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SD Pheasant


Matt D

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timb is right Cathy, that was just with 4 of us hunting, earlier in the week there were 13 of us hunting, we shot 39 birds (all wild birds), starting at 10:00 the legal shooting hour, finished at 1:30.

 

It was not uncommon to see 100-150 come out of 5 acre cain patch.

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^^ Great picture!… Thanks for posting.

 

But… no stories… no details at all… :(

 

How about some embellishment… opinions about the various guns (autoloaders, pumps, O/U, S/S), shot-loads (4’s, 5's, 6’s), dogs (retrievers, pointers, flushing dogs), etc.

 

With a dozen shooters, you typically see about half that shoot about 80% of the birds. I'm sure you don't want to offend your companions, but I'm wondering about the validitity of my statment for your group.

 

--Spike

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Spike

You asked me to embellish some:

 

This season in South Dakota was one of best I have been in 15 plus years of hunting in that wonderful state. By the way, pheasant season is not the only time to visit South Dakota, mid July when the wheat is golden and sunflowers are full on, the sights are truely breath taking. If you haven't seen a sunflower field 2 miles wide and 8 miles long in full color you have not seen America.

 

Guns used where of all makes, modles and gauges. One fellow hunted with a Winchester modle 12 he bought in 1965, another a Browning Sweet 16, I a SBE II.

 

Dogs ranged from Labs & German Shorthairs.

 

As for the shooters, as you know pheasant hunting is luck of the draw, one push you can block and get all the shooting and one push you can be in the middle and get all the shooting. Having hunted with this group for 6-7 years (a couple guys 10 plus years) everyone is an accomplished hunter and shooter.

 

To end the story, if you are a pheasant hunter or have the desire to be one, go to South Dakota, if you are atheist it will change your mind, but sorry to say I won't tell where I hunt.

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Matt,

Thanks for more info and details. I agree that SD pheasant hunting is very good this year. In fact it reminds me of the early 1960’s when numbers were very high due to favorable weather and the “Soil Bank Program” (similar to the current CRP arrangement).

 

About the Winchester Model 12… It’s very fun watching a guy who can shoot a pump accurately on the second and third shot. It’s almost metaphysical… watching them rack shells one after another and killing multiple birds.

 

I’m biased and like pointers. I’ve always enjoyed watching the stealth displayed by a good pointer working a bird; and it’s a lot of fun to shoot off the dog’s point. However, when I cripple a pheasant that keeps flying and then sets down, I’ll put my money on a Lab that takes off running after the wounded bird.

 

About [“… but sorry to say I won't tell where I hunt.”]:I hear you. I don’t do that either. ;)

 

Great picture that is worth a thousand words,

 

--Spike

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Spike,

 

Funny you should mention the way a Model 12 in the right hands is an amazing thing. The fellow with the Model 12 is front left (gray hooded sweat shirt) in the photo above. He is as classic as the gun, with that 30" full choke barrel he folds birds that I look at and think "no way too far". All this is making me want to get out to the bird patch, maybe over the holiday break.

 

Take care.

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  • 2 weeks later...

If everyone got their limit, that's 33 roosters. Mind telling us how much it cost for 11 dudes to get 33 roosters? Everyone is gaga over SD pheasants, but it is all private land and released birds. I can get just as many birds by myself at the local game farm if I want to spend the $$. Now if they were shot on non-stocked public land, then that's another story.

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