July 1st, 2024, State of Upland Birds in South Dakota
Provided by: Dakota Pheasant Guide
I can resoundingly report that the State of our State, is great…
Sounds political, and even as attractive as our Governor may be, we are talking all natural, real deal plumage here. After all, the Chinese Ringneck Pheasant is our State Bird and unquestionably the most beautiful fowl to hunt. Toughing it out over all these years and enduring whichever way the prairie or political winds (farm programs) are blowing.
They do not have time for all the nonsense. They have been far too busy surviving and thankfully thriving over the last century plus. With a decided upswing the last several years as the stars have lined up for the third successive and successful hatch in a row.
Lots of exciting developments to report:
Weather is continuously the first topic to enter the conversation as it relates to our Roosters. With Winter always being the major factor that determines what we begin each Spring with for breeding stock. And ultimately, what our hunting prospects will be.
For 2023/24 we basically experienced no winter whatsoever…
One small cold snap in early January was all that we, and the birds, had to contend with. With zero stress endured to date, they easily shook it off as the Fall was incredibly mild with no snow and continually near or record-breaking temperatures.
Once this Arctic front blew through, it was smooth sailing the rest of the way. With a brown winter and even more welcome balmy weather, the buffet table was fully set with limitless feeding opportunities. It also allowed the birds to be more spread out, as they did not need to be confined to just the heavy winter cover. Thus, less concentrated for the predators to pick on.
An equally bountiful buffet line full of furry little mammals was laid out for the carnivores that typically survive on a winter diet rich in pheasant dinners. Rabbits and mice found the weather conducive to being active and therefore easily accessible to all predators. Not hibernating under feet of snow-and frozen ground. Thus, greatly reducing the stress load that our birds normally endure.
So, we entered the breeding season with the complete survival of our already strong bird numbers. Spring proved to be equally mild with plenty of love in the air. In my over 50 years of observing the ups and downs, good and not as good with our birds, I have never seen hens in such great condition. As there was no snow to melt, they were up and active on the roads well ahead of schedule. All of them fluffy, puffy and pretty. Rivalling the size of a nearly colored out young rooster. And well, the roosters quickly found them to be as attractive as I did. Meaning early breeding and subsequent nesting.
Please note that what I am describing is just not in one or two lucky locations. The reports are consistent from our landowners in all areas of the State. It is a bit rare for conditions to be so conducive over such a widespread area. Believe me, this is a blessing we are darn sure going to capitalize on. Sharing the South Dakota Bounty with as many enthusiastic guests as possible.
We were wet last Fall with perfectly timed rains in early Spring to kick start all the vegetation. Ideal nesting conditions quickly ensued with hens hastily getting into action. As the broods began hatching, the little ones benefited from already present overhead cover from the ever menacing and always overpopulated airborne avian predators. The quick cover was also perfect for darting and dodging ground bound predators. We must also factor in that the bunnies and mice have also found the conditions ripe for reproduction and we all know what bunnies are good at… Therefore, providing ample food sources and helping to take the target off the backs of our beautiful birds.
Early nests equal big broods.
I can verify this is the case as we are just now starting to see them exploding up out of the ample vegetation. With full flight capabilities! I absolutely cannot recall broods this far along in development at this stage. Their chance at surviving to maturity has now dramatically increased. Thus, we will have big numbers of 1st year roosters that are full sized and completely colored out by opening day. Backed by a very strong population of 2nd year roosters who will now be sporting some respectable spurs. Followed by a vigorous population of the cagey 3rd season, sharp-spurred and quite long tailed survivalists. There is absolutely nothing better than watching a seasoned dog go paw to claw with one of these escape artists and literally get led around by the nose until the bird dives deep in cover for a solid point or runs out of cover options and flushes.
Bugs beyond belief or relief.
To the point of making one of my favorite summer activities, country dog walks (just like hunting without the shots and retrieves) nearly unbearable. Kind of a grin and bear it scenario as the insects are a definite plus in the protein department for the quickly maturing chicks. The instant and always accessible protein will just quicken the pace of maturation and in turn, predator evasion. Until we show up with dogs that are quite eager to match wits with them.
