South Dakota questions

I know these questions have been asked on here alot–but I am gonna ask them again. I plan on heading out to SD this year to chase some pheasants, cause from where I am located they are few and far between, not saying I aint gonna hunt them around here in NE Iowa, I just want to experience a hunt in SD that I hear everyone talk about. I had to sacrafice alot to get this hunt–and by sacrafice I mean spending the new years weekend with my inlaws at a water park near chicago to celebrate christmas thank goodness for beer, college football and swim-up bars. My wife is feeling kinda sorry for me cause we have had a long standing tradition of getting together over the new year with friends that we rarely see anymore, so she finally gave into my begging and daily nagging to go. So now down to the nitty gritty.
When will be the best time to go? I know the harvest is going to be really late around here, but are they getting all of the moisture out there to put farmers behind schedule? I will make it work at any time, I really want to go.
Where is the best place to go? I am not asking for anyones honey holes, just an area with alot of public access. I am not afraid to work for my birds.
Also if someone could recommend a place to go for a pay type hunt, that would not be out of the question, don’t need any dogs or guides, just land to hunt on for a fairly reasonable price. Also if anyone wants to possibly trade hunts we could maybe work something out. I got a lock on some pretty sweet turkey hunting ground.
Thanks,
Jeff

The crops haven’t even started to come out where I go in the north central part of the state. I would try going the first or second weekend in November, I just wouldn’t go during their deer season (that may be the second weekend in November not sure though). Otherwise early December should be a good time also, my second trip out there is over new years typically. Call the SD fish and game and they will mail you an atlas of the hunting areas. I’ve hunted public around Aberdeen and found that it was best to drive about an hour or so away from the city to get into better public land, anything close and it was pounded pretty hard. Later in the season I don’t even mess around with the light cover I head straight for the thick stuff like cattails.

Not sure on conditions but I will be out there next weekend and post report when I get back. I have only hunted one place in SD and that is private land that the in laws have, so not much info to share. Their deer season I believe runs November 14 – Nov.29. You always hear good things about Aberdeen and Mitchell for birds, but many other places have just as many with out the pressure. Good Luck and let us know how you do!

I am heading up next weekend to the home place. My folks have a couple of farms up there and we typically hunt them just a couple of times a year. The crops are not out, and the harvest is really slow with all of the moisture they have had. I will post some pictures when I get back.