South Dakota hunting....
 

I'll do some reading eventually but how's the hunting in South Dakota? My sister just took a nursing job in Custer, SD... Having been there for vacation I know they have deer, antelope, all that. How's the opportunities for Non Residents? Are tags easily available? Public Land? Etc... Would like to plan a trip out there here in the next year or couple of years. Will preference points be needed? Any advice on anything would be helpful... It's not been on my list like CO, WY, and MT but since she's living there figured I'd look into it. She's a hunter as well... I'll do my own research and I know this is very broad. But anyone have any SD experience?
-Jake

Did a little reading... It looks like we can get a Black hills area whitetail tag with two preference points... So I guess next July We'll be putting in for points.... I love that area and have done allot of camping, hiking and backpacking there in my college years. Beautiful area. It looks like there's plenty of public land in the Black hills national forest as well.. and tags aren't too expensive. Hopefully this hunt plans out... She had 12 deer out behind the house she's renting yesterday, but can't hunt there.

Still, anyone with any SD experience?
-Jake

There are some really good deer in SD. But for my $$$ the best hunting in the state is the bird hunting. My uncle has a cabin on the banks of Lake Oahe near New Evarts and I've seen many say where a big group of hunters took over 100 roosters in a day along with a lot of sharptail grouse and hungarian partridge.

Ya, I look forward to the bird hunting. I chase some pheasant and grouse around PA... But I'm sure it's nothing like SD... I see a few birds a year typically and some years have put allot of miles in to see those few.
-Jake

If you're into archery you should have a decent go of it getting tags out there. There's some nice antelope out that way plus good mule deer. Plenty of public ground also which is a plus. I think with a little research you can find yourself something to hunt pretty often.

Heck, being so close to the pine ridge of Nebraska isn't such a bad thing either, they have a December black powder season and buying NR tag is simple. Plus there is quite a bit of public ground, though, like most places, private is your best bet, it is a lot easier securing permission that time of year. Both Hills and pine ridge area offer whitetail n mulies, turkey, grouse, along with a bunch of other species. I have hunted the pine ridge quite a bit, next to Montana, it is a place I love not just to hunt but love being there.

Please, go out there and take out a few deer so they will leave me alone when I'm turkey hunting! Been going for several years and the sheer numbers of deer I see in the hills are amazing. More whitetail than mulies but there are both. Found a really nice dead 10pt. typical this past spring when I was out there. I don't know about the "quality" of bucks but the numbers are certainly there. Haven't gone a turkey season yet without finding sheds.

I don't antler hunt anyway. I'm typically as happy with a doe as a buck. I've been reading the last few days and it sounds like a good hunt. Lots of public land in the hills thats open. Tags can be had with just a couple of preference points, and the deer numbers are solid right now. I can't do anything preference point wise until next summer. Told my sister to keep her eyes open when she's hiking and backpacking. (she does allot of both) and in a couple years when we have the points we'll get a hunt together.
-Jake

Hunting is usually excellent in SD. After a 5 year lull, my hunting buddy and I are heading back to SD. The first year we hunted there, there were 5 in our party and 4 of us took really nice bucks. This year, we were fortunate to get left over white tail tags to hunt the Rosebud Sioux reservation. We have a great Sioux guide that we have used in the past and have hunted the area enough to know it well. Looking forward to the hunt this year.

Biggs, if you could it would be awesome to hear a hunt report on how it all went after you get back. Good luck!
-Jake