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A South Dakota Public Land Hunting Guide

By Andrew Johnson

At some point, hunting public land for pheasants in South Dakota got a bad rap. What I mean is, there is a common misconception that hunting private ground is inherently better than hunting public.

I’m here to tell you that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Over the past 30 years, I've hunted both private and public ground extensively here in my home state of South Dakota, and I’ve learned that there are plenty of opportunities just waiting for hunters on public ground. It may present more of a challenge requiring more homework, more boot leather and more creativity, but the end result is ultimately more rewarding.

That said, don’t let the thought of hunting public land scare you or make you think twice about hunting wild birds in South Dakota’s wild places. Public land hunters have been putting roosters in their game bags on public land for decades, and so can you. Here’s a few thoughts to help you get started on the right foot.

START WITH THE BASICS

South Dakota has over 5 million acres of public land. To put that into perspective, that’s roughly the size of Massachusetts. Even better, over 1 million of those acres are in prime pheasant country.

For hunters looking to narrow down all the possibilities, the South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks (GFP) Department’s Public Hunting Atlas is your best friend. Available in print, online and on the GoOutdoorsSD mobile app, this free resource provides a detailed look at every public area in the state.

The printed atlas is ideal for those who like having a physical map, and I’ve found it invaluable to annotate throughout the season. I jot down notes on crop patterns, habitat conditions, bird sightings and success rates, turning my atlas into a personal hunting log by season’s end.

While I love the printed version and literally never leave home without it, it does have its limitations. Sometimes things change, and the online version offers real-time updates and a satellite view so you can scout areas well in advance. Another huge benefit of the online version is it incorporates satellite imagery and even a separate topo map layer you can use to scout public lands. While nothing can beat boots-on-the-ground intel, getting a sneak peek at the lay of the land is always a bonus. To check out the online version of the Public Hunting Atlas, visit https://gfp.sd.gov/maps/.

For hunters in the field, the GoOutdoorsSD mobile app is a must-have. I literally use it on every single hunt. It puts the atlas right at your fingertips, allowing you to use location services to pinpoint exactly where you are on the map, ensuring you're on the right side of the fence. The app also includes season and regulation information for hunting, fishing and trapping seasons. The app is free for download and can be downloaded using the links below:

REFINE YOUR APPROACH

Truth is, the state’s public lands are often home to some of the best habitat for miles around. Ultimately, that means they have cover that helps produce and hold birds all year round. That’s the good news. The bad news is that most of these public areas are big blocks that can be hard to hunt, especially for solo hunters and small groups who are hunting that area for the first time.

Whether it’s 40 or 640 acres, many hunters can get hung up on figuring out how to hunt an entire public area. That’s a mistake. Instead, hunters should use a targeted approach that focuses on certain habitat features within a public property, starting with seams where two types of habitat merge together. Pheasants are known edge dwellers, so it only makes sense to meet them where they’re at on habitat edges and seams rather than expecting to find them where they naturally don’t want to be.

Also, look for microhabitats — small, isolated patches of cover that just look birdy. Think of a small wad of cattails surrounded by acres and acres of grass, or picture a narrow band of reed canary that outlines a large wetland. Microspots like these can be pheasant magnets, and they’re worth exploring whenever possible.

Pheasants are never evenly distributed across the area you plan to hunt. In fact, I believe 90% of the birds are usually found in about 10% of the cover. That said, identifying habitat seams and microhabitats can help you downsize a public area and enable you to target smaller, more manageable areas that you can hunt efficiently.

FIND YOUR FIT

South Dakota is a big and diverse state, and pheasant country up and down the Missouri River corridor looks vastly different than prairie pothole country. With that in mind, hunters should invest some time into figuring out what type of public areas match their preferred style and methods of hunting.

For example, if you have a big running pointer, you and your dog will likely have more success roaming the larger blocks of cover found in the central parts of the state, such as national grasslands, Walk-In Areas and CREP areas that are largely made up of grassland habitat. If you have a close-working Lab or Springer, then maybe the smaller wetland areas on some Waterfowl Production Areas in the eastern part of the state might suit your style more.

The beauty of public land hunting starts with its simplicity: buy your license, lace up your boots and go hunting. No expensive access fees, no required guides, no complicated arrangements. Whether you've got a weekend or a week, you're free to hunt at your own pace and on your own schedule. With millions of acres scattered across the state, you can literally hunt new ground every day, and my best advice is to find what fits your style and stick to it.

Also, don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Use the resources listed above to find areas with several public options available within a small area — like a half-dozen public hunting areas that are a short drive from one another. That way, if a group of hunters is already at one public area, you can quickly move on to the next and still make it a great hunt. Along the same lines, if you’re hunting a spot and the dog doesn’t get birdy or you’re not seeing pheasant sign (think fresh tracks in the snow or droppings in roost areas), go ahead and hop on over to the next spot and see if your luck changes.

REAP THE REWARDS

Sure, hunting public land takes some work. You'll need to scout more, think more and probably walk a bit more. But for hunters who value independence and authentic experiences, our public lands offer something that no amount of money can buy — the real South Dakota.

Remember, success on public land isn’t measured in limits – it’s about putting in honest work and earning every bird. So next time you're planning a pheasant hunt in South Dakota, consider giving public land a try. The birds are wild, and the opportunity is real. Just leave some roosters for this old hunter, will you?