South Dakota trip

C

CJ Tort

Active member
Every year, a few of my family members/friends and I put together a waterfowl hunting trip. My cousin mentioned that he would like to try to get to South Dakota in 2013 for a combo waterfowl and pheasant trip. We always attempt these trips as "self-guided" and have had a great time and some success doing it this way. However, after doing some research, I am learning that due to the distance (Most of us are from NJ) and logistics, this trip is going to be an entirely different animal.

I am not looking for any spots or any secrets, but I would feel much more comfortable if I spoke to someone who either has freelanced hunted in Northeast South Dakota or lives there. I am interested in info such as the best time to go, whether in the beginning of the season or towards the end. We were thinking of trying to hunt some of the sloughs or potholes and I am concerned that if we go later, they will be frozen. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Again, I am not looking for anything specific, just someone to bounce questions off of that would have some first hand knowledge of the area. Please feel free to either respond or shoot me a pm.

Thanks

CJ
 
I'm not 100% sure on this but I believe that South Dakota has a lottery for waterfowl licenses for non-residents, you might want to look into getting in early!
 
i will preface this with the fact that i have not done this trip. if you aren't dead set on SD, i would look into ND. While recent history is not always a great indicator of future events, i wouldn't worry too much about getting frozen out. Do you have a duck/goose field spread as well?
 
NE SD was hit pretty hard last winter so hopefully in another year the pheasants will be back some. That is something to watch.
Usually the last week of october or the first week of november is safe. I hate to tell people to come to SD later then that from far away. Even if it isn't froze solid for the season I've seen it freeze up for 4 or 5 days at a time in early/mid november. It can be great later on but there is a risk.

I haven't hunted in the Watertown Webster Aberdeen area, I'm guessing that is where you are looking at. Freelancing for waterfowl in that area should be no problem especially if you bring a boat. It is really no problem waterfowling on your own in most of SD. Pheasants are a little tougher in that part of the state but I'm sure you could find a few places.

Make sure and check the non resident application time for waterfowl licenses so you don't miss that date.
SD has a great public land publication, it changes a little from year to year but gives you an idea what places have lots of room to hunt. http://gfp.sd.gov/hunting/areas/maps/default.aspx

Tim
 
Hunted in SD last Oct/Nov for pheasants. Two of us applied for separate non-resident waterfowl permits and we both got turned down. If it's an option, I would recommend ND. No permit drawing there.

Matt
 
I know that SD has a lottery for non resident waterfowl permits. From what I have been told and have learned is that you can put in for preference points your first year and basically get guaranteed for the second, which is what we are hoping for.

Tim, you recommend late October beginning of November? We don't want to get froze out, but if that means we have to hunt the fields in that area that would be fine, we could bring both water and field decoys. Just concerned about the opportunities to hunt fields in public areas if the potholes/sloughs get frozen.

Thanks

CJ
 
My reasons for saying late october or that first week of november is that I wouldn't come for the pheasant opener week. Sometimes a lot of crops are still in and if the area has pheasants they will be there all season. After mid november you run a risk of more then just small water freezing up, despite what this year might have been like. It is true that in 'normal' years most big lakes are open until at least thankgiving. Yeah there are going to be field opportunities, especially for geese, but very few of those are public. Some walk in areas are crop land but I don't know how many in that part of the state.

Yes later is better if you want big numbers of mallards. But that can be a short window and nobody can predict when that will be. There are going to be ducks around that part of the state all season. Should be about the time a lot of divers move through. It gets to be a game of luck if the weather will make it great or just good.

If you were from MN or IA I'd say come as late as you can, but when you travel half way across the country I'd come earlier. That is what I'm thinking.

Tim
 
Tim thanks for the advise. The last thing that I would want is to travel all that way and end up with no place to hunt!
 
Tim has lots of great advice. I too wouldn't one for the opener - too many placers for the pheasants to hide. Duck hunting is OK but not pheasants. I too would come late October - early November. The area you are looking at are good for ducks. Waubay Lake, Pickeral Lake etc are good duck hunting spots (all near Webster and many located near or on Indian Reservation Land) Some of these lakes are big bodies of water so be prepared for big waves if the wind is blowing. You also have the border lake are of Big Stone and Traverse but you will need to stay on the South Dakota side as border lakes on that side of MN are not shared.

Pheasant hunting last year was very tough unless you war further west than you are looking at and even south of where you are looking at. We hunted a few days and places that would normally hold many birds had none. Even our little honey hole where pheasants are almost guaranteed had little to no activity.

The winter this year has been non existent so maybe the birds can make a comeback. Depends upon spring showers.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Mark W
 
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