UP , I don't live in the main pheasant range , so don't have all the details , but I do know the hot area is from say Huron , south and west thru Winner . Pay hunting is well established in this area , so it MAY be best to go with an outfitter for your first time there . Unless you know a landowner , you are going to have to pay anyway to get on a good property early in the season . The numbers of pheasants are unbeleivable , they are like swarms of blackbirds at times .Late in the season , access will be much easier , and there will still be plenty of birds , but they are wilder than hell , and you will have to use your whitetail driving tactics to get within shooting range . Good hunting can be found in the fringe areas of the hot zone , although the bird numbers are not nearly as crazy , where you may be able to hunt without fees , and there are alot of "walk in" areas established by the state . These are private lands on which the landowners will allow hunting in return for some money from the state , they are marked with signs , and you don't need to ask permission . The state publishes a booklet that details their locations . If all else fails , roadhunting IS legal for birds in SD .
