Home Forums Birds & Dogs Upland Game SD pheasant update?

How's the population looking? Know last year the population was way down; any improvement this year? Will be going first week of Nov. regardless, but wondering what to expect. Thanks.

Have been wondering the same here in Nebraska. Starting to get the itch!

Talking to SD farmer friends today and they claim to be seeing more and larger broods this year.....but nothing official.....might check with Pheasants Forever.

Well the winter was good in not too much snow - they could find food - and spring was good if a little on the cool side. Should be an improvement over last year anyway. Haven't been through the traditionally good areas to have an estimate. The official pheasant outlook is supposed to be ready the first week in September, a pretty good indicator.

We usually have a postal survey in July, but I have not seen any information on it yet.

Last year didn't they wait to release that data until the official pheasant outlook? Hasn't been in the GF&P weekly news releases yet.

Pretty sure that's what they did last year. FWIW the reports from the field this year "look better than last year". But whatever the reports, we are going anyway.

Welcome! Didn't get out much last year but the people I talked to said bird concentrations were pretty spotty. They found good hunting but had to look around a lot more for hot spots. If brooding conditions were as good as I think there should be decent populations in the usual good areas. Not record like a few years ago but where's the fun in shooting a limit in the first hour anyway. Unless you're ready for some good walleye fishing.

Well, here in NW Iowa, only 100-150 mi east of central SD-Pheasant Central-all I can say I've seen more birds this spring and summer than last year...by far. We had the same winter as Nighthawk described-little snow but fairly brutally cold weather. Still pheasants can tolerate cold if they have decent cover (absent in NW Iowa) and a modicum of food. Cover is the key. SD has it.

If only SD wasn't so NR unfriendly, but then that's capitalism.

Hey, if you want unfriendly borrow a car with Minnehaha or Lincoln County (Sioux Falls) plates and ask permission.

Pheasants tolerate cold very well. I think the worst is late wet snows that penetrates feathers and cold, wet springs that weaken chicks to disease. Last year the best theory I heard was that with the drought there weren't enough insects for chicks to feed on. I couldn't get a straight answer from the experts.

Yea, yesterday while driving to work, I had a hen dash across the blacktop in front of me and then came some of the tiniest chicks I've seen post-egg. Obviously, this was a very late second or maybe third hatch. We had a very wet three weeks in June and I presume she lost her nest or young ones and started over. Those little ones made me smile.

Sounds like when I move to Lincoln county I'll have to get a set of faux plates for farm yard transactions. Would that be kosher counselor?

Then there's the defense of necessity if you get caught.

Don't think it's as bad as it used to be. Sioux Falls guys have a reputation of leaving gates open, shooting towards buildings and livestock, bringing more people than they said, etc. Actually what hurts most is probably city people dumping yard waste and Christmas trees and assorted trash in ditches and not picking up trash after shooting fireworks on the 4th. That'll really sour landowners fast.

Up here Minnesota people have the reputation of bringing in more people than they said and leaving trash. More distant out of staters are a big question mark, as in do they have a clue on how to safely hunt pheasants.

If you talk to a farmer in a way that makes him think you're a good guy and not a slob most are pretty nice. Opening week or the next is pretty tough as they really do reserve the first shot for friends and family. We always take the time to visit as long as the farmer wants but no longer and offer to let them join the hunt or offer to leave a few birds, they appreciate that but almost always say no thanks. One thing that always puts them off is when a caravan of vehicles pulls into the yard or the guy asking permission seems in too big a hurry to visit a bit.

It's really no different here. People are the same everywhere. They want to be treated with consideration and respect. And their property too. I found that a "bunch" of no more than two folks asking permission works best and I've rarely been turned down when alone.

Hope your bird numbers are way up this year. I am planning at least one trip with my hunting buddy though as I mentioned, hopefully there are enough here this year to make going out worthwhile.

Still on topic with SD, any word on sharptails or chickens this year? Seems like if pheasants are up, that maybe those are doing better as well. Have a lab pup that needs to get some bird scent this year.

The 2014 South Dakota brood survey report was released today - good news!

Here's a link to today's GFP news release with links to the details. 2014 Pheasant brood survey indicates higher pheasant numbers

Think I will be making a trip to Pierre, S.D. this year?

That is good. Hope I can get out there this year.