I have been dreaming about this for years and am very, very excited to be heading out to the Black Hills for a whitetail this fall w/ my 10 (he'll be 11 in Sept) yo son, Samuel. I took him to Wyoming for pronghorn in 10 and we had a GREAT time:









We spent a fair bit of time in the Black Hills (I already had several PPs) and loved it.

Colorado1135 has helped a lot. It's a HUGE hunting area; anyone else have a suggestion as to where to start?

Samuel and I are gonna have a friggin blast!

I got a Black Hills tag and double 15B tags. Also got two WY antelope tags. Should be a good fall. I spend a lot of time in the Hills, I'm about 10 minutes from the boundary. When are you planning on coming out? Where will you be staying, northern Hills or southern Hills? Camping or hotel? What style of hunting are you wanting to do - still hunting, stand hunting, spot and stalk, road hunt? Keep in touch, I can help get you dialed in.

Bob

Thanks a lot for the response Bob!

I am planning to go after spot and stalk and still hunting-type areas. I have gotten some good intel from Colorado1135 who suggested the southern area as well as from the friend who originally turned me on to the area and hunted/stayed in the Hill City area.

I haven't made lodging arrangements as I'd put in for a unit in West River and didn't know if we'd get one or both so at this point I am open to just about anything.

A good friend of mine with experience has suggested that I show up mind-month to catch the rut, but others have said around the 8th is the chasing phase that brings out the bigger bucks or that it isn't a huge issue due to deer numbers. What is your take?

I am leaning toward leaving here the 6th or 7th, hunting the 8th or 9th through the 13th or 14th and returning so I can hunt my reg firearm opener the 15th &16th.

Are there particular maps you'd suggest?

Thanks again for any input!

Good plan. Southern Hills is usually easier to get away from the orange. GF&P usually releases the maps about this time of he year. PM me your address and I'll send you one. There's a good little motel in Custer that's reasonable. Gotta remember the name. I'll post it when I remember it. Sounds like you're getting good info.

Bob

Congrats on the SD tags.... my son and I drew double whitetail tags in West River along with BIL. South Dakota is a great state to hunt....

Evidently I'm doing something wrong, two years and no rifle tag.

what unit are you putting in for? I missed on BH but got my west river

As a resident if you put in every year for both West River & Black Hills you should have 1 tag to hunt every year shouldn't you?

Does the res draw have that same "raffle effect" that the non-res does?

Boise don't feel too badly; I had 6 Black Hills PPs that are now cashed in, and even w/ 2 West River PPs I didn't score which is great by me as now I have more reason to return!

I think it'll be 2015, as I promised Samuel back in '10 that we'd return in '14 so he could get a PH buck of his own in Wyoming. His younger brother Elijah is coming for that one, too.

Not sure. What did you put in for your 1st and 2nd choices? Last year was the only year I wasn't successful in the first draw for WR deer since the 90's. I did draw unit 27 in last year's second draw. You should be able to get a tag or two in the next draw.

Bob

I'm a resident of SD and didn't draw a BH tag,I didn't have any PP either but did score a WR any deer tag in the 1 st choice unit.The GFP website has a "know your drawing odds" thread every year that is based on previous years draws and app numbers. Of course as soon as the draw is done, the new data is there and you can see why you just failed to draw. I didn't check the NR stats but in BH111 for residents if you didn't have atleast 1 pp the tags were essentially gone before you had a chance for the remainder. It took quite a few years but that is where its at now. The odds weren't good for drawing the WR tag I had either with no PP about 1/3 but they did pull my name.

EFW you could do alot worse than to hunt the Custer Limestone country, the whitetails down there have the largest antlers in the Hills unit, food and minerals I guess.Best of Luck may you and your son have a great time. Magnum Man

Bob, I put in for BH101 with no second choice. I didn't draw last year, figured that left me with one PP and that would be enough to draw. I will put in for the second draw.

I did arrow a nice 149 1/2 green score whitetail last season near Sturgis.

I put in for 27L first choice and 27B as a second, drew 27B.

wife drew 27L. folks put in for NR and neither of them drew anything. I had 2 PP going into BH draw and got nada. that's how it goes. I believe there are still 27B whitetail only tags available, and you should be able to get a triple doe tag for by martin. those were available last year til late.

what unit did you draw for magnum man?

Ah, that's probably the reason. You want to put in for BH111. A lot more tags than BH101. In the past 6 or 8 years it seems like I get a Hills tag every other year.

01: Valid for one any deer;
200 resident ($36); 16 nonresident ($286)
11: Valid for one any whitetail;
3,000 resident ($36); 240 nonresident ($286)

You should be able to pick up a WR tag or two in the second draw. You may have to drive a little ways. Good luck!

Second Deadline - Applications must be postmarked no later than Aug. 16, or apply online by 8:00 a.m. CDT Aug. 21. Results available online by Aug. 23. Those who do not already have a license may submit one application.

