DIY South Dakota Pheasant

SD has a pretty good app that shows public lands compared to your location on the map. Be aware of the different types of walk in areas (some require steel shot). I prefer to visit the areas not located on major highways or paved roads. I also like areas with cattails/ponds (you’ll likely need steel shot in these areas) and areas with cedars or wind breaks.

Get as far away from people
City’s as possible but look at the best production numbers in the SD booklet hit the public land keep the dog on a lead for a while wild pheasant won’t hold well long for pointing and pheasant would rather run than fly. Be quite, before you get to the area be ready guns gear dog so you just ease out of the truck and start hunting don’t slam doors they spook easy. They like ditches cedar rows of cover. You have plenty of walk in areas don’t pay anyone to hunt. Get a Delorme South Dakota atlas it will have the land in sections numbered that’s how you find the land, that it corresponds with the hunting guide also. FYI a section of land is 1 ² mile 640 acres and every section has a number and sign on the road so that you are not trespassing very easy to navigate be aware of north south east west that sounds simple you would be surprised. That’s some good area there you should get plenty of birds. I would take a side trip on your way up hang a left in Omaha Go to the Samuel Mecklvie national forrest for grouse not much pressure on the birds there then go north hit the grass lands in South Dakota more grouse for the setter to get on and point. Have fun sorry this was just run on sentences and rambling have fun