South Dakota – No longer a hunting Destination

[sdinfoserv]

South Dakota once boasted an almost utopian destination for sportsmen, large and small game hunters alike. Today however, as a result of politics, greed, weather, disease and pure malice toward hunters, that is no longer the case.
I am a resident of South Dakota and a hunter of almost 40 years. I also have a relative that operates a hunting lodge in South Dakota. I hunted in the 2012 season, and will most likely never hunt in South Dakota again. The information discussed in this article comes from personal experiences, sharing with other sportsmen, SD Game Fish and Parks, and National trends. Some is opinion, some fact, but I believe all needs to be shared.
The tide against Pheasant hunting began in 2010. That year the Dakota's experienced a “once in a century flood”. Driving from Sioux Falls South Dakota to Fargo North Dakota looked like the Interstate connecting the two cities was some mythical bridge across the ocean. Scanning East and West, water went as far as the eye could see and seemed to slope off the Earth's horizon. Even the ditch between North and South bound lanes was filled with water right up to the Interstate's edge. I drove this route several times for business that year. The human toll was far exceeded by the impact to regional wildlife. Nests were flooded out and most pheasant hatchlings drowned..
2010 was followed by a mild to warm 2011 with virtually no winter. 2012 went on record as one of the driest years ever. Lack of snow winter 2011 and decreased rainfall in 2012 resulted in declining water levels in lakes, rivers, cricks and slews. Farmers, in their quest for riches from corn production of Federally subsidized ethanol, have burned and tilled these former game production areas to plant corn. Just a short time ago, it seemed almost every section of land had small or adjoining wetland providing cover and breading ground for young birds of numerous species. Today, little is visible but leveled corn field combined to bear earth for both corn and stalk silage value.
The result; little cover is left for game birds. The open exposure increases natural fox, coyote and owl predation.
Anecdotal evidence could be heard from all the hunters I spoke with this year. All of them told the same story: 2012 was the worst year ever in a former pheasant hunting paradise. All hunters complained of virtually no pheasants, or cover to find them. Small town restaurants, bars, and hotel gatherings were abuzz with virtually identical findings – lack of pheasants. Indeed, many non-residents stated their disappointment so great, they will not be returning to South Dakota.
Deer hunters did not fair much better. The deer die-off in South Dakota from epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) was experienced across the State of South Dakota and in Nebraska. South West South Dakota seems to have born the brunt of the infection, and SD GPF eliminated unsold hunting licenses in many counties, as well as offered refunds to those who already had licenses.
I have a relative who operates a hunting lodge in South West South Dakota. He canceled and refunded most of his deer hunting excursions. He found hundreds of dead deer on property he leases for hunting. Likewise with the pheasant situation, he was forced to purchase stock, raised birds for release on his hunting land. Few hunters realize that most game birds bagged from formal hunting lodges are actually semi-tame birds purchased for their entertainment, not as they are lead to believe, wild fowl.
Politically, South Dakota has become a place that no longer wants hunters – sure, the State Government and local business owners want your money – but make no mistake, the locals do not want you! This year my almost 80 year old father and I were deer hunting on what we thought was State land. The State printed hunting guide labeled the land we though we were on as Public School and Land, open to public hunting if there is no free standing crops of livestock. Adjacent to the land was a high line road- one of those old section roads used for maintenance of power lines. There was no standing crops, no live stock, no fencing or signs posted. Together we had 6 deer licenses for the specific county we were in. I shot at a deer from the unmaintained roadway into the grassy area along side the road. A few minutes later as we were searching the grassy area to see if I hit the deer, a man pulled up in a truck and started yelling and screaming that people should not hunt if they don't have land. We told him we were on the unmaintained road, he said it didn't matter,; we told him we thought the area was public school and lands, he said he would show us and that this would be an expensive hunting trip. He screamed about us shooting at a buck, we said we were sorry, we only shot at a doe and we only had antlerless licenses. He continued to yell about hunters. We apologized and left without further search or incident. About a week later, the SD Game Fish And Parks agent contacted my father at his home residence and he wrote both of us citations for “Willful Trespass”. He said we shot a deer and a farmer found it. The Conservation officer had no interest in our side of the story, he was only doing what the district attorney told him. The citations carry a $270 fine each plus a loss of hunting privileges for 1 year from conviction date. My father would never willfully break the law. He's a former marine and retired law enforcement person. He held a top secret security clearance and provided security for presidential hopefuls and dignitaries. Less than 2 months before hunting season, he completed a chemo regimen to treat stage 4 bladder cancer that metastasized to his lungs. A one year hunting revocation is most likely ban for life. A pretty steep penalty for what we believed was legal. My dad has said in all his years of hunter – almost 70 years now – he has never encountered such a situation . He's tired, and doesn't have the will or the strength to fight this. This could happen to anyone.
It's clear that not only has nature turned against hunting in South Dakota, but so to have the residents of the State. With declining game populations, and increasing hostile natives, pretty much anyplace surpasses the State of South Dakota when it comes to hunting. The only advice I can give is, protect yourself, spend your dollars wisely and look for better opportunity elsewhere. Avoid South Dakota as a hunting destination.

