Any info on S.D.?

3

3dxring

Guest
My wife & i have been traveling out west to CO. & WY. for several years in archery season. This year we are planning to archery hunt mule deer in S.D. around the Belle Fourche area.I have never been to this area and was wondering if anybody would have some info to share. I've heard a lot about the Black Hills but is it a good mule deer area? We live in Ohio and have good whitetail hunting here. This is not only a hunting trip but also a vacation, that is why we are looking at a different place, Any info would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Lonnie & Jill
 
The Black Hills have few mule deer and no quality. Look on South Dakota's web page and you'll find that only a a few mule deer bucks have 4 points per side and that includes the eyeguard. There are a lot of whitetails, but I have never seen any thing decent. In my opinion, the Black Hills are a decent meat hunt for immature animals and a GOOD place for a vacation. You have Crazy Horse, Mt Rushmore and some other places to visit. Take that for what it is worth.
 
2-Point
Thanks for the info. With the info i was getting after some phone calls i figured it might not be a good place for mule deer, that is why i asked. If i could get some ideal of a decent public area i could order some topos and do some research. I'm not asking about anybodys honey hole just a general direction. We call this our vacation because we love the splendor of your part of the country, but we are hard hunters. We don't expect to shoot them from camp, we work hard for a opportunity but if it doesn't happen it's still a great trip. Again any info would be appreciated and thanks.
Lonnie & Jill
 
try hunting in different spot then 2-point, I was born and raised in SD and have killed alot of bucks that had 4 points to a side, Hunt up toward Buffalo area or to the east around faith.Hunt river bottom, Whitetail in the hills are smaller then the one's to the east, If your hunting whitetail, hunt toward the Watertown area. I have a photo of some deer here in the photo section Called a "lineup of bucks" or something like that check it out that picture is of whitetails, I'm guessing I will need to put a few 4x4 muleys on here too so 2 point will know what they look like LMAO. Out west river a typical buck that we shoot is a 24"-26" 4x4 meduim horned buck that scores around 140-155 some years we get a 28" or so, But your not going to run into alot of 30" bucks have only seen about a dozen in all the years hunting out there.My family hunts out there every year with about 15 nephews applying for tags some-one will get drawn.Good luck you should see alot of deer.
 
Hey Gator, did you pick up the Idaho muzz tag? My buddy and I drew so we may put off the SD hunt for another year.

I hope luck was with you! Let me know so we can start making some plans!
Lance
 
Gator, He asked about the Black Hills, not West River. Did you miss that?? He also said that he was looking for Mule Deer because they have Whiteys where they live. Geeze bud, It wasn't like I was calling your mama ugly, just the Black Hills mule deer. Look at the stats, 21 mule deer with 5 or more points per side (4 point with eyegaurd) were taken from the sample of 2150 hunters. That is a less than 1% chance of shooting a mature mule deer in the Black Hills.

3d- I think you could have a good time in the Black Hills archery hunting. Just don't expect a lot of mature mule deer. There are over 2 million public acres there and much of it is very dense. Could be good for a bowhunter, but I have not been in there in Oct. Sounds like you and your family have a good attitude and would have a good time, so why not give it a go. Licenses are cheap enough. Another option would be a Utah archery hunt in August. Lots of public land, lots of National Parks, a better chance at seeing mature deer, lots of other wildlife to view (elk in pre-rut), and it is only another 10 hours in the car with the kids.

Now if you are from South Dakota, have family which still lives there, can get a West River tag, and hunt on private property with a rifle you could probably harvest spindly horned 22" 4 points (with the occasional 170 buck). hahaha
 
In high school we hunted the southern Black Hills. Hot Springs area. Since then the State Game gang got things under control and have controlled the number of deer harvested.

I hear that the typical 2x2 that was the only game in town for years is not a whole lot bigger but BIG bruisers are in the higher reaches of the Hills.

Am sure if you have the time and put in the effort you would have a great hunt chasing mulies. Am headed back to SD in a couple of weeks for a class reunion myself. I would start by contacting area conservation officers (game wardens) via phone and asking alot of questions. Good hunting.


