I grew up in a family of quail hunters, my mother being one of
the foremost. My dad chased bobwhites for years, and then it seemed
just as I got old enough to chase them they became really hard to
come by. So, when I heard that there was an opening for the
South Dakota Pheasant opener I called Dad. He immediately got
fired up. He took the ball and ran with it. Soon there were
10 hunters on board for our upcoming South Dakota pheasant
hunt.
On Friday afternoon, we arrived in Mitchell at the Cabela's. It
was like Disney World for bird hunters. It was a walking sea of
Orange that would have made the University of Tennessee proud.
Cabela's was setup solely for the South Dakota Pheasant
Hunting opener, they'd put back waterfowling and large game
gear to make room for upland stuff. And boy did they have it. We
moved through the well oiled machine they had setup to purchase a
license and then on through the store, where I spotted a great deal
on a pair of brush pants. I departed the store a few dollars
lighter and license in hand.
On the way out of Cabela's I got a phone call from one of the other
guys in our group. He'd already made it to the lodge and simply
said, "This place is first class!". Once I arrived at the lodge I
knew exactly what he was talking about. While there are certainly
more ostentatious lodges, the lodge and it's staff were definitely
first class.
We were greeted first by Brennan, who was going to be our guide,
and then shortly thereafter Kevin helped us get settled in. Even
though these guys don't talk like us Southerners they are good to
the core. Nicer folks you will never meet.
We settled in for a drink before dinner and then were just
getting warmed up when they told us the food was ready. Fried
Chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans and corn were served
buffet-style and it was all I could do not to go back for seconds.
Some of the more svelte members of our party helped themselves to
more than one serving of it all. Then, after dinner the real event
began. Sweet Lucy made her appearance, but it would be a relatively
calm appearance as she had many new friends there and would only be
available for that evening. Needless to say the conversation,
amenities and friendship were beyond reproach.
If you've never been pheasant hunting, get ready for a beautifully
different experience. It is not an early morning proposition; there
is no wild-bird pheasant hunting before noon during the early
season. We awoke to a hearty breakfast and a leasiurely schedule.
Around 11:30 we met at the truck and headed to the field.
Honestly, the country suprised me a bit because it rolled more
than I expected. But, I suppose I'd gotten a bit too used to land
in the Mississippi River Delta. We had noticed during the entire
drive the few of the fields had even begun to be harvested. Corn
and other crops were standing all over the place due to the extreme
amount of rain recieved this summer. Because of the abundance of
shelter and food the hunting would be a bit tougher than
normal. It phased no one.
Our first day would be spent in a beautiful little valley that
runs along a creek, an absolutely spectacular venue
for pheasant hunting. The first cornfield we walked was about
7 feet tall and the the birds couldn't be seen unless they were
literally right in front of you, so you ended up listening for the
whistling wings while walking. Experienced, highly-capable
labs worked closely making sure they didn't flush the birds
too far out, and competently retrieved every downed bird no matter
how distant the shot. This continued until we had fully canvased
that field and moved to another, shorter field. After working the
fields we broke for a late lunch and some socializing. After
busting through cornfields, struggling through cane, and dragging
through CRP grass the rest of the afternoon we finished just shy of
the limit, but having thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.
Our crew was a little motley and mixed, we had two 60-somethings, a
few 40-somethings and a few 30-something year-old guys who
travelled from as far away as Brooksville, MS to as near as
Janesville, WI. Some of the group were seasoned pheasant hunting
veterans and others were as green as springtime grass. But, one
thing brought us together the enjoyment of watching dogs work and
the excitement of a flushing bird with one of the most beautiful
collections of feathers you'll ever find. We had walked as much as
we could that day and gladly hit the bar at the lodge enjoying
quite a few micro-brews and assorted whiskey drinks that evening.
We settled in to another splendid meal of grilled bone-in pork chop
with a wonderful fresh apple/cinamon topping. The birds had
cooperated, our stomachs were full, and we had some of the finest
hosts a person could imagine.
Day 2 saw no shortage of volunteers to be a blocker as muscles that
hadn't been used in a while began to complain. However, the hunt
began in a furious manner with birds scooting everywhere amongst
the giant corn stalks, and we finished our limit with a flurry. Due
to obligations in the outside world we were only able to hunt for
two days this trip, but it was an experience that will last a
lifetime. Hunting an opener is always special, it is often not the
best time of the season to hunt, but it remains the single most
anticipated day of the season and for that reason alone it is
always special.
I truly cannot say enough about our hosts. The guides were
awesome, we had a blast with Brennan, and Kevin made sure
everything request was honored and that everything flowed like a
well-oiled machine. Spending quality time with my Father and my
Father-in-law, without the distraction of fussing with hunt
details, was greatly appreciated.
If you're a wingshooter, and particularly an upland bird hunting
enthusiast, experiencing these magnificant birds is a must-do.
South Dakota pheasant hunting here will provide a premium shooting
experience that all upland hunters will enjoy.
- Gordon Shaw, October 2009
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