SD Pheasant

Our lodge/outfitter just fell through for this coming fall South Dakota pheasant season. The group I am planning the trip with is 3 dads and their 4 teens (2 boys/2girls) + 2 dogs. We are a very laid back group and don't need palatial accommodations, but do want clean accommodations, a guide with a few good dogs and access to decent hunting fields. Any recommendations of a good alternative lodge/outfitter for SD Pheasants? Thanks.

I don't know how set you are on going to South Dakota but a good option is to do a DIY trip to NE Montana. Plenty of birds and public land. I also know a guide based out of Ely, Minnesota who also runs a pheasant hunting lodge in South Dakota. Never hunted with him but I once worked for a business owned by his wife. Seemed like a pretty good guy the few times I met him but I don't know his prices. Happy Hunting! http://www.elyfishingguide.com/pheasant-adventures/

Why not do a DIY hunt? you have dogs, so you don't really need a guide for pheasant hunting. I have done it (DIY) many times in SD, ND, and MT. The birds you get on a DIY hunt will be appreciated that much more! If you would like to consider this, PM me and I will give a you a few ideas.

I echo MNElkNut. I live here and hunt public grounds 95%+ of the time for 12-16 days a year. A benefit of being able to hunt weekends and close to home. So much land with easy access. Anywhere far away (80-100 miles?) from I-90 north/south towards the middle of the state has birds. Last few years have been pretty rough on numbers but they are still there. Dogs and good legs are just more important now. Grouse (sharps and chickens) are doing well. Huns are coming around a little too. I don't know much about bird numbers for North Dakota and Montana.

I have not been to this place but it sounds like it might work for you.
http://doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=507976#Post507976

MNElkNut said:

Why not do a DIY hunt? you have dogs, so you don't really need a guide for pheasant hunting. I have done it (DIY) many times in SD, ND, and MT. The birds you get on a DIY hunt will be appreciated that much more! If you would like to consider this, PM me and I will give a you a few ideas.

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Planning DIY for WY antelope for myself, son and son-in-law. But with this particular group there is a desire to hunt private to limit other hunters and the driving around finding stuff. Dont' need a guide, just want the private access -- also need a few extra dogs to mix in if it is warm.

VikingsGuy said:

Planning DIY for WY antelope for myself, son and son-in-law. But with this particular group there is a desire to hunt private to limit other hunters and the driving around finding stuff. Dont' need a guide, just want the private access -- also need a few extra dogs to mix in if it is warm.

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If you have dogs and just need access/lodging, check out https://www.uguidesdpheasants.com

We used Chris a couple of times on last minute small group hunts when he was first starting out in the mid 2000s and had a good experience. His camps have nice lodging and ample private ground at about half the price of a guided lodge. Plus you can hunt the voluminous public access as well.

Caveat that it has been a long time - we have been hunting our friends place (and other properties we have gotten access to) in N Central SD for some time now, but Chris’ places are usually booked out with repeats every year. He may be booked for most of this season already.

If you go after the first 2-3 weekends, it is still very feasible to knock on doors and get access, so long as you follow btweeedy’s advice and get away from I90 and away from the ‘pheasant hotspot towns’ (Winner, et al).