doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com South Dakota Birds???

Heading out to beautiful South Dakota around November 26th through December 4th, any reports good or bad about the bird population?
And thanks Kevin for the information but I figured I'd start another thread, Board tradition dictates, I guess??

Here is a link to the SD Game, Fish and Parks website for their 2009 pheasant outlook. I tend to take these forcasts with a grain of salt because particular areas will have more or less birds depending on local conditions.

http://www.sdgfp.info/Wildlife/hunting/Pheasant/Outlook.htm

I'm heading to SD in a couple weeks. Huron is where I'm going. The state propogana says bird populations are down about 20-38% in the Huron area from last yr. They balance that statement by saying it's still among a very high count over the last 10 yrs.

I dunno what to make of their retoric. Last yr was just o.k. in the half dozen or so parcels we hunted scattered over about a 10 mile radius and the state said it was some extreme high count yr. It's never been "bad", but it ain't the same as 20 yrs ago either. Still, I get my limit most days and that's all you can ask. I don't come to kill 3 birds in an hour anyway. Sometimes it takes 2 hrs.. LOL...

I'll post my impressions when I return. Your hunt will have entirely different conditions by that time.

Chuck I'm heading to the 'Walk-in Areas' and 'Game Production' areas in areas around Mitchell and Winner are, the only towns that are close or to be more specific area 48 and 49 in the Hunting Atlas.
How are you going to hunt?
With dogs?
Private land?
How large of a group?

Counts in the Winner, Pierre are supposed to be 8>10% higher than last year and there were LOTS of birds last year( inc sharpies and chickens!. I'll let you know when I return from the opener on the 22nd.

best regards,
JBP

If I'm not mistaken JBP that looks like a round body, am I correct??
Thanks for the pics and the information, still a little unsure about where to go and what areas to hunt. Taking non-toxic shot so I'll be ready for any area.

Are you talking about my portly carriage or the gun !!!
Nah- just kiddin, I wish it was a roundbody, but it's a rather pedestrian 1899 W C Scott ( original 2 3/4" / 1 1/4oz proof) 12 bore.



I like these POW grip guns for extensive walking- they're easier on the wrist than an english grip. I will be taking the Lindner Daly however as back up.



best regards,
JBP

This October I am headed to South Dakota for my first Pheasant hunt. Being a Rookie with this game, I was wondering if I could get some advice. I was thinking about taking by 74 year old Model 21, 12 guage F/M… Any recommendations on shot configuration?

les: Early season birds will likely be a bit slower to flush, meaning closer shots. On the other hand, typical hunting in S.D. is "wide open spaces" and, in my experience, shots presented can be pretty long. Not real helpful, I guess, but I don't know where you'll be hunting. In general, I'd say a pre-war Model 21 will be a great choice, and I don't think you'll regret a Mod/Full choke combination.

My advice, though, is to never go on a hunt like this without a back-up shotgun. Take another, and preferably one with a Skeet and/or IC choke. That way, if the birds are flushing real close, you can switch to your more open-choked gun.

On my first trip to S.D. I took my Dad's 1941 Remington Model 11 Sportsman, which went there with him on many trips in the 50s and 60s. In the middle of nowhere, a half-hour from the nearest anything, I shot at a rooster and the Simmons rib "let go," making the gun unfirable. Fortunately, I had my Superlight along, or I would have been S.O.L.

Have a great trip! Shoot 4s and 6s, take a great dog for the days and some good whisky for the evenings. TT

Treblig,
I'll be hunting private land again. A lot of cornfields (which I don't care for) and some weed and switchgrass fields (my favorite). I'm bringing my Lab. She's recieved most of her training with pheasant and quail being the focus. I believe we had this same conversation last year.

+1 on the backup shotgun. I'd never drive that far without an extra gun. Heck, I don't go local without a backup.

For shot size, I've been happy with #5s the last several yrs for early SoDak pheasant. Sometimes I shoot 6's as well. I haven't shot any 4s since about 20 yrs ago in the early season in SoDak. I hunt mainly with a 20 ga with a 1 oz load.

I've never really figured out if the ditches count as "state" land and require non-tox.