At this point, they have cleared all the major hurdles enroute to surviving to fall. Just in time for our guests to arrive and witness what we are so fortunate to have grown up in and around our entire lives. I can confidently predict some of the best bird numbers in my lifetime. Rivalling and perhaps even equaling or let’s hope – surpassing the early 2000’s and the height of CRP acres.
Expanded CRP acres are the first thing our repeat guests will notice on our hunting grounds.
The government programs have become much more palatable and profitable for our farm producers. The additional CRP lands will nicely complement our ongoing and uncompromising efforts to continue to offer what we feel are the most traditional hunts possible.
The partnership between Pheasants Forever and South Dakota Game Fish and Parks has been gaining traction for years. They have been extremely generous in providing advice via Private Lands Biologists as well as hard resources. Such as seed for food and pollinator plots and assistance navigating ever changing farm programs. Opening opportunities to enroll more CRP Acres as well as ever important thermal cover in the form of new tree plantings. We and many other outfitters and producers are now becoming more educated as to the myriads of conservation-minded programs that are available.
You will see a marked improvement in CRP acres and ever valuable food plots in your fall trips throughout the area this season. I believe with enough education and spreading the facts, the tide is turning for more balanced agricultural practices. Promoting activities that benefit our birds as well as the farmers’ bottom line is what allows us to keep our traditions, and quite frankly, our small rural communities alive.
This is far more than a passion for us, it really is in our blood. Spink County is the birthplace of pheasant hunting in the United States with our County Seat of Redfield holding the official distinction of Pheasant Capitol of the World. The very first successful release of this most welcome invasive species took place in 1908. They soon took hold and populated the area with the first one day season limited to Spink County held in 1919. As they say, the rest is history. Our history and heritage continue to this day with our guests hunting the very spot where it all began. You can check out all here in our Pheasantennial Episode of Focus Outdoors TV that commemorated the 100th Anniversary Season >>
Welcome Additions for this Season:
New Lodge/Headquarters in Mellette, SD is fully functional for 2024.
Growing pains are well, painful and we endured plenty of that in 2023. I would like to personally thank our guests for their patience as we dealt with the construction last season. Basically, the more satisfying part of final decorations and interior additions are the only remaining items. Permitting us to be much more organized, on point – yes pun intended – and always ready to perform for our guests.
New Lodging Locations have been secured.
Giving us the opportunity to entertain more hunters. While providing our guests with clean comfortable quarters in which to relax.
Multiple new leases for 2024 have been acquired.
We are continually taking on new land to provide our growing base of guests with even more variety and views of our Eastern South Dakota farmlands interspersed with prime cover and habitat. And of course, plenty of pheasants.
We have now embarked on the most exciting addition since the inception of Dakota Pheasant Guide.
As we are intimately aware and involved in the ever-evolving nature of agriculture, our landowner partners have now fully embraced conservation minded farming practices-such as no-till and precision farming becoming the norm. Thus, grain farming has made inroads into the more arid rangelands to our west. Aided by vast improvements in agronomy and seed genetics, crops can now be successfully grown in areas that just 25 years ago would have been a fool’s folly.
The pheasants being proven opportunistic survivors have naturally followed the equipment west and have themselves firmly established in areas where just a meagre few were present in past years. We have been watching the progression and population explosions aided by the perfect mix of crop and rangeland. Therefore, in a sweeping and much anticipated and sought after motion, we have now acquired extensive and expansive leases West of the Missouri River.
For those not familiar with West River, South Dakota, the region is characterized by its rugged and varied terrain, providing hunters with an exhilarating and challenging experience. The expansive prairies, interspersed with rolling hills, steep bluffs, and rocky buttes, create a picturesque backdrop that enhances the thrill of the hunt. The diversity of habitats supports robust populations of game birds, ensuring a dynamic and engaging hunt.
