hi all, i am thinking about planning a trip to hunt in south dakota within the next few weeks... what county in s.d. would be the best to hunt pheasant in regards to bird number and availibity of public land? we will be hunting with between 4 and 8 guys. thanks.

Hmm.. I would say, stay away from the larger cities. I live in Aberdeen, and there is a lot of public land to hunt around here, but each piece gets walked multiple times every day. We are only a couple of weeks in to the season and already there is very few birds left on the public ground and the ones that are there are very jumpy. Granted, with all of the corn still standing, they have plenty of places to go for now and they will be back later in the year. But if you were going to come here right now I would get a map of the public land, and try to find a little more remote area to focus on.

way you read, there are birds flying all over .

i bet its just like what you read here in pa too.

lots of deer and birds.

biggest liers are the PA GAME COMMISSION.

our hunting is worst i have seen in 47 years.

Rob's right, the public areas have been pounded daily and will be scarce numbers there, but numbers are very high where they aren't being constantly chased around, but good luck finding many areas that you'll be able to access other than public land. Most of it is taken up by pay hunting anymore.

[quote]ORIGINAL: SDarcher

Rob's right, the public areas have been pounded daily and will be scarce numbers there, but numbers are very high where they aren't being constantly chased around, but good luck finding many areas that you'll be able to access other than public land. Most of it is taken up by pay hunting anymore.








































































































































































































































































































































you can raise birds in your yard really cheap,other than grain.

i have friends that raise pheasants and hunt them but our problem is phesants will not live too long.

OWLS,FOX,COYOTES,BOBCATS,RED TAIL HAWKS,FISCHERS all are killing pheasants.

they dont last 3 days here in pa.[:@]
quote]

I don't really understand what you are trying to say sproulman, you don't believe us that there are millions of pheasants in South Dakota??

no,its what i just read that on PUBLICLAND its not as good as privateland in south dakota.

that is way it is here in pa. BUT if you read the PA GAME REPORTS you would think things are great here in pa hunting on PUBLICLAND.