2022 SD Trip

[CPAjeff]

I started hunting South Dakota as a wee teenager nearly two decades ago. I anxiously look forward to this trip every year.

10/26/2022: Drive Day
Along the route from Utah to SD, we encountered elk, antelope, mule deer, white-tails, ducks, geese, swans, cranes, turkeys, sharptails, huns, and pheasants. Judging by the number of birds seen along the roads, it’s looking like an incredible year! It’s good to be back in God’s country.

 

[JShane]

Following

 

[CPAjeff]

Hunting Day One AM:

Bird numbers are up!! Our five man limit of pheasants was reached quickly. Back at the house for lunch and then out for sharptails this evening.

 

[CPAjeff]

Day One Bird Cleaning Station:



Sure love this kid (and his sisters, and his Mama!!), the Alan Jackson song, "Drive" came to mind for this pic:

 

[MTLabrador]

That’s it. I’m going to go pheasant hunting in SD next year.

 

[CPAjeff]

“Dad, some kids at school were saying a 20 gauge is too small for pheasants and grouse.” Is what my son told me before we left. I snuck the 20 gauge in the vehicle with a box of shells and this was the result:



While the sharptail numbers don’t seem as high as in years past, we sure moved a bunch of them today. They kept flushing wild so we called it a day. This evening he and I went for a little drive and found one bird out in a grain field. Luckily, this one didn’t flush wild.

 

[CPAjeff]

Pretty amazing sunset! Great way to end day one.

 

[Wild Bill]

Glad you are having a good trip with your son. Tell him those kids that think 20s are too small are probably dorks who only play video games.

 

[Trailsend]

Lots of birds shot with 20s every year in SD. If you think a 20 is to small you are probably shooting at the. To far away, even with a 12.

 

[bmt99]

Are you hunting private for pheasants or public?

 

[Sask hunter]

Congrats looks fun! I love chasing pheasants just something I dint get much of an opportunity to do up here

 

[MT_elk]

Looks like a great time!

 

[CPAjeff]

Are you hunting private for pheasants or public?

Private - my extremely awesome Uncle and Aunt open up their paradise each fall to their nieces and nephews.

 

[Dakota79]

How fun! Looks like a great trip.

 

[CPAjeff]

First spot for Day Two:



The birds aren’t bunched up in giant groups like in the past. I’m guessing it’s because of the mild weather. Limits were still reached quickly and we even figured out where the sharptails were hiding.

 

[CPAjeff]

What a sunset!



Plenty of sheds and a couple deadheads:

 

[ashersdad]

Looks to be a great trip so far. You deer hunting too while out there?

 

[CPAjeff]

Looks to be a great trip so far. You deer hunting too while out there?

Nope, I didn’t draw any deer tags out here this year. We seen some really nice bucks though!

 

[ashersdad]

Nope, I didn’t draw any deer tags out here this year. We seen some really nice bucks though!

Looks like great deer country. Have a fun trip! Looks like it is so far.

 

[rtraverdavis]

This father-son time is awesome. This is the kind of stuff that really makes me want to get more into bird and small game hunting—it just seems so much more conducive to bringing kids along and having a fun experience than big game. At least to start. Thanks for posting!