[Goldfish]

So, you are advocating killing the small town economies in south Dakota?

sent from a phancy fone

[assateague]

The states are doing a fine job of killing their small towns all on their own. I don't think he's going to hurt them one bit.

[Goldfish]

This is true, however everyone took the same hits that So Dak did. The truth is, a bad year in So Dak hunting, is still an excellent year for most the country. If farmers are getting a little pissy, well, that isn't all too uncommon. If something is posted as public land, and you have done everything in your ability to stay within the laws and land isn't posted as private, then you need to fight those charges. I'm sorry your father is falling ill, but that doesn't mean that you cannot proceed to clear his name on his behalf.

[QH's Paw]

So, let me get this straight, you joined this website just to "inform" us about SD's lack of support for nonres hunters? Really?
Maybe you should introduce yourself and give us some general info about you and your hunting background in the introductory forum.
Do you duck hunt?
This is a friendly sort of site we are taking part in here. People vent here with no problem but, this being your first post it looks kinda rediculous to me.
Time will tell if you are serious about taking part in the forum seriously, if so than

[3legged_lab]

To the OP,
So you are saying that ignorance of the law is an excuse to break it? You are also saying that since your father is a retired Marine (my thanks and a salute to him) that he should get "a free pass" on breaking the law? I keep trying to teach this lesson to my kids, maybe someone should have instilled it in you: When you fuck up - own up to it and move on. There is no shame in making a mistake, only when you don't learn from it.

In the end who are you really pissed at? The weather, the state (they don't control the weather), the farmer, or yourself for getting caught trespassing? I guess it's a good thing you don't live in Oregon, you could have gotten a second ticket for not making every effort to recover the deer you shot at.

sent from my Samsung Galaxy S III using tapatalk 2

[sdinfoserv]

I am trying to be a hunters advocate and inform sportsmen of the status of hunting in South Dakota. The game is down, the risks are up, and this isn't the place it used to be.

Nor am not in favor of hurting small towns. They are doing just fine without hunting revenue. Federal subsidies for ethanol have brought corn production to record prices - that's where the problem lies. In Spink County SD (I hunted there too this year), corn ran at a record $7 per bushel producing 150 bushels per acre. That's $672,000 gross on a single section. Small towns are busting with lots of new cars, castle sized new homes, and monstrous RV's. Small towns are doing quite well without hunting.. The impetus is quite high for the slash and burn of game production areas, the revenue from corn is just mind boggling.

My hunting background:. I'm 50 and have been hunting since (c) 13. Deer, pheasant and duck. When I was in high school, we would bring our guns to school, store them in our lockers or even take them to the office for safe keeping so we could go hunting after school... how times have changed.

I am not an advocate of trespassing, what so ever. We use the officially produced State game fish and parks guide that shows all public hunting areas. As I said, we were on a no maintenance access road that appeared to be adjacent to land shown as “public school and lands” area. According to SD law, this is public land (that farmers lease from the State) is is open to public hunting so long as
1) no standing crops
2) no livestock
3) no buildings within 660 feet.
Also know road hunting is legal in SD.

Again, there was no fencing, no signs, no crops (this was a grassy field), no livestock and no buildings. I shot from and into a ditch (same ditch, not crossing the road). SD also permits collecting of legally shot game off private land, so long as you are unarmed. We were charged with "Willful trespass", that is absolutely false.

Unfortunately, local district attorneys is a political position and doesn’t care about your individual rights. - only protecting local interests. The game wardens work under direction of the local district attorneys and have no leeway or discretion.

They give a ticket like a traffic fine that comes with an envelope to send in the fine amount. This is hours away, I don't have the time to take off work to fight this, nor do I have the funds to hire an attorney.

