South Dakota

Anyone planning a trip to South Dakota this year?

YEP!

Two of them. One opening weekend to the Hoven area and the other I’m not sure.

YEP!

Two of them. One opening weekend to the Hoven area and the other I’m not sure.

Yup…Miller area again…my future brother in-law lives near there and said birds are everywhere….cant wait

Yup…Miller area again…my future brother in-law lives near there and said birds are everywhere….cant wait

Be heading to the Rooster Roost Ranch again in the Mitchell area. Nothing better than chasing flying chickens!

Anyone just road hunt over there? I think it is legal to shoot across roads, carry a loaded gun, shoot across fence lines and I think you can ditch hunt???

That would be a fun (minus driving around w/ a loaded gun) time with a couple buddies after walk your off for 3 days.

Be heading to the Rooster Roost Ranch again in the Mitchell area. Nothing better than chasing flying chickens!

Anyone just road hunt over there? I think it is legal to shoot across roads, carry a loaded gun, shoot across fence lines and I think you can ditch hunt???

That would be a fun (minus driving around w/ a loaded gun) time with a couple buddies after walk your off for 3 days.

Colk…you can hunt ditches…thats 80% what we do in the Miller area and have done so for the past 8 years. I think last year was the first year you could legally shoot over the fences if the birds got up in the DITCH…prior to that their was an imaginary line above the fence you couldnt shoot past..and you can have the gun full of shells, uncased, just not one in the chamber, and if your from South Dakota I think its legal to have an open 12 pack of beer between the front seats drinkin away as you hunt …The last half hour of legal shooting all the locals come out and pick up their limit easily road huntin as the birds start movin from feedin areas….Got love that state.

Colk…you can hunt ditches…thats 80% what we do in the Miller area and have done so for the past 8 years. I think last year was the first year you could legally shoot over the fences if the birds got up in the DITCH…prior to that their was an imaginary line above the fence you couldnt shoot past..and you can have the gun full of shells, uncased, just not one in the chamber, and if your from South Dakota I think its legal to have an open 12 pack of beer between the front seats drinkin away as you hunt …The last half hour of legal shooting all the locals come out and pick up their limit easily road huntin as the birds start movin from feedin areas….Got love that state.

We road hunt as well. Most of the time we don’t get into the driving and hunting, we walk ditches right away, and if we don’t have our birds by 1 hour before closing time we start driving around and pick up whatever birds we need. Wish we could hunt some of the land out there, but don’t have the $$$$.

We road hunt as well. Most of the time we don’t get into the driving and hunting, we walk ditches right away, and if we don’t have our birds by 1 hour before closing time we start driving around and pick up whatever birds we need. Wish we could hunt some of the land out there, but don’t have the $$$$.

Yep, the opener in Kimball/Platte area. Sounds like another great year Then again for the East River Deer Opener

Yep, the opener in Kimball/Platte area. Sounds like another great year Then again for the East River Deer Opener

I will be heading to my parents place in the Pierre area over Halloween and Christmas, I can’t wait. I was just out there labor day and the birds are everywhere. It is tough driving without hitting any in the mornings. I will be hunting with a friend of ours known as Deputy Dan, who by the way just bought Carl’s Bait Shop in Ft Pierre. Make sure you stop in and say hi! DNR put out a report stating this will be one of the best years in HISTORY and comparing it to the 1950’s and 60’s. Here is the full report.

Pheasant Counts Up
PIERRE, S.D.— Pheasant survey routes indicate that hunters who take the fields in 2007 will be greeted by one of the largest pheasant populations in South Dakota history.

Brood count surveys by the S.D. Game, Fish and Parks Department project pheasant numbers the likes of which has not been seen since the Soil Bank years of the 1950s and ’60s. The pheasant population index was at a 40-year high in 2005 and the 2007 index tops that historic mark. Overall statewide numbers for 2007 are 23% higher than the 2006 counts and 18% higher than the 2005 mark.

Having abundant secure nesting habitat for pheasants that CRP provides was an important factor in 2007. That CRP habitat, coupled with favorable weather conditions in June, resulted in the highest pheasant count on record since 1963. Survey results show that the number of broods observed on routes increased by 15 percent and the average number of pheasant chicks in those broods increased by 11 percent. The average brood size in 2007 was 6.71 chicks per brood.

A somewhat sobering fact that detracts from the good news on pheasant numbers is the prospect that South Dakota will be losing some of that all-important habitat.

“At the very time South Dakota is enjoying historic gains in its pheasant population the state is set to lose a good portion of its valuable CRP habitat,” said GFP Wildlife Division Director Doug Hansen.

The brood survey is conducted on 110 30-mile routes in South Dakota where pheasants are found in sufficient numbers to count. The survey results in a pheasant-per-mile index that can be used to forecast an area’s relative population density. In addition to being up over 2006, the 7.85 pheasants per mile average is 67 percent higher than the 10-year average of 4.71.

Locally, the counts indicated that most all areas of the state followed the statewide trend. Local increases were most impressive in those parts of central SD that experienced drought-induced pheasant declines in 2006. Although increases were less dramatic in the rest of the state’s main pheasant range, seven of 12 local area pheasant per mile estimates are the highest ever recorded. All 12 are well above the average of counts for the past 10 years.

One of the few down notes in the survey was a slight decrease in the areas surveyed in extreme western South Dakota. However, that area’s PPM index was close to its 10-year average.

“All signs point toward a terrific pheasant hunting season,” Hansen said. “However, high counts don’t automatically translate into hunter success. The best bet is to scout the area where you’re going to hunt and to visit with landowners because localized conditions can cause pheasant populations to fluctuate.”

