|
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 17,148 Likes: 5
Campfire Ranger
|
OP
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 17,148 Likes: 5 |
The Good Ol' Days are not completely gone at least not in South Dakota and in regard to pheasants. Some good friends and I converged in central SD for just two days and this picture is an understatement of weather and birds seen and taken. All used 12 gauges from O/U to SxS, auto's and pumps with "6's" and "4's." We had guys who had swung a scattergun a time or two and the birds who got up in range ended up in coolers. But the birds that got up wild and caught the wind were uncountable and were as fulfilling to the spirit as those bagged. Yours in deed and fact on the far left.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 52,680
Campfire Kahuna
|
Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 52,680 |
I miss corn fields and pheasants. thanks for the picture!
Liberalism is a mental disorder that leads to social disease.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 17,148 Likes: 5
Campfire Ranger
|
OP
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 17,148 Likes: 5 |
Keith, it was outstanding!
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 8,761
Campfire Outfitter
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 8,761 |
Impressive....reminds me of my group that hunted eastern Nebraska when they had birds to hunt. I sure miss those hunts. My last hunt was 2002, after that the bird count was so bad it was not worth the gas to get there.
Doc
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 17,148 Likes: 5
Campfire Ranger
|
OP
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 17,148 Likes: 5 |
It's been a long time for me since the number of pheasants getting up far and high against a blue sky was more reminiscent of a huge flock of mallards leaving a corn field than the expected singles and doubles.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 25,844
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 25,844 |
Nice thats a blast for sure!
My dog is a member of the "Turd Like Clan"
Covert Trail Cameras are JUNK
3 Time Dinkathon Champion #DinkGOAT
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 20,813
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 20,813 |
Looks great.
Unfortunately 2 days is little more than a tease.
laissez les bons temps rouler
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 17,148 Likes: 5
Campfire Ranger
|
OP
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 17,148 Likes: 5 |
Very true but it's only a three and a half hour jaunt for us and made for a nice semi-impromptu trip.
I will say SD's non-resident licensing has to be the spawn of a "paronoid Big Brother" but they have the game and the folks wanting to come so...
I love the country of the middle third of the state though, a mix of breaks, patched with crop land, stock ponds, shelter belts, and the Mighty Mo - a haven for all kinds of wild life.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 248
Campfire Member
|
Campfire Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 248 |
How did you handle land access? Was this state or gov. land? Looks like fun. I need to take my Brittany
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 17,148 Likes: 5
Campfire Ranger
|
OP
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 17,148 Likes: 5 |
We hit private land. You can do this in degree from relatively high end lodges with their guides and dogs and include everything to the tune of $1k/ day to farmers who farm with an eye to keeping birds around and who grant access for, say, $175 per gun per day. At this level they may or may not have a dog(s); we had our own. We went this latter way and had tremendous shooting.
There are also public walk-in areas which of course are free. One thing for sure if you are willing to risk the vagaries of December weather is to go later in the season as things are winding down. Everything is more casual and relaxed and though the birds have been to school there are still plenty of them to be had.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 20,813
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 20,813 |
3.5hours and I would be there enough they may ask me to buy SD plates.
Congrats again, on a great trip.
laissez les bons temps rouler
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 17,148 Likes: 5
Campfire Ranger
|
OP
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 17,148 Likes: 5 |
Yea, I should be made an "honorable resident" for what I've contributed to the SD economy over the years including the Cabelas in Mitchell.
I've done this off and on through the years but hope to make it a more frequent occurrence. I'm almost always amazed.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 52,680
Campfire Kahuna
|
Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 52,680 |
I will say SD's non-resident licensing has to be the spawn of a "paronoid Big Brother"
Thats's no kidding and I grew up in SD
Liberalism is a mental disorder that leads to social disease.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 248
Campfire Member
|
Campfire Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 248 |
I thought about going later. Too many other seasons in Oct and Nov. thanks
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,284
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,284 |
Nice George, very nice. I enjoyed my first trip to SD earlier this season and will be back.
One of the sanest, surest, and most generous joys of life comes from being happy over the good fortune of others. Archibald Rutledge
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 3,468
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 3,468 |
Agree on the birds. We were there in November, saw a goodly number, killed a goodly number. Walked ditches.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 43,971 Likes: 25
Campfire 'Bwana
|
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 43,971 Likes: 25 |
Very cool George, looks like some awesome pheasant hunting!
Our season ends at the end of the year, need to get in 1-2 more walks.
|
|
|
|
531 members (1minute, 1badf350, 10ring1, 10gaugemag, 1lessdog, 06hunter59, 52 invisible),
2,508
guests, and
1,161
robots. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
Forums81
Topics1,193,782
Posts18,515,759
Members74,017
|
Most Online11,491 Jul 7th, 2023
|
|
|
|