Whether navigating through tall grasses in search of pheasants or scanning the virgin prairie horizon for prairie grouse, the stunning landscape and abundant wildlife make for an unforgettable hunting adventure. Pointing dog fans will immediately fall in love with being able to observe their dogs in full view as they scour the prairie in search of solid points. Dakota Pheasant Guide not only offers an opportunity to test your skills against multiple upland species, but also immerses you in the breathtaking natural beauty of South Dakota’s prairies. A stunning South Dakota sunset over the rugged and rangy horizon after an eventful day chasing numerous upland birds is something that thankfully, can never be duplicated. It simply must be witnessed firsthand to be truly appreciated. Other than admiration for our hunts, the sunsets are the most revered and commented on aspect of the whole memory making experience.
The normally much more arid western regions have benefited from the open Winter that led into a wet Spring with consistent and plentiful rains. This will help blow up the already high populations of all the Upland bird species we witnessed last season. More land with a unique terrain and feel that is full of pheasants. Yes! Sharptailed Grouse, Greater Prairie Chickens, Hungarian Partridge and even untouched Doves? Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! We now have the option for a true five-bird upland bonanza for our guests. Check out https://dakotapheasantguide.com/packages/other-upland-hunts/ to learn more.
Want to take a shot at some waterfowl feeding in wheat and milo stubble or newly planted winter wheat west of the River? Apply for your non-resident waterfowl tag here and choose the High Plains option for even more West River action. Bring a rifle or two and tune up your long-distance skills poking a few of our prairie dogs or try your hand at calling in some undisturbed and uneducated plains coyotes. Our ranchers would greatly appreciate it. Night vision is now legal in South Dakota, so you can put all your resources into working against the overpopulated menace.
As the pheasant range is expanding, it is only fitting that as an outfitter, we head west as well. Providing not only more opportunities for Pheasants but also the currently abundant populations of sharpies, chickens and huns. Although a bit of an invasion into their wide-open grasslands, the prairie grouse are taking a liking to additional food sources provided by the newly planted acres and can often be found feeding on the edges of crop fields.
Furthermore, you can take aim at the prairie birds at sunrise. Thus, giving you a little more time in the fields before you can put pheasants into the mix at 10:00 A.M. Limits of Prairie Grouse (greater prairie chickens and sharptailed grouse) is a combination of 3 per day. If you are to get into Hungarian Partridge, you can add 5 of these to your bag per day. If you want to rest your legs and yet warm your barrel even more, relax for an evening run of mourning doves for another 15 birds per person. Or get aggressive and figure out a morning mallard or Canada goose feed for some sunrise shooting. Options are nearly endless.
So, with some good dog work, effort put in and good shooting, you could end up with 3 Pheasants, 3 Prairie Grouse, 5 Huns and 15 Doves. 26 upland birds in a day are a distinct possibility. Add in some waterfowl to up your shooting prospects if you like. Few hunters have had the opportunity – nor the quality of land on which to pull off something this remarkable in a single day.
While lodging is somewhat limited due to the remote locations of the western properties, we provide recommendations that will ensure a comfortable and enjoyable stay. If you have an RV, I encourage you using it. We are in the process of building an RV site for that very purpose.
More Big Bag Limits:
During the entire month of September, our early season East River Non-Resident September Canada Goose Reduction Season allows you to knock down 15 every morning. No special applications or permits are required. Our resident Goose Guy, Alex Worlie, and associates have a wide network and work diligently to stay on the best feeds. And subsequently, the best shoots for our goose loving guests. Plus, you can stay in a stationary mindset in the evenings and take aim at a 15 bird Mourning Dove limit. Visit https://dakotapheasantguide.com/packages/waterfowl/ and https://dakotapheasantguide.com/packages/dove-hunts/ for details.
During the traditional fall waterfowl seasons, we conduct hunts in addition to our guided pheasant hunts. We approach each day from the perspective of what will provide our dual hunting guests with the most enjoyment – based upon current conditions. If the guys have an ass-kicking mallard feed scoped out, then that’s where you will be. If not, you may be “forced” to shoot a limit of Roosters. Not a bad fallback position from either direction.
