S.D. pheasant hunting

Ellis Kinney · Nov 5, 2013

I try to go to S.D. every year to hunt. A get away for my son and myself. 10 years ago the pheasants were plentifull and it was easy to limit out. This year I hunted for 3 days and shot 2 birds. Also, in the last 10 years the out of state hunting lisences have gone up about $30.00. We hunt near a little town called Turton, about half way between Aberdeen and Watertown. Included is a picture me, my dog Duncan and a Browing auto 16 gauge. Had a great time. Ellis

Jahaze · Nov 5, 2013

There's nothing better than spending a few days in the field. I'm heading out over Thanksgiving hunting near Letcher, SD. I'm really looking forward to it.

Greg K · Nov 5, 2013

That's a good idea for a trip. I live a few hours south of there with a worse story of pheasant population. I believe it has quite a bit to do with the roundup ready crops. In the old days of cultivaters there was still plenty of grass and weeds missed in the corn rows that gave bugs and grasshoppers a place to live. These were food for pheasants, now there is no grass or anything else and the insect resistance grown into the corn makes it worse yet. Combine that with fields that are 160 acres or more without any fence rows for winter cover and the lack of small grains being grown in the area, it is a recipe for no birds. Understand I'm not blaming the farmers for trying to make the best living the easiest way possible, I'm just stating what I believe to be some root causes of the bird decline. But I could be wrong too.

Fergienewbee · Nov 5, 2013

Greg K;

I agree completely. Chicks need protein and that is insects. My little food plot had lots of crab grass that produced seeds. I believe game bird declines are due to lack of habitat, herbicides and pesticides. not condemnation just facts.

Larry

Spook · Nov 5, 2013

I have read that a lot of land came out of crp because of the high corn prices. Money has a very strong allure.

Christopher Susie · Nov 5, 2013

Flew some powerline patrol in SW ND about a month ago. everyone has been talking about the decline of pheasant population but seen them running EVERYWHERE in 10"s and 20"s in about a 50 mile stretch between Carson ND and Hettinger. Especially in isolated fields far off the roadways and in CRP cover. Stuck out plain as day on top of the snow. Lots of Coyotes though too.

Anonymous-0 · Nov 5, 2013

Mother nature had something to do with the decline in pheasant numbers this year. Pretty much the same habitat around here as there has been for the last 5 years. Bird have been plentiful the last several years. This year they are not. Something wasn't right during the hatch. Don't know if it was to hot or to cold or to dry or to wet or not the right bugs for the little ones to live on. Just not many pheasants around here. I am 50 miles west of Pierre.

gene bender · Nov 5, 2013

Never forget wet conditions when they are small and drown also when its extra dry no moisture on plants for moisture.

RayP(MI) · Nov 5, 2013

Boy, do I envy those hunting conditions. I haven't seen a pheasant around here for years. Used to be I could go out on the back porch, cackle once or twice, and have a rooster answer me. At least there were a few around. No more - thanks to coyotes, and foxes before them. There's plenty of wasteland where they could thrive, but they're all gone.

casenut1 · Nov 5, 2013

Thought i was wrong once. But i was mistaken.

Fullers Farmalls · Nov 5, 2013

I wish I could take my dog there for a week. Pheasant is up there with deer to me when it comes to hunting. I have only gone out three times this year. This was my first trip. S.W. Pa isn"t known for the best bird hunting but the state stocks some birds and I love to hunt them. So does my dog.

dej(Jed) · Nov 6, 2013

(quoted from post at 17:56:06 11/05/13) There's nothing better than spending a few days in the field. I'm heading out over Thanksgiving hunting near Letcher, SD. I'm really looking forward to it.

Her in Pa., when I was a kid back in the late 60's/ early 70's, we had a ton of birds and rabbits also. Now a days you can scarsely find a rabbit and you never see a bird, other than a preserve bird that escaped. Fence rows didn't really change that much. But what is going on is that the birds of prey numbers went up because of their protected status. I can remember seeing hawks and even owls killing both pheasants and rabbits. The other thing that happened is that furs became worthless , so guys quit trapping and hunting raccons and fox. So now their numbers are sky high. Also how come they are removing wolfs from Federal protection, but not predatory birds. They take a heck of a lot of rabbits and we won't even mention peasants, because we just don't have them anymore. Add coyotes to the mix and it isn't hard to understand why we have no birds and only a few rabbits. Also I have hunted deer near Ogallala NE and I never see pheasants there.

oldtanker · Nov 6, 2013

OK This is from the DNR. In areas like SD where you can have heavy snowfall. The Pheasants will borrow under the snow looking for food. Then if still in deep snow can't get out because the can't get turned around in the "tunnel" that they made. Which explains heavy winter kill of the birds.

Rick

dej(Jed) · Nov 6, 2013

(quoted from post at 06:35:34 11/06/13) OK This is from the DNR. In areas like SD where you can have heavy snowfall. The Pheasants will borrow under the snow looking for food. Then if still in deep snow can't get out because the can't get turned around in the "tunnel" that they made. Which explains heavy winter kill of the birds.

Rick

SD has had no problem with bird populations until recently, so what changed recently. It has been snowing out there for years. Also they have been spraying crops for years. GLOBAL WARMING:? LOL

GordoSD · Nov 6, 2013

I live about 10 miles from Letcher. Bird population is WAY DOWN in that area. Better check with you host to see if they have birds. Otherwise book a preserve hunt.

brian(MN) · Nov 6, 2013

I farm next to about 500 acres of grass/ DNR land. Over the last years pheasant numbers have been increasing, many birds survived last winter. This summer I saw one family of chicks, during harvest I saw no pheasants. There does seem to be more coons and deer, more eagles, coyotes, and hawks too. Farming practices have not changed here recently, so I don't know how the farmer can be blamed, but I am sure some will think this is the farmer's fault.
Brian (MN)

David G · Nov 6, 2013

I think it is a combination of hard winters, spraying and loss of habitat. What is the impact of each, I do not know.

Jahaze · Nov 6, 2013

We hunt at Zoss Farms. I know they stock birds, but its still more fun than anybody should be allowed to have. This will be my 14tn year out there.

S.D. pheasant hunting

Ellis Kinney

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Jahaze

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Greg K

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Fergienewbee

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Spook

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Christopher Susie

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Anonymous-0

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gene bender

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RayP(MI)

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casenut1

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Fullers Farmalls

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dej(Jed)

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oldtanker

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dej(Jed)

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GordoSD

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brian(MN)

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David G

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Jahaze

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