Pheasant Hunting In South Dakota

Pheasant hunting in South Dakota is a tradition. The pheasant hunting season lasts from September to March on preserves, and from October to January in other hunting areas. During this time, most South Dakotans spend at least one day hunting pheasant with their kids, their spouses, their parents and their neighbors. It's a great time for the generations of a family to spend time in the fresh air, and it's as much an excuse to get together as it is an opportunity to hunt.

Of course, for more serious hunters, South Dakota pheasant hunting is a dream come true. The ringneck pheasant is the South Dakota state bird for a good reason. When a habitat is well-maintained, with plenty of food, land and shelter, the pheasants thrive. Large populations of pheasants make for truly exciting hunting.

Traveling to South Dakota for Pheasant Hunting

In fact, hunting ringneck pheasants is such great fun that people travel from all over the country--in fact, from all over the world--for the opportunity to hunt them. Unlike most other forms of hunting in the United States, pheasant hunting gives hunters the opportunity to work with dogs. For hunters with their own bird dogs, the chance to take their faithful friends out into nature, setting them loose and watching them do what they do best, is a thrilling experience.

For a hunters who travel to South Dakota without dogs of their own, working with a guide and his dog is also a great experience. The dogs' excitement is contagious. Once they've flushed out the roosters, hunters have the chance to take their shots at this colorful, fascinating bird.

The ringneck pheasant, also known as the Chinese pheasant or wild pheasant, thrives in the prairies and hills of South Dakota. However, the bird is not a South Dakota native. Surprisingly, pheasants originated in China, and the first pheasant didn't arrive in the United States until 1881. That year, pheasants were first imported to Oregon. From there, they quickly spread to just about every state in the union. Although many states have pheasant populations, no state has them in such profusion as South Dakota. It's simply the perfect habitat for these delicious and delightful birds.

Pheasant Hunting and More

If you are a nonresident who is considering traveling to South Dakota for pheasant hunting season, you may be interested in supplementing your trip with some additional hunting. South Dakota may be known for pheasants, but it is also home to large populations of ducks, geese, coyote, fox, buffalo, grouse, snipe and partridges. The ideal South Dakota hunting trip for you and your friends or family might be a combined pheasant and buffalo hunt. Residents can also enjoy elk hunting, so a South Dakotan might enjoy a week of pheasant and elk hunting, offset with a little coyote or fox tracking.

Whatever you choose to hunt, you can expect plenty of clean, fresh air and beautiful outdoor sights. South Dakota is pristine. It is a large, wonderful, thinly populated state. These elements make it the perfect state for hunting wildlife of all kinds.

When you book your stay at a pheasant hunting preserve, make sure you know what is included in the final cost. Some lodges charge extra for use of the bird dogs, the hunting guides, the meals and so on. Other lodges, however, include the above in the price of the room.