SD pheasant report

[jetjockey]

We spent 5 days near Highmore hunting both public and private land.  The public land hunting was a bust but the private land was pretty amazing.  We should have limited out every day but the late season birds are TOUGH to hunt and TOUGHER to kill.  We averaged 2 birds per person per day, and we even had the "South Dakota Flush" at the end of a shelter belt where nobody could shoot because instead of hitting one bird, you would have hit 5.  We guessed about 200 birds flushed at one time.  Pretty unreal.  The running birds were hell on our brittanys, but we still had some great bird work and a few good points.  My brit spends every summer in SD at camp hunting pheasants and sharptails, so she has had tons of wild bird experience, but these birds were something else.

[10Key]

Disheartening to hear about the public land, I am thinking of heading over there next season. Cool photos.

[Ellensburg]

200 Phez at once? That is amazing. More pics please. How many birds would you flush per day on public and how many per day on private?

[Wacenturion]

Looks like a lot more fun than arguing with Les Miles.....(inside joke)

Hey Jet...is that you in the fourth photo...on the right with the 870?

[jetjockey]

WA... Yep, thats me.  I used my O/U one time.  I shot at 2 pheasants that flushed a bit far out, and then had 2 roosters bust out right underneath me as I was holding an unloaded gun. That didn't make me happy. Back to the old trusted 870.  I probably killed 5 birds with my third shot that I didnt have with my O/U.  But my FIL carried a 20 guage O/U and S/S the entire trip and he killed more birds then anyone else.  Ole Les Miles is a good guy, but boy is he an SEC homer!

E-Burg and 10Key..

This was our first time hunting in SD.  Day 1 we hunted a GPA (Game Production Area) just outside Chamberlin that had been hunted really hard.  We didn't move a single bird, but we learned a lot.  Day 2 had us in touch with the local Game Warden in Miller and he put us on some spots to hunt in that area.  We saw lots of birds and moved a few hens, but the roosters were running like crazy.  We had a good point on what I assume was a rooster, but it ran out from under the dog and we could see him running through the grass like a fish fining the top of the water.  He ran right between my dad and a buddy and was gone, couldn't get him to fly.  We probably saw 50-100 birds flying in and out of the private land adjacent to the public land when we parked, but there were a lot of birds on the public land as well.  Days 3-5 we hunted private land.  We had about 5000 acres all to ourselves that included shelter belts, milo fields (cut in strips), corn fields (cut in strips), open prairies and CRP grass.  We probably shot at 50+ roosters a day on the private land.  As much as I hate to say it, we lost more birds then we should have.  Those birds can take some series lead!  WE should have easily limited every day on the private land, wich is pretty good for late season birds.  Our shooting was less then stellar, but those birds move quick, and put distance on you fast.  It was fun shooting to say the least.

[Ellensburg]

WA... Yep, thats me.  I used my O/U one time.  I shot at 2 pheasants that flushed a bit far out, and then had 2 roosters bust out right underneath me as I was holding an unloaded gun. That didn't make me happy. Back to the old trusted 870.  I probably killed 5 birds with my third shot that I didnt have with my O/U.  But my FIL carried a 20 guage O/U and S/S the entire trip and he killed more birds then anyone else.  Ole Les Miles is a good guy, but boy is he an SEC homer!

E-Burg and 10Key..

This was our first time hunting in SD.  Day 1 we hunted a GPA (Game Production Area) just outside Chamberlin that had been hunted really hard.  We didn't move a single bird, but we learned a lot.  Day 2 had us in touch with the local Game Warden in Miller and he put us on some spots to hunt in that area.  We saw lots of birds and moved a few hens, but the roosters were running like crazy.  We had a good point on what I assume was a rooster, but it ran out from under the dog and we could see him running through the grass like a fish fining the top of the water.  He ran right between my dad and a buddy and was gone, couldn't get him to fly.  We probably saw 50-100 birds flying in and out of the private land adjacent to the public land when we parked, but there were a lot of birds on the public land as well.  Days 3-5 we hunted private land.  We had about 5000 acres all to ourselves that included shelter belts, milo fields (cut in strips), corn fields (cut in strips), open prairies and CRP grass.  We probably shot at 50+ roosters a day on the private land.  As much as I hate to say it, we lost more birds then we should have.  Those birds can take some series lead!  WE should have easily limited every day on the private land, wich is pretty good for late season birds.  Our shooting was less then stellar, but those birds move quick, and put distance on you fast.  It was fun shooting to say the least.

