South Dakota Bound?
 

I'm gonna be moving in the spring. One of the states I've been looking at is South Dakota. I was hoping some of you from there could point me in the right direction. I'd like a area with good access to public land and a sizable lake nearby. I mainly hunt Whitetail and Turkey. I am grateful for any help you can give. Thanks
Craig

RE: South Dakota Bound?
 

What do you want to fish for? Walleye is king in South Dakota. There are a lot of variables in your question. Want access to a city, define city. South Dakota is an outdoorsman's paradise. I lived there for 8 years and will be going back as soon as I'm done with school in Texas. Give me a few more specifics and I can help you out. Are you a bird hunter? What are you going to do for work, have a family, etc.?

RE: South Dakota Bound?
 

Good ol' S.D....

RE: South Dakota Bound?
 

Thanks Mez,
I'm not picky when it comes to fishin, mostly I fish for walleye here in the Adirondacks. I need access to a city with airport, good shopping, concert venue kinda stuff. Access to me me means a 30-45 minutes. I'm a chef so I need restaruants. I do have a family. I've done very little bird hunting.

RE: South Dakota Bound?
 

Sioux Falls, Rapid City Aberdeen all have many eating establishments. Forget Pierre few restaurants there that are worth anything.

RE: South Dakota Bound?
 

Your opportunities are going to be limited in South Dakota. drgildy is right on. I have come to learn that our idea of a city in SD is much different than most people's. Rapid City has an airport and population of about 60,000, second biggest city in the state. Great area for hunting and fly fishing for trout, a ton of public land, the Black Hills, you can hunt whitetail and mule deer, elk, antelope, and turkey. Plenty of restaraunts, it is expensive to fly in and out of though. Sioux Falls is the biggest city in the state, about 140,000. Great outdoor activities there as well, good bass and walleye fishing, whitetail deer, turkey and pheasant hunting. The airport is a little cheaper than Rapid and it isn't nearly as isolated. Not nearly as scenic either. You may look into Yankton, it is 65 miles south of Sioux Falls and 90 miles north of Omaha, NE. Population about 20,000. One of the nicest places in the state. Right on the missouri river, great walley fishing, beautiful clean lake and the best whitetail and turkey hunting in the state. Pheasants aren't too bad either. Quite a bit of public ground and if you knock on doors you can get permission on private ground. Aberdeen, not bad but isolated and one of the coldest places on the face of the earth. I lived in that area for a couple of years and the winters are bad as well as not much to offer in that part of the state, IMO. Hope this helps, any more questions let me know.

RE: South Dakota Bound?
 

Thanks Again, Rapid City is a place I had been looking at. Yankton I didn't see downt there, but I will check it out. I like the idea of a new landscape and new critters.

RE: South Dakota Bound?
 

Definately look at Yankton. I lived there seven years myself and found the area an outdoorsmans paridise and the people second to none. Very good fishing, good upland and deer and late season waterfowl may be the best in the Midwest out of Springfield. I will move back in a second if it works for the family.