[jlg2409]

I am looking for a place to hunt in South Dakota, I don't want to pay a ton of money for a hunting package from an outfitter, does anyone know of a place to hunt where we could just stay in a hotel and go out on our own??

Thanks for any help I can get!

[birdman]

I've hunted in SD for the past 6 years. We generally go the third week of season. We hunt on private land South of Clark (E central SD, appx 20 min W of Watertown). South Dakota Dept of Wildlife does an amazing job of creating habitat for ringnecks. Land owners who participate in the walk-in hunting programs are further subsidized for creating habitat. It is not unusal to see food plots (ie uncut corn, milo, or beans), tree rows or sleus, and water all in a walk in area. We mainly hunt private land; however, we often supplement with walk in areas. Have been very successful in both instances. Birds in public areas see heavy pressure, so be unique in how you approach or hunt the field. Try and disrupt their patterns for best success. And most importantly, have good dogs at your disposal and rotate them out frequently. I've never hunted any heavier cover than that in SD. If you've never walked through blown over cattails, start your training regimen now!!