Did u knock on doors or know someone already? I will go to SD at some point and take my pupster and the ol' Browning Cynergy.

[wildweeds]

Just got back from SD 2 weeks ago,We hunted Platte,Utica and Irene.Quite a few birds at Platte,not so many at Utica and Irene was inbetween.The downfall of it was that at Utica and Irene we would have been much better off with a roto rooter(springer spaniels) or a cattail buster lab.The setters would see that jungle cover and edge run it.I took a freinds Brit pup along and she got in there and did a pretty good job in the jungle,worst part was you couldn't see 5 feet in any direction the cattails were 6-8 feet tall,the brit did have some points in there(per the Garmin)the birds would flush and fly out the end when a guy was 10-20 feet from the dog and that's where my buddy leroy the blocker was taking names and prisoners.Utica was much the same type cover..........endless acres of BARE tilled dirt with huge cattail patches.Platte was medium/thin CRP and the ticket for the setters,We pushed a small food plot of short corn toward a shelter belt and had some fantastic points at the end of the rows where the corn met the dirt.All private land of Leroys uncles/aunts and grandmothers.

[jetjockey]

E-Burg

We hunted the private land with uguidesdpheasants.com.  It cost us $540 for 4 nights lodging in a farm house and 3 days hunting on private land (we paid an extra $50 per person for a 5th night stay so we could hunt the public land 2 days).  IMO it was well worth it. The farm house came well appointed with everything you needed for a nice stay.  The kitchen was fully stocked and they had a nice Weber full full of gas for grilling. 

[Ellensburg]

E-Burg

We hunted the private land with uguidesdpheasants.com.  It cost us $540 for 4 nights lodging in a farm house and 3 days hunting on private land (we paid an extra $50 per person for a 5th night stay so we could hunt the public land 2 days).  IMO it was well worth it. The farm house came well appointed with everything you needed for a nice stay.  The kitchen was fully stocked and they had a nice Weber full full of gas for grilling. 

Not a bad deal at all

[ribka]

Great report and pics. Thanks for sharing. One of those many trips I need to do. Looks like it was a blast!

[Birdguy]

Looks like a good trip. Certainly a great report. What shot were you using? I have heard a few of the hunting lodges there only use #4 high brass or bigger. They say if you hit them they want them dead, the #4s limit the number of cripples, it still happens but not as often. Thanks for the report and good luck next year when you go back  .

[jetjockey]

Looks like a good trip. Certainly a great report. What shot were you using? I have heard a few of the hunting lodges there only use #4 high brass or bigger. They say if you hit them they want them dead, the #4s limit the number of cripples, it still happens but not as often. Thanks for the report and good luck next year when you go back  .

Next time Im using 180gr TSX's!     We used 4's and 5's.  Next time I go back Im only using 4's or bigger loaded with lots of shot, going really, really fast.  Shoulder be damned!  We lost our fair share of cripples.  We got to the point where even if we thought we hit a bird hard, we would hit him again before they hit the ground.  These were by far the toughest birds I have ever seen in my life.  We drew feathers on one bird 4 times, and he still flew off!  I was amazed at the lack of shot in the birds when I cleaned and skinned them as well.  I couldn't even see where we hit 1/4 of the birds I cleaned.  Guys aren't lying when they say use big guns with big shot going really fast.  You really do need to hammer these birds hard to kill them.

[Skyvalhunter]

Congrats on a good hunt. Some nice looking dogs you have there.

[jetjockey]

JBar Lazy 7.  Great place to hunt and stay.  You can't hunt all the land in 3 days, especially if you want to chase grouse.  The house is pretty nice and has everything you need, plus, you can hunt out your front door if you want.  We found a fair amount of pheasants right around the farm house, but most of the land is about 6 miles away. 

[ribka]

JBar Lazy 7.  Great place to hunt and stay.  You can't hunt all the land in 3 days, especially if you want to chase grouse.  The house is pretty nice and has everything you need, plus, you can hunt out your front door if you want.  We found a fair amount of pheasants right around the farm house, but most of the land is about 6 miles away. 

Looks like a good places. What are their rates?

[JBar]

Looks like a good time. One day I'll make it there!

[jetjockey]

Rates vary depending on the time of year you want to hunt.  They are all on the uguide website.

[halfpipe88]

Jealous...