mule deer in south dakota

If I was going to hunt in SD in October, I would have a shotgun for pheasants and an archery antelope tag as well. Both of you are going to drive past alot of antelope on the way to your hunting grounds.
 
couple more questions in the black hills do they have designated camping areas or how does the camping work in these areas.
 
First off, keep listening to T-Bone....he is RIGHT on the mark. I was born and raised in NW SD and have hunted both archery and rifle deer and antelope every year since I can remember. He is giving you good advice. There are multiple Forest Service campgrounds in the Black Hills and the Cuter National Forest lands TB is referring to. You can 'adhoc' camp in many areas, but the campgrounds will work too. As time approaches for you to go, PM me and I can give you some good info.

Hunting deer in this country is different than anywhere else. I hunt deer in multiple states every year, 100% DIY on a poor mans, public land budget and I can tell you there is no place like the short-grass prairie when it comes to finding good bucks. There are several tricks and tactics that are specific to this type of habitat. It is amazing how many people will hunt for a week and have few kill oportunities. You will have a blast. Heck, don't wait 2 years, get some archery tags and just go. Just sleep in your truck and hunt your butt off. Keep it simple and keep it about the hunt, not the 'stuff'. It does not need to be a complicated, expensive journey. The drive out will be the most expensive! Good luck! I tried to put a couple of my recent pics on, but I can't get my files small enough...oh well.
 
Hyjacking post for SD deer question

I have hunted SD a few times before but this question never came up till this year when we drew west river tags. I did draw a west river rifle tag so the question is can I buy an OTC archery tag and go scout and archery hunt my west river unit?????


Thank you
 
It's a separate tag, so you can get an archery tag, hunt, scout, kill a big buck and do it all again with a rifle tag.
 
All good info but we were hit VERY hard with EHD in 2013 and to a lesser extent 14 so be advised lots of recovery going on in many WR areas.
 
Anyone have any updates for Mulies in SD? Plan on drawing OTC archery and heading out in mid-December as this is the only time permitting hunt I can do with school. I'm really looking forward to the adventure of it all.
 
Wow! The ancient thread lives.

Are you experienced with cold weather? I ask because that time of year can be extreme.
 
We get cold here in Ohio. I'm sure it's not as cold as SD with the winds but I'm hoping for decent weather.
 
Don't overlook the River breaks some big bucks hide out in the breaks. Even though deer hunting has been done for a few weeks the birds hunters keep them hiding in the breaks
 
And FYI, where we hunt on public land in NW SD people don't just hunt from trucks. We walked WAY back, like over 2 miles from the road and set up in the dark. When the sun came up there were more orange hunters than brown deer!! This was opening weekend of rifle season in a rugged river breaks area.
 
Opening weekend can be crazy anywhere.

Hunt the next week or second weekend and it will be very different.
 
My father hunted the Black Hills in the 50's and shot great big bucks almost every year. When I tagged along as a kid in the late 60's they were smaller but plentiful, it is COLD in the Winter in SD, the coldest conditions I've seen and we hunt above 10,000 ft in Colorado in November every year. I'm hoping to hunt there when I retire. Dad liked the truck for hunting but the cousins logged some miles even back then.
 
DHaffner said:
If I was going to hunt in SD in October, I would have a shotgun for phheasants and an archery antelope tag as well. Both of you are going to drive past alot of antelope on the way to your hunting grounds.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't buy an archery antelope tag if I went out pheasant hunting. By the time pheasants open, the antelope rifle season has been open and closed so the goats would be spooky. I'd go grouse hunting a week before rifle goat season and then buy a bow tag for them. Just my two cents.
 
OHIOOutdoors2 said:
We get cold here in Ohio. I'm sure it's not as cold as SD with the winds but I'm hoping for decent weather.
Click to expand...

Ha! If you don't get snowed in until spring when you get back to Ohio you will want to put on shorts and a tank top! Back in 2012 first week of rifle season, which is mid November, it got down to a balmy -8.
 
First week in October a few years ago we had a blizzard so bad it locked everything down. 8 ft drifts, thousands upon thousands of dead cattle. Weather in SD can be unreal.
 
I am not saying don't go, I am just telling you what can happen. Last year you could hunt in a T shirt first week of gun season. I have archery hunted in mid October and it was warm, only saw one decent buck, and ended up shooting a doe the next to the last day. Make sure you bring tire chains!
 
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