South Dakota advice needed......
 

I've wanted to plan a pheasant hunt for years to South Dakota. I've had bad experiences a couple times on guided hunts for waterfowl in Mississippi and Tennessee. This would be a once in a lifetime trip for my dad and brother and I don't want it to suck.

What guides have you guys hunted with that you could suggest?

I would like to hunt around Mitchell but Wall and Murdo are not out of the question.

Anybody?

Just google the SD website and there is a ton of information there. It's pretty hard to go wrong out there with the number of wild birds and the ones a lot of places raise and plant that fly like wild birds. It just depends on whether you want a small hunt for just your party or get into one of those huge "line drive type" operations with 12-20 hunters that certainly doesn't light my fire. North and south of Mitchell, as well as the Gregory and Winner areas, will probably be your best bet. Prepare to pay a good sum of money if you're looking for a fully guided operation. However, if you do your homework there are plenty of areas for the DIY guy that will save you thousands of dollars.

My advice to you is to check out the area around aberdeen South dakotah i grew up there and the hunting is second to none if you get a good public lands map there are plenty of areas to go hunting and not have to pay a guide. But if you want a guide any of the outfits around that area are all good.

Federal Land
 

Make sure that if you are in Federal land that you use NON Toxic
shot...I have seen many people make that mistake. Hevishot
Pheasant shells are a good place to start

Never used a guide... have always hunted private/public land with great success.

Anywhere around Mitchell up to Gettysburg area is great hunting.

Check this site out... lots of good info here (self-guided private):

http://www.uguidesdpheasants.com/

Outfitters:

http://www.huntingconnections.com/

(not sure if this is against forum rules, but it is the best source of outfitters for this area... remove it if necessary).

First of let me say that I have never hunted SD but I have done some upland hunting here in KS. I generally hunt with a group of around 10 guys one of which is a local farmer. We hunt his land as well as other farmers lands that he gets us permission to hunt. It is more or less a guided hunt he is the one that commands us troops and we always see lots of birds. This last season my dad and me decided to go to Lucas, KS and hunt public and WIHA land. We only saw one bird, a cock pheasant and I missed the shot. The group that hunts with the farmer got something like 3 or 4 pheasant, 8 quail, and 2 ducks. So my advice, PUBLIC LAND SUCKS!!! Go get a guide.

very good advice well thought out and helpful

I'm assuming this is sarcastic because his post has nothing to do with South Dakota and the public land around here provides some very good bird opportunities.

yes that was sarcasm south dakota is great pheasant hunting