It’s hot and heavy into whitetail season here in the Northeast, but there are some other awesome hunting adventures available during the fall. Chronicles pro-staffer, Shawn D wanted to share a great hunting story from his recent South Dakota Pheasant trip. Please enjoy his written account from his traditional bird hunt out west.
“South Dakota is a magical place where the pheasants thrive and shot gun barrels stay hot! Two weeks ago, I went on the annual South Dakota Pheasant hunt (PheasantFest) for the 12th year running. I flew out of Boston Wednesday morning to be picked up by my Dad and the crew in Minneapolis where we drove another 4.5 hours to Northern Plains Outfitter in Athol, South Dakota. (http://www.northernplainsoutfitters.com)
If you have ever been to South Dakota, you will know that it is the pheasant capital of the United States. This year there was a projected 40% increase in pheasant being tracked across the state. With a warm and dry spring and summer, the local guides said that they were seeing third hatch amongst the pheasant population. Which I can attest to, seeing plenty of young or immature birds as well as seasoned birds with long tails and spurs.
Overall, it’s a great experience to be out with friends and family. There was plenty of CRP (Conservation Reserve Program) grasslands where pheasant like to nest and live without having too much pressure from local predators such as coyotes. There was still some standing feed corn where you can let your dog’s run loose popping them out as they feed as well. We have three German Shorthair pointers (which in my opinion is the best upland bird dog money can buy) that have great hunting instincts in their blood.
My recommendations if you are planning your next pheasant hunting trip out in the Midwest, is bring plenty of guys to block and wing, plenty of shells, and some good bird dogs to find and retrieve your game. Having enough guys walking in a straight line prevents the birds from running behind you and having blockers at the end of the field prevent them from running out before they flush. Be sure to zig-zag as well if you don’t have enough to cover every corner they might be sitting.
Lastly, BE SAFE! Know where everyone is at all times and communicate. Everyone will be fully armed and the last thing you want is to load someone up with a bunch of bird shot. Especially if you are getting close to the end of the field, the blockers will be very close and you want to make sure your shots are above 45 degrees and not in the line of fire of someone else. Remember, you can always find another bird, you can’t replace your friends face if acting recklessly. This will ensure a successful hunt and loads of fun for shooters and dog handlers.”
Thanks for the great article Shawn. If you have any questions about this post, please email us at greenlakechronicles@gmail.com. Be sure to check out our Facebook and Instagram pages for more pictures!
-Michael
Green Lake Chronicles 