The scouting of hunting areas isn’t the only action that needs to be taken. “Anyone interested in South Dakota maintaining its world-class pheasant population needs to get involved in the process of convincing Congress that programs like CRP are vital for the conservation of all kinds of wildlife.”

The 2007 pheasant season starts at noon on Oct. 20 with a statewide youth season Oct. 6-8 and a resident-only season on public lands Oct. 13-16.

I will be heading to my parents place in the Pierre area over Halloween and Christmas, I can’t wait. I was just out there labor day and the birds are everywhere. It is tough driving without hitting any in the mornings. I will be hunting with a friend of ours known as Deputy Dan, who by the way just bought Carl’s Bait Shop in Ft Pierre. Make sure you stop in and say hi! DNR put out a report stating this will be one of the best years in HISTORY and comparing it to the 1950’s and 60’s. Here is the full report.

Pheasant Counts Up
PIERRE, S.D.— Pheasant survey routes indicate that hunters who take the fields in 2007 will be greeted by one of the largest pheasant populations in South Dakota history.

Brood count surveys by the S.D. Game, Fish and Parks Department project pheasant numbers the likes of which has not been seen since the Soil Bank years of the 1950s and ’60s. The pheasant population index was at a 40-year high in 2005 and the 2007 index tops that historic mark. Overall statewide numbers for 2007 are 23% higher than the 2006 counts and 18% higher than the 2005 mark.

Having abundant secure nesting habitat for pheasants that CRP provides was an important factor in 2007. That CRP habitat, coupled with favorable weather conditions in June, resulted in the highest pheasant count on record since 1963. Survey results show that the number of broods observed on routes increased by 15 percent and the average number of pheasant chicks in those broods increased by 11 percent. The average brood size in 2007 was 6.71 chicks per brood.

A somewhat sobering fact that detracts from the good news on pheasant numbers is the prospect that South Dakota will be losing some of that all-important habitat.

“At the very time South Dakota is enjoying historic gains in its pheasant population the state is set to lose a good portion of its valuable CRP habitat,” said GFP Wildlife Division Director Doug Hansen.

The brood survey is conducted on 110 30-mile routes in South Dakota where pheasants are found in sufficient numbers to count. The survey results in a pheasant-per-mile index that can be used to forecast an area’s relative population density. In addition to being up over 2006, the 7.85 pheasants per mile average is 67 percent higher than the 10-year average of 4.71.

Locally, the counts indicated that most all areas of the state followed the statewide trend. Local increases were most impressive in those parts of central SD that experienced drought-induced pheasant declines in 2006. Although increases were less dramatic in the rest of the state’s main pheasant range, seven of 12 local area pheasant per mile estimates are the highest ever recorded. All 12 are well above the average of counts for the past 10 years.

One of the few down notes in the survey was a slight decrease in the areas surveyed in extreme western South Dakota. However, that area’s PPM index was close to its 10-year average.

“All signs point toward a terrific pheasant hunting season,” Hansen said. “However, high counts don’t automatically translate into hunter success. The best bet is to scout the area where you’re going to hunt and to visit with landowners because localized conditions can cause pheasant populations to fluctuate.”

The scouting of hunting areas isn’t the only action that needs to be taken. “Anyone interested in South Dakota maintaining its world-class pheasant population needs to get involved in the process of convincing Congress that programs like CRP are vital for the conservation of all kinds of wildlife.”

The 2007 pheasant season starts at noon on Oct. 20 with a statewide youth season Oct. 6-8 and a resident-only season on public lands Oct. 13-16.

Resident only season. Nice touch. Real Classy. I sure hope neigboring states dont adhere to that assinine policy.

Resident only season. Nice touch. Real Classy. I sure hope neigboring states dont adhere to that assinine policy.

ipswich oct.24th to oct.30th (after all the rookies have gone home) you’d be surprised how many farmers will let you hunt after there “paying” customers have gone home

ipswich oct.24th to oct.30th (after all the rookies have gone home) you’d be surprised how many farmers will let you hunt after there “paying” customers have gone home

You might want to get your facts straight first Mike. If not, I’ll send some of my boys to the east side to take care of your It’s 3 days only, on public ground only for residents. Believe me, they aren’t hurting the pheasant population by allowing the locals who pay taxes all year long a small headstart on us non-residents.

You Minnesotans crack me up, about like the packer fans….

You might want to get your facts straight first Mike. If not, I’ll send some of my boys to the east side to take care of your It’s 3 days only, on public ground only for residents. Believe me, they aren’t hurting the pheasant population by allowing the locals who pay taxes all year long a small headstart on us non-residents.

You Minnesotans crack me up, about like the packer fans….

Have to agree with Kooty.
North Dakota gives residents a head start too.

Have to agree with Kooty.
North Dakota gives residents a head start too.

SD here we come October 26-28!

Rufus, the Mrs. & I

SD here we come October 26-28!

Rufus, the Mrs. & I

Rob,
when you going to be passing through ipswich, i’l be there 25-29, i can leave you a cold one along the highway by the gas pipes at 355th ave (three roads west of ipswich) good luck

Rob,
when you going to be passing through ipswich, i’l be there 25-29, i can leave you a cold one along the highway by the gas pipes at 355th ave (three roads west of ipswich) good luck

Not sure If I will be hunting Aberdeen on Friday or just heading straight to Hoven late Friday. Good Luck Slack!

Not sure If I will be hunting Aberdeen on Friday or just heading straight to Hoven late Friday. Good Luck Slack!

Leaving for Hoven the day after Thanksgiving for 5 days always do very well!!!!!!!!