S D and Neb. Hunters....
 

I still havent got a Meriam yet. My son and I would love to come in late May. What do you think? too Late?

Can we find a place to hunt?

Please share your wisdom with me.

Not too late - you have a pm.

Season closes May 31. Pine Ridge area has merriams but that would be quite a drive for ya.

Thanks Fellows, I really do apreciate your input.

Black Hills of South Dakota. Season ends the 23rd of May, tags are unlimited so you can stop and buy it in Pierre or get it through their website. If you order online they will mail the tag the next day.

Tons of turkeys in the Hills, over a million acres of public ground and you won't have any trouble finding turkeys.

Thanks a Lot Mez, I hope my son don't back out, because of work.

Not a problem. Let me know if you are coming, I can give you some starting points.

Mez that is very nice of you. This works two ways. How about hunting a Missouri Bird? The Season starts Monday the 19 th. of April for 3 weeks.

TF

Won't be able to come this year. Where is Bourbon? I grew up in SE Nebraska, 9 miles from Missouri.

I'm heading up in the Hills tomorrow.

Are you sure the tags are unlimited? The SD DNR website says application only and only one tag for the Black Hills area.

Joey are you talking to me? I don't understand what you are saying. Sorry, please give more info.

TF

Bourbon is right on I-44. 70 miles west of St. Louis. Goggle it.

No, question was in response to mez comment on unlimited tags in SD.

I didn't explain it very well. The total number of tags sold for the Hills is unlimited. Non residents can get one tag, residents can have two tags. There is no lottery system or draw for the tags. You just need to submit the application and they mail the tag the next day. With regular hunting licenses, you fill out your information and can print the tag immediately online.

With the turkey tag, you fill out the application and they mail a tag. In the Hills, which is an unlimited area, you can go directly to the Game and Fish office in Pierre, fill out the application and they hand you a tag.

OK, thanks for the information. Went there last year on vacation with the family and really want to go back to hunt. Any tips you can offer to get started mez?

I shot my first Tom over memorial day weekend last year along the Platte river. I would say that will be just fine. :)
Good luck!

I'm not exaggerating when I say the Hills are full of turkeys. They are everywhere. Just about every ridge in the Black Hills will have turkeys on it. I live right next to the forest service in Piedmont, SD. Was working in my yard on Monday evening and could hear 7 different gobblers up from my house. This is in a very accessible area with roads everywhere. I don't even scout much at all to hunt the hills. I just take off running and gunning. If you get on a ridge in the evening or early morning you will hear several different birds in the tree. Just pick one.

For getting started you basically just need to decide where you want to stay and then book a room. It doesn't matter unless you are coming with a family and want to stay near Mt. Rushmore and some of the attractions in the Hills. If not pick a place close to the hills and then start walking, calling and listening. A lot of birds between Piedmont and Sturgis, which is where I hunt. If you have an ATV bring it. You can drive most of the roads in the forest service in a pickup but need 4WD and smaller pickups like a Tundra, Ranger, Frontier for some of the trails.

A lot of the ATV trails are closed until the end of May which is a good thing. Makes people get off and actually hunt rather than just driving trails all day.

We just had 3 hunters leave with 4 adult toms. They said the toms still had a ton of hens with them, so I think the best is yet to come. They killed 3 birds with bow and 1 with shotgun.
If interested in hunting northeast Wyoming on a DIY hunt, give us an email at [email protected] or check out our website at www.empireguesthouse.com.
The hunters that just left took all there birds on there own and on public land.

Mike Smith
PS You can get 2 tags over the counter for area 1.