I am thinking about planning a trip to hunt pheasants in South Dakota during the opening week of the pheasant season.I will be driveing from Ohio and will be hunting public hunting areas and Walk on hunting areas.I have never hunted South Dakota before and was wondering what type of hunting pressure that I would run into hunting these areas? I was wondering if there would be enough hunting ground to hunt with the other hunters hunting the opening week? Thanks

John,

I would agree with waiting until the second or third weekend only if your 100% set on hunting walk-in/public lands. There will be A LOT!! of hunters and the birds will know this! They are not stupid and will run...hide...and do everything they can not to fly. If you would like to have a more productive hunting experience it would probably be useful to look into hunting private ground....your more likely to bag your limit and have an all around better hunting trip. We actually take people out at our family farm and we raise hunting dogs so we have a lot of experience with this...also this way it's easier for you to decide a time to go hunting....if you would be interested feel free to call me and maybe you could join up with some of our hunters.....605-770-6781..... Kelly

Posted By John Seward on 05 Feb 2010 04:12 PM

I am thinking about planning a trip to hunt pheasants in South Dakota during the opening week of the pheasant season.I will be driveing from Ohio and will be hunting public hunting areas and Walk on hunting areas.I have never hunted South Dakota before and was wondering what type of hunting pressure that I would run into hunting these areas? I was wondering if there would be enough hunting ground to hunt with the other hunters hunting the opening week? Thanks

 

John, I would even consider waiting until first few weelks in Nov.  Temps cool down, corn starts coming out and hunting pressure is way down.  Most corn is not ALL out until Thanksigiving week.  The hunting overall was really frustrating the first few weeks to to slow corn harvest.