Please be aware to take advantage of traditional East River Waterfowl seasons, non-residents need to make applications for permits before July 8th and can do so here. You will want to choose the Low Plains North option.
The Mixed Bag Upland, Non-Resident Canada Goose and Traditional Waterfowl packages offer diverse hunting experiences and prove to be the most cost-effective, action filled and rewarding trip any bird hunter could ever hope for.
Now, in full disclosure what I have relayed is written from an Outfitters Perspective. By no means do you need the services of a guide or access to private land to be successful in this area. There are plenty of public options. South Dakota Game Fish and Parks www.sdgfp.com has a very nice app that shows it all and the various designations.
If you would like to get the real low down on all thing’s pheasant and hunting in our area, HUNTFISHSD is your best resource. It is part of the Aberdeen Convention Visitors Bureau which of course, promotes our area. HUNTFISHSD does a great job of showcasing all our outdoor resources and much more, particularly conservation efforts and our publicly accessible land assets. I would sum it up as a preserve, enhance and increase philosophy that can be witnessed with the inception and efforts of the Aberdeen Pheasant Coalition that directly led to Pheasant Forever’s Public Access to Habitat (PATH) program. If you are conservation-minded, you will want to check this out and perhaps implement the concept in your area.
It can sometimes be a bit intimidating venturing into new hunting grounds. This is another role where the HuntFishSD staff can help you with the many aspects of experiencing a successful hunt. Assistance with finding appropriate lodging, options for eating, local vets and emergency numbers, etc. They will get you headed in the right direction, no matter what you need. Even pointing you to approved outfitters, such as myself…
I will end this report by appropriately stressing the fact that the absolute best pheasant hunting you will ever experience is well after the majority of (fair weather) hunters have packed it in and have relegated their dogs to doing little more than parlor tricks in the living room. Do your dogs and yourself a favor. Get some high-quality base layers, a mid-weight boot – heavy boots will have you sweating immediately, and the extra weight and bulk quickly become tiresome.
Throw in some high-quality thin gloves and a good vest such as the Chief Upland offerings. Avoid heavy and clumsy gloves at all costs. They make it very difficult to hold the gun properly and getting into the trigger guard is restricted and dangerous at best. The option of a vest versus a heavy coat with a game bag goes hands down to the vest. The heavy coat will have you bound up, not mounting the gun properly and flat out consistently missing-even close flushes. The vest allows you to layer your core, giving you freedom of movement, and even more internal warmth.
I incorporate a good insulating vest over my base layers, then insulated hunting pants and follow up with a sweatshirt or two and if windy or extremely cold, a light to mid-weight coat that sheds wind to wrap it up. This configuration will keep you quite warm, but not sweating. If so, just eliminate a sweatshirt, vest and or coat and you will have adjusted perfectly.
The beauty of this system is that the emphasis is on your core, thus leaving your shoulders and arms to move freely, permitting you to swiftly down the birds to reach your bag limit. Translating into a quicker return to the lodge for your choice of warming liquids and aiming fluid and less dirty looks from your hunting partners and particularly the dogs. The humans may even become vocal about it as the artificial warmth starts to settle in…
I would like to wrap up by thanking all our past guests for their steadfast and loyal support over the years. As long as they grace us and keep coming back, we will continue in our efforts to improve the entire experience. Furthermore, I extend an open invitation for new hunting partners to join us in what is shaping up to be another bountiful season. There is no better time to start your own South Dakota annual traditions trip than right now.
Please take some time to peruse the entire Dakota Pheasant Guide website as all your hunting options are spelled out in detail. In addition, there is a plethora of useful, insightful and learned in the field information to digest. It will aid in your hunting efforts and give you a good feel for us and what to expect from us. We always strive to determine that we will have a good fit amongst Outfitter, Guides and Guests before any hunt is booked. Ensuring that all parties are satisfied and enjoying not only the hunting, but just as importantly, the shared camaraderie. At all times feel free to call 605-887-7069 and have a conversation with Dennis. He will spend the time needed asking and answering questions to guarantee that all expectations are exceeded.
After all, our motto sums it all up nicely.
