt around corn fields, find good cover within a mile of them. You can drive and scout in the mornings, looking for birds out and spots to hit at 10. If your trip is longer, hunt in the AM, then knock off for a big lunch or scout some more. This will give the dog a rest. If it’s shorter then you can hunt all day. The last 2 hours of the day are best, so make sure to line up a spot for them. Some people say to hunt far away from towns, but once I found my best spot really close to a good size town. If it’s really cold hunt cattails and shelter belts. If it’s warmer hunt crp grass.