South Dakota Pheasants

[BrentD]

I have a need to go to Buffalo County in extreme northwest South Dakota. It is a haul from here, but might be worthwhile if there was some decent pheasant hunting to do in that part of the state. Can anyone direct me to sources of info on bird hunting in that region? I'm not finding much on Google.

Thanks

 

[Salmonchaser]

Not sure about the NW corner but on your way through, the grasslands and the area south of Pierre has always been worth the drive from Oregon. Quite a bit of public ground there.

 

[BrentD]

Yes, I'm thinking I need to consider not the destination so much as the travel in between. The more I think (I am 10 minutes into this now), the more I like the idea of a late season road trip with Gus.

 

[Chad Gus]

There's a town called buffalo in harding county in northwest corner of south dakota, if that's where you're referring to then look up Dakota79 on here, he lives in that area and is usually pretty good about answering questions about that area

 

[BrentD]

Yup. Buffalo is where I'm headed. I'll send him a note.

Thanks.

 

[Wild Bill]

Not much for pheasants up in that country. Plenty of sharptail though. If you want to get into pheasants you'd probably be a little better off heading further west into Perkins or Corson counties, that is if you're planning on staying west of the river. Plenty of better opportunities east of the river, but obviously further.

 

[warmer]

Yup. Buffalo is where I'm headed. I'll send him a note.

Thanks.

The million dollar question, "Why would anyone go to Buffalo, SD?".

 

[BrentD]

The million dollar question, "Why would anyone go to Buffalo, SD?".

It is a long story but I own some land there. just west of Buffalo.

 

[Dakota79]

Yes I am in the area. I'm not sure where your land is west of Buffalo but you are not going to find many pheasants around there. If you go on the east side of the county you well start running into them. The west side of the county is mostly ranching while the east side of the county you well start running into more farm country and more pheasants. Give me a shout and I will try to help you out.

 

[TheBenHoyle]

I'm not familiar with the northwest corner of the state but on the family farm in the northeast corner there is a lot of sloughs holding water that hasn't been there in years past. That water is holding a lot of waterfowl. Might consider going after ducks and geese.

 

[BrentD]

Ben, aren't those ducks already frozen out by now? I would think they are in Kansas this morning.

 

[TheBenHoyle]

Ben, aren't those ducks already frozen out by now? I would think they are in Kansas this morning.

That's a good question. I would ask my uncle about it, but keep in mind this is closer to Aberdeen, which is nearly 300 miles east of where you are going. I'm not sure if it is as wet in that corner of the state.

 

[wihunter12]

NE corner is very wet, but I bet all but the big water is locked tight and for non residents waterfowl in that area is a draw that happens in July.

 

[rwc101]

Where I hunt south of Pierre had tons of ponds and flooded areas I've never seen hold water before.

 

[TheBenHoyle]

NE corner is very wet, but I bet all but the big water is locked tight and for non residents waterfowl in that area is a draw that happens in July.

Couple years ago I was able to get a waterfowl license even though I had missed the lottery. I was hunting on private land, but the waterfowl license was good for public or private county-wide. It's worth looking into if you ever find yourself in South Dakota after the lottery has gone by.

 

[wihunter12]

Couple years ago I was able to get a waterfowl license even though I had missed the lottery. I was hunting on private land, but the waterfowl license was good for public or private county-wide. It's worth looking into if you ever find yourself in South Dakota after the lottery has gone by.

Good to know, thanks.

We were near Aberdeen this Fall and the amount of water in some spots where there normally isn't water was hard to believe.

 

[BrentD]

I'll probably be there after the season is closed and the water a bit stiff. I don't see this happening before the middle of December. Years ago, however, there was a nice small flock of mallards on the pond on the property when I visited.

 

[TheBenHoyle]

I'll probably be there after the season is closed and the water a bit stiff. I don't see this happening before the middle of December. Years ago, however, there was a nice small flock of mallards on the pond on the property when I visited.

What ever you work out. Let us know how it goes.

 

[cedahm]

I'll probably be there after the season is closed and the water a bit stiff. I don't see this happening before the middle of December.

We just returned last night from our annual trip to the Mobridge area (150 miles or so east of Buffalo but may be on your route over). 'Wet' is an understatement. Most of our normal slough complexes were un-huntable. We got a little lucky in that one of our landowner contacts was finally able to get some combining done Friday and Saturday which moved entire sections worth of birds into the adjoining grass at two separate fields and 90% of our birds came out of those.

December should be very good relatively speaking. We are planning to go back around Xmas.

The guys we talked to that were hunting majority Public were having a tough time even accessing most of those spots.

The bright spot was that there are plenty of birds. But with the huge amounts of water and so much corn still standing, accessing them is difficult.

 

[Chad Gus]

the Mobridge area (150 miles or so east of Buffalo

My grandparents on my dad's side were born and raised in that area, still have alot family out there