Bob

1135, I put in for 39A, love those Grasslands and spend a lot of time out there.Going to break in a M77 Mk2 280 Rem that I traded for a couple of years back it has the RMEF logo on the floorplate. someone won it I suppose and traded it off without ever using it. Seems to shoot well and I just can't imagine it being inadequate for anything in SD. Magnum Man

I love those Rugers! I bought an aftermarket trigger for my 243, got it from a place in washington or oregon delivered for like 80 bucks, it makes a huge difference! I have it set to 2 lbs and it is very crisp.

mine is on the grasslands as well and the area is pretty large with tons of public land. I'm more excited for my wife to get a chance at a buck, hopefully a nice buck. I'll probably sit with her the first day or two at least

Thanks a lot MM! I also love those Rugers & that one has a great cartridge to boot! I am hoping to bloody my new Bob:



We in MI have TONS of public land here in Mi but not much GOOD! I told Colo1135 that approaching this hunt that way feels like trying to sip from a fire hose! Incredible how much quality hunting you guys are blessed with!

Thank you all for sharing. Samuel and I are likely to be out the week of the 10th and if anyone is up for getting together for dinner shoot me a PM! I am always up for enjoying fellowship w/ my campfire friends!

Thanks again,

efw

1135 I imajine that trigger was a Spec Tech. I put one in a 7mm Rem Mag M77 Mk2 for a buddy years ago, don't think it took 5 minutes but oh what a differance it made. MM

Boise (or anybody else),
Here's the link to SD West River Left Over Deer tags. There are no left over Black Hills tags. Here's what it showed a little while ago.

Last Modified: July 29, 2013 9:16 AM
Choice Res NonRes
02A09 75 0
02A18 221 0
02C11 9 0
11A09 38 0
11A18 70 2
11B19 39 0
15A19 268 0
15B08 38 0
15B09 162 0
20A19 142 0
24A19 92 0
27B18 74 8
27B19 129 0
30A16 59 0
30A19 329 1
30B16 68 0
30B19 323 0
31A09 60 0
31A18 40 0
35C18 56 0
39A18 54 0
39B09 93 1
39B18 133 0
41A16 188 0
41A19 139 0
45A16 205 0
45A17 140 0
45B17 30 0
45C17 16 2
49A08 68 0
49A18 128 8
49A19 30 0
49B09 376 11
49B18 372 0
50A16 110 0
50A17 98 3
50B16 184 0
50B17 195 0
53A19 192 0
53C18 400 0
58A03 23 0
58A18 20 0
58D03 2 1
60A09 550 0
60A16 230 0
64A18 247 0
64A19 98 3
65A01 15 0
67A06 72 0
67A17 99 0

County Indicators
Tag Type Definitions (last 2 digits of unit #)
01 any deer
03 any antlerless deer
06 any deer plus two any antlerless deer
07 three any antlerless deer
08 any deer plus any antlerless deer
09 two any antlerless deer
11 any whitetail deer
13 one antlerless whitetail deer
16 any whitetail plus two antlerless whitetail deer
17 three antlerless whitetail deer
18 any whitetail deer plus antlerless whitetail deer
19 two antlerless whitetail deer

Bob

Great pics Eric. Beautiful place. Hey is that rear ring already fixed?

YES! that was it, like you said, about 5 minutes and it was in. my dad liked it so much I put one in his 25-06 for him. sure beats a factory heavy pull trigger

Still waiting...

I think I am going to burst!

I talked to Ron early last week and he said he would try to have it done late last week. Trying to keep myself from calling him again.

I did get a silver VX-II 3-9x40mm that is going to the custom shop RIGHT AWAY for LR duplex, at which time it shall be deemed perfect and receive all of my attention for the rest of the summer/fall!

Whew ha!

Others... How 'bout a 24 hr get together for filet at the Alpine Inn sometime the weekend of the 8th?

deep breaths, still a lot of time between now and then. the deer still need time to grow

Oh Ryan there is that too and I'm anxious, but was speaking of that BIFFED up rear ring. It's been an eternity since that beautiful rifle has been in my cabinet and I'm unable to do anything with it while I await the replaced & plated rear ring! Ooy!

While you were warming a bag of frozen peas in yer lap were you anxiously awaiting quality time w/ that 62?

Having a new yet unfired gun in my cabinet drives me insane, but that in and of itself is a high class problem I can be grateful for today !!

yes, I'm hoping to get it out this week, this weekend at the latest. I'm stoked!

get that ring fixed, then shoot. it will tide you over til season

EFW- Congrats on the tag. You will have a blast. I only applied for points in SD this year. Had a great time last time I hunted it about 4 years ago. My dad now has 10 BH points and Im sure he can draw anytime we want to go back.

A get together at the Alpine sounds good. Just going to depend on available time.

Bob

we should have a get together in the hills sometime regardless, even if it's to meet in rapid for coffee.

I'll sure try to make it to the alpine, all depends on timing. I'll know more as we get close

Definitely. There are several other local Fire members that I haven't meet either. I drew a double tag for 15B and a Hills tag. So I'm planning to hunt the northern Hills and 15B during the same week.

Bob

I put in for the anydeer hills tag, I shoulda put in for WT only, I don't like eating them mulies anyway.

we should start a campfire get together thread

Good idea.

Bob