I want to inform people of risks. I've been hunting almost 40 years. I've never in my life experienced anything like this.

[3legged_lab]

Exactly what I was talking about - own up to it, or prove your innocence. I don't really see how your hunting seniority or the price per bushel of corn is relevant to the fact that you feel you were railroaded by the DNR. Do you think Mr. Small-town Farmer shouldn't grow a profitable crop (one that ensures a means of survival for his family) just so you can shoot a deer (which basically equates to a hobby or sport)? Before you get all butthurt on me and tell me that the deer does provide for your family, I know, in some parts of the country shooting a deer does pencil out to be cost efficient way to provide food. In others, like the west where I live, deer meat is roughly 4 times more expensive than beef.
Ever figure out the price per pound of duck meat?
In the end you are on a hunting forum, telling people not to hunt - you have become anti. Enjoy your granola and hemp necklaces.
sent from my Samsung Galaxy S III using tapatalk 2

[capt1972]

Exactly what I was talking about - own up to it, or prove your innocence. I don't really see how your hunting seniority or the price per bushel of corn is relevant to the fact that you feel you were railroaded by the DNR. Do you think Mr. Small-town Farmer shouldn't grow a profitable crop (one that ensures a means of survival for his family) just so you can shoot a deer (which basically equates to a hobby or sport)? Before you get all butthurt on me and tell me that the deer does provide for your family, I know, in some parts of the country shooting a deer does pencil out to be cost efficient way to provide food. In others, like the west where I live, deer meat is roughly 4 times more expensive than beef.
Ever figure out the price per pound of duck meat?
In the end you are on a hunting forum, telling people not to hunt - you have become anti. Enjoy your granola and hemp necklaces.
sent from my Samsung Galaxy S III using tapatalk 2

Don't forget the Nooch!

[capt1972]

haha I double Redbeareded!

[QH's Paw]

haha I double Redbeareded!

I think you did Red proud.

[Olly]

Fixed it for ya capt!

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[capt1972]

Fixed it for ya capt!

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I'll never catch up to Red's post count if you keep fixing shit.

[Goldfish]

If your time is too valuable to prove your innocence, then they win and will continue to hurt others the same way. I'm sorry you don't feel it's worth it to clear your name.

sent from a phancy fone

[aunt betty]

My translation of this thread.
Got ticketed and am angry and am warning everyone to stay out of South Dakota.

In that case, stay out of Illinois as well. Their DNR makes South Dakota's look like a bunch of ladies at a bridge tourney.
Probably should avoid Arkansas completely. It floods like SoDAK all the time. Not just once in 100 years.

[rebelp74]

The only I gather from this, is that, I wasted 5 minutes of my life reading it.

[assateague]

I was of the same opinion. I'm still not sure who did what to who.

[3legged_lab]

I was of the same opinion. I'm still not sure who did what to who.

The op needs a butthurt form. There, you're all filled in.

[QH's Paw]

Don't waste your time guys. He took his ball and went home. Game's over.

[Tomkat]

I live a little closer to SD than most of you, save Goldie.

I have heard some mixed reports coming out of SD. I have a friend that lives there and is a pheasant guide. I have another friend who is a big time hunter up there.

I think there is SOME truth to what the OP wrote. I think that the state loves the $$$ that OOS hunters bring in, and the residents are not quite as receptive.

Farming practices everywhere have resulted in down bird populations. Not to sound like an old man (too late!) but I remember hunting in the 1970's and there was a lot more cover and a lot more birds back then. Farming practices have changed a lot.

Ethanol is a terrible idea, except for the politicians getting the votes and farmers getting the money.

In case none of you have ever looked into the waterfowl permits for an OOS licsence, you should go check that out today.

I wasn't there and I dont know if the OP was tresspassing or poaching, or 100 % legal. None of us were. But I do think there is SOME truth to his post, this is merely my opinion.

[Goldfish]

I just think you are always going to find pissy farmers, and cover is down everywhere to make less birds (ducks and pheasants). I also agree that the current ethanol is a bad idea, but if they did it right it could be a really good thing.

Bird numbers are down everywhere, but it's still to be said that a bad day in the Dakotas is probably better than a good day in most places.

sent from a phancy fone

[assateague]

True. As far as OOSers go, MD is pretty bad. A pretty large chunk of our state waters are off limits to non-residents, unless you're hunting with a MD resident. Stupid, I know.