There's a few of us. I'm from a small town north of Yankton. I currently go to college at USD. I hunted by Pierre on opening weekend in hopes of tagging a muley, but couldn't get it done.
Nice! I grew up in Mitchell but just moved to Pierre last May from Sioux Falls. I hunted east of Tea along the Big Sioux River for a few years while I lived there; not to mention Newton Hills Park and Union Grove for turkeys. Were you hunting public ground while you were Pierre?
Yes, I was on public. I hunted the river breaks northwest of Pierre and in the northeast corner of the Ft. Pierre Grasslands. Both spots offered good hunts, but I failed on a couple stalks. I'd like to get back to the area if I can fill my east river archery tag before rifle season opens over there.
I've been wanting to try some spot n stalks up around the mouth of the Cheyenne River, but my tree stands have been producing this year. PM me if you end up coming up this way, I might have another spot or two for you to try. I work with farmers around the area so I have a few resources.
I glanced at this thread a few times, my buddy an I are in the planing stages of a DYI mule deer hunt in western SD next year.....I been doing the leg work and get places narrowed down. We can't wait
Keep watch boys, maybe Boof has more info than I do, but there could be changes headed for South Dakota and their license/application process starting next year. I'll be headed out to SD this coming weekend with a few buddies in hopes of connecting on a big whitetail or muley! The Ft Pierre Nat'l Grasslands offer a great opportunity, and probably better if you can dedicate a few days to it to figure things out. We had poor luck there last year because the crops were still on in areas, but we ended up finding some pockets of muleys and whitetails and big ones at that, especially the whitetails. We've got a few other places we are going to check out first, then probably hit Ft Pierre one day, and maybe venture to Buffalo Gap one day (mostly for the scenery though)
Change is definitely on the way. Most of the change will come with rifle tags, though. Some archery differences are bound to happen, but it will mostly be with how many archers can hunt around Sioux Falls. That area holds the majority of the states population and a ton of archery tags are filled there. Unless you plan on archery hunting that area, I think you don't have much to worry about.
Way I understood is that there is a chance non-residents aren't guaranteed an archery license like they are now, but I imagine it will be like you say, certain areas where that is the case.
That could be the case, but I honestly don't think there's enough non-resident archery hunters for them to take a tag cut.
I have noticed quite a few rifle hunters that haven't been able to successfully draw a buck tag the past couple years. A guy (resident) can usually know he will get a tag, especially with at least one preference point. I think changes in tags issued have already hit us, whether east or west river.
I have followed the forum for quite a while but have not posted much. I live in Sioux Falls but hunt near Yankton and around Hill City. I have rifle hunted since I was 12 but have started bowhunting the last few years. As much as I hate not drawing a tag the restrictions seem to be helping. I am concerned about the talk about implementing a "One Buck" system.
