South Dakota Hunters

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Dec 4, 2012
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Hey fellas, I am new to the forum and was just looking for other SD hunters.

I am from Menno, SD and am currently a Biology major at USD. Hunting and fishing are absolutely my greatest passions and I am thankful South Dakota offers so much of both.

This year has been one of the roughest of both that I have experienced. The epicenter of EHD in the southeast part of the state has really left its mark on the local deer herd. The walleye bite was about average for me, but in comparison to 2011 it was really slow. The counties I am most familiar with are Gregory, Day, Yankton and Hutchinson.

Where do you guys hail from?
 
Here has been my season so far. I took a muley on public land with my rifle and harvested a doe with my bow at the end of October. I havent scored the buck yet, but I am thinking he will go somewhere in the 130s or 140s. I still have an archery buck tag, which has been really hard to fill. Passing on a lot of immature bucks so far and the low deer sightings is probably going to have me eating tag soup.

To cope with the EHD, I have turned to goose hunting. I like this new hobby, but it doensnt quite fill the void of sitting in a treestand. However, it was really cool to get a banded speckled goose. Hopefully over Christmas break I can get some more time chasing whitetails with the bow.

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Welcome to the site. I'm from Sioux Falls and familiar with Gregory, Turner & Kingsbury Counties.But mostly hunt Gregory & Turner any more. Great site, you'll enjoy.
 
blue devil said:
Welcome to the site. I'm from Sioux Falls and familiar with Gregory, Turner & Kingsbury Counties.But mostly hunt Gregory & Turner any more. Great site, you'll enjoy.
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Being an archery hunter around Sioux Falls would be a nightmare. So many guys, so little deer land to go around.
 
I live in Hot Springs, SD. I filled my rifle tag with a decent 4x4 out on the grasslands. I'm still working on filling my archery tag, missed a forty yard shot on a nice 5x5 in early October then some archery boys from Sioux Falls spoiled my stock by walking in past me when sitting 100 yards away from 5-6 bucks. Worst public land hunting experience I have ever had. I flagged both the hunters, one of them stopped and ducked down the other blew me off and walked right up to the spot they were all bedded down even though I pointed to where they were (must have been his first time spot and stalking). Long story short, he blew them out of the area and were not seen on public land again since that day. I spoke with one of the Sioux Falls guys afterwards and he was very nice and apologetic about his friend. But, it's public land...it's gonna happen.
 
WyOpitz said:
I live in Hot Springs, SD. I filled my rifle tag with a decent 4x4 out on the grasslands. I'm still working on filling my archery tag, missed a forty yard shot on a nice 5x5 in early October then some archery boys from Sioux Falls spoiled my stock by walking in past me when sitting 100 yards away from 5-6 bucks. Worst public land hunting experience I have ever had. I flagged both the hunters, one of them stopped and ducked down the other blew me off and walked right up to the spot they were all bedded down even though I pointed to where they were (must have been his first time spot and stalking). Long story short, he blew them out of the area and were not seen on public land again since that day. I spoke with one of the Sioux Falls guys afterwards and he was very nice and apologetic about his friend. But, it's public land...it's gonna happen.
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I am really anxious to get out on a spot and stalk hunt. I have been chasing muleys on public land for about five years successfully so I am ready to try it with the bow. My expectations would be pretty low, but it would be an experience.
 
WyOpitz, please don't judge us all from Sioux Falls, by the stupidity of one. That's that's what happens on public land. too bad one of the hunters wasn't considerate.
 
Nice looking deer welcome to the site, I hunt outside of Hill City just about every spring for turkeys and have hunted antelope and deer up by buffalo in the past but that was back in like 2007 before all of the winter kills started and hunting was good. I would love to do a black hills deer hunt one of the years i keep getting pref points but just never find the time with the other hunts i do in other states.
Good luck with that archery tag let us know how you do.
 
blue devil said:
WyOpitz, please don't judge us all from Sioux Falls, by the stupidity of one. That's that's what happens on public land. too bad one of the hunters wasn't considerate.
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I live, work, hunt deer and pheasants in Turner co. Have to say, when someone does something stupid , it is usually a local. The SF guys are just looking for a place to do the same thing I am doing. With 98% private land it is hard to squeeze everybody else on to the public spots without some difference of opinion.
 
Welcome to the site, I hate to admit it but I'm also from Soo Foo. I don't have a 1 on my plates for the simple reason when you head out west it doesn't help at all. I do most of my hunting in Perkins, and Mead counties. It was a bad year this year as first we had freezing rain and then a few inches of snow. crunch crunch. Still a good time to get away with good friends and wear off some boot leather.
 
Very Unique Buck! Congrats!! Day Co.,...? That got my attention!! INCREDIBLE Walleye fishing!! I spend a good portion of the month of June there. Hope to be back up there ice fishing soon. Good luck with the rest of your season.
 
Muskeez said:
Very Unique Buck! Congrats!! Day Co.,...? That got my attention!! INCREDIBLE Walleye fishing!! I spend a good portion of the month of June there. Hope to be back up there ice fishing soon. Good luck with the rest of your season.
Click to expand...

I have a cabin on a lake in Day county. The walleye fishing was okay this summer, nothing like it was in 2011 with the high water. The pike fishing was great though. What lakes are you familiar with up there?

Next hunting season I will be trying a muzzleloader refuge hunt up there as well at the Waubay National Refuge.
 
I am not an SD hunter, but my daughter attends USD.

I was on a run south of town and there was some public land (I spotted 9 deer that morning). But that would have been late Aug when we moved her in. I am sure that ground has been hammered.

Thanks for checking in.
 
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