First Time SoDak Trip

[CowboyBirdDogs]

Well it looks like due to Kansas being in not so great of shape, me and a couple buddies will instead head to Pierre, South Dakota. None of us have ever been to South Dakota so if anyone has any advice about the area, state, bird numbers, or any sort of tip at all please don't hesitate.
If you don't want to post it for all to see shoot me a pm and it'll stay between us. One of my buddies going has never been on an upland hunt before so I'm trying to get him hooked. We'll have 3 guys and 4 dogs between us so it should be a good time. When we go I'll be sure and post lots of pics! I've never seen a sharptail or hun so I'm excited about those possibilities just as much as I am gettin on more pheasant, maybe even more excited. November 11th can't come soon enough!!

[topher40]

I have friends that have summer camps right around that area and from the reports this summer I got from them I actually cancelled my training trip. Reports consisted of "no cover, few birds, and drought stricken like the rest of the country". Its beautiful country, albeit a long ways from Tx. Your money might be better saved this year and stay closer to home.

[CowboyBirdDogs]

Do you think that maybe since SoDak usually has an outrageous number of birds that they're judged on a higher standard than all other states and considering any other state that have a ton of birds and are just down on SoDak standards? If that makes sense lol

[rkappes]

I'd say numbers are down by SoDak standards but still way up compared to other states....this is just what I've heard from friends. Might have to walk 3 hours instead of 30 minutes. I've never hunted SoDak but thinking about heading to the Aberdeen area for a long weekend, its only a couple hundred miles from us.

[topher40]

These reports are coming from guys that have been going to S Dakota for 40+ years and they told me to save my money and stay at home this year. Still probably better than other states but not good.

[nikegundog]

I spent 6 days there last week, birds numbers seem to be up from last year however down from a few years ago. The drought wasn't that bad but CRP was allowed to be mowed so some of this cover was lost. All the crops are out which is probably the first ever for this time of year. With that being said do to a number of factors if ever there was a time to go to SD it would be now its only going to get worse as years go by.

[cjhills]

The bird numbers are fairly good this year, at least a bit farther east. Sharptails and Huns are not very good in that area also a few prairie chickens.
may have try to find private land because of the crp being mowed. you can find some that's not too badly priced that will give you a lot of action. with that long of a drive it might be worth it. Cj