I know it is a while till next years spring turkey season but I have some questions about hunting the black hills in SD. A friend and I are planning on goin to SD for a turkey hunt and I need some help. Are there some specific places to go for a good hunt or can you just go to any random campground and just start hunting? What seems to be the better part of the season to hunt? It will be our first trip there to hunt and need as much help as possible. Any info to help me started in the right direction would be great.
Black Hills Turkey
- Thread starter Wapiti23
- Start date
pointingdogsrule
Well-known member
Within a 2 mile radius of Hill City are about 70% of the birds with in the Black Hills of SD (so I was told). Plenty a places to stay in Hill City (and campgrounds around). Get a national forest service map a start driving the back roads. Drive early in the AM and listen for gobbling then go after them. It is rough hunting... up and down hills. I asked a local and he gave me a pointer on where to find some birds. If it snows they will come out of the hills and feed in the pasture on horse hay... so look for a ranch.
Time of year? It all depends on if it snows.....which could happen anytime in the hills.
Custer also has some birds. I am not too familiar with that area.
NOTE: be careful of the back roads. I ran into a meth. lab set-up on a dead end road in the Nat. Foorest. Luckily we both ignored each other and went our seperate way
if you need anymore info PM me.
good luck to all
the dog
Time of year? It all depends on if it snows.....which could happen anytime in the hills.
Custer also has some birds. I am not too familiar with that area.
NOTE: be careful of the back roads. I ran into a meth. lab set-up on a dead end road in the Nat. Foorest. Luckily we both ignored each other and went our seperate way
if you need anymore info PM me.
good luck to all
the dog
T Bone
Well-known member
I just moved out of the Black Hills. My preferred area was out my back door......
The easy terrain/close to roads and ATV trails birds get killed or schooled quickly.
I preferred the North Hills area (Vanocker Rd out of Sturgis).
Put your boots on and start covering ground. You'll find plenty of birds.
The easy terrain/close to roads and ATV trails birds get killed or schooled quickly.
I preferred the North Hills area (Vanocker Rd out of Sturgis).
Put your boots on and start covering ground. You'll find plenty of birds.
mconway951
Active member
I have hunted there several years Hill City is the place to go. Go out Reno Gulch road and hit the forest service roads that go off of that I have only ever hunted the opener out there. they are usualy henned up real bad still at that time and dont respond to calls alot. they are real patternable at that time tho usually roost same place and do samething every morning. I have shot 4 toms in 4 yeats and of all of the guys that have gone only one didnt shoot a bird all those years but he had his chance just for got to change from skeet choke and didnt hit the bird at 40yds.
Crooked creek lodge is a great place to stay they have small cabins and camp sites or the best western cuts good deals for off season which i think if you get there before mem weekend that applies.
Good luck anything else just ask
Crooked creek lodge is a great place to stay they have small cabins and camp sites or the best western cuts good deals for off season which i think if you get there before mem weekend that applies.
Good luck anything else just ask
Sandhiller
New member
I hunt about 8 miles east of Hill City and there seems to be good number of birds. If you are looking for a place to stay we have cabins 4 miles north of keystone and we are bordered by Forest Service. If you want more information about a place to stay or where I have seen birds you can pm me.
TOM IN TENNESSEE
New member
Black Hills burds were too smart, too educated, too hunted, too apt to have snow for me, so I changed my hunting location to Meade Co plains birds and hunt private land with great success. "Outfitter" I use has the leases, his own land (he and hunting wife are third Generation SD) and hauls me to an area, puts me out and says go hunt'em! He will actually guide you if you wish. Room, board and a turkl burd for $850...3 1/2 days....add another burd for $250.....it is basically like hunting on your own but no interference from others and the birds are there. He only takes 10 hunters a year and leaves two weeks between bookings for five hunters only for each hunt. Good SD wheat farmers!
motroutfisher
New member
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2010
- Messages
- 3
I did a DIY hunt in the hills a few years ago. I called up the SD wildlife biologist and the "deer" guy actually gave me a ton of info because he had been out in the field and knew where some birds were. I hunted about 3 miles west of Custer and stayed in Custer Mountain cabins. The cabins were real nice and he rented them to us for a ridiculous price since it was the off season. Birds Gobbled like mad and were literally everywhere we went. I hunted the opener and it snowed the night before. The snow shut them down for the first day but after that front went through, it got hot. I actually enjoyed the snowy hunt for Turks. Be careful though, the roads get sticky with the moisture. PM me if you like more info. Good luck.
muleystalker
New member
Haveing lived here all my life and hunting birds in the hills.Truthfully for a good hunt with lots of birds and much fewer hunters. Head to the northen hills.just drive some of the gravel roads and listen for birds or if wet look for tracks along the road. Then start walking you'l find them. Yes I have hunted down around hill city. tons of birds and just as many hunters.The birds get call shy real fast. Hope this helps a little.