Dean Parisian
Chippewa Partners
 
Thanks for the info guys. 2-Point, nope no kids coming and no family living in S.D. I have been going out west almost every year since 1983 and always in archery season so it's got to be up close and personal. We are looking at Utah sometime down the road.
Chippewapartners, you mentioned higher reaches of the hills. What kind of alt. are you talking about? In CO and the Bighorns of WY we hunted around 8000-10,500 feet and done pretty good. I will see what info i can get on the Hot Springs area.
I have talked to Bill Eastmen who is the local game warden for the Bellefourche area and he has helped some. Guys i really appreciate the help! If you guys have any more ideals let me know. I hope you all have a great season this year.
Lonnie & Jill
 
That's why I told him to hunt somewhere else,Black hills Whitetail are bigger in the hills then muleys are.BIG WHITETAILS are over in east river. You will find a few big WT around Buffalo and North Cave hills area. If you are looking to hunt a decent size muley you will need to hunt the river breaks and the range lands. A year or 2 ago the Archery State record was killed in WEST RIVER(well it should of been state record but for the let-off on the bow).
The walk-in program is your best bet for getting in to some nice areas that have some good bucks. Get those maps of those area's from Game dept.(the bad news is you can't use horses just your feet).
We have used treestands down on the creek bottoms and then have deer drives from 4-5 miles up or down the river and have pushed some really nice deer into the stander, the pusher has to move pretty slow to keep the deer from busting out and traveling across land to the next creek or river bottom. But it will work.
 
3dxring-
Let me say from this from 2 recent trips (03' and 04') to Sturgis/Belle Fouche area for Mullies and WT's......there's monsters in the prarie, you just need permission! I think you have better chance bowhunting mullies and taking a 145+ class than taking a 120+ WT....if you have permission and you can figure out the spot and stalk idea quickly. There are numerous ranchers that can accomodate you for a trespass fee. Leaving Sturgis heading toward Pierre, we almost ran over a 180+ Mullie and I personally killed a 140" (should have held out but didn't), a buddy took a 165+" 4x4 Mullie, and another aquaintance took an awesome 3x4 (31" inside) that was in the high 160's gross off a private ranch east of Sturgis with a trespass fee....this was with a rifle, but bowhunting would have been a real treat in the breaks during the early season!!! My advice is go out there and enjoy a non-hunting september vacation with you wife......and go on a serious door knocking campaign for spring turkey hunting permission.....get the permission wrapped up, keep in contact through the winter (get email/phone), send a few XMAS cards and keep correspondance up......after a successfull gobbler hunt on 3-4 ranches you locked up (your allowed 2 birds so drop in to all the ranches you secured permission), start on the deer permission for the fall and attempt to draw a deer tag. Your building a few relationships and moving toward deer permission without going "over the top"!! Even if your building a relationship while gobbler hunting and they say no to deer, then pull out the wallet and bring 3-4 guys for the rifle hunt and really pull out the wallet....$1500 for 4+hunters if the ranch is big, on a river valley, and gets minimal pressure. Split the 4-5 tags between Mullies and WT's and bring a camper and have a blast! The next year, bring bows!
I agree about the hills.....stay on the prarie and get private permission.... hunting in SD takes alot of hard work....it aint CO!
 
I can tell ya one thing that goes over big with the ranchers and farmers is sending them a few dozen pair of nice work type( yellow) gloves each fall.They sure do like those chore gloves for the winter seasons up there.I know it has got me on too a few places.
 
Downloaded the new regs for 05 and see that there are new unit numbers for the West River season this year. Anyone ever hunted what is now 02C (I believe that it was previously 302C)? Just wondering what kind of pressure the area receives and the quality of muleys in the area. I was thinking of applying for that unit since it has some National Grasslands that border Badlands Nat park. Of course this year you can not apply for a buck only tag, and it is going to have to be the $245 buck/doe tag. Deadline to apply is less than a month away. Good luck. Thanks for any info. Semper Fi, NDhunter.
 
My nephew got one of the Statewide ML tags, He should do good because the season is really late and SD should get a ton of snow this year.
 

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