South Dakota prairie dog hunting season?

[bddc2012]

Can anyone give a report on the South Dakota prairie dog hunting season?

We are going in a few weeks and would like to get some feedback on the numbers and overall hunting conditions.

 

[rpeacock]

I am in NW South Dakota and we have had several PD shooters up this year so far, and almost all of them have left after a couple of days because they can't find any dogs to shoot. We have had some sort of government program going on for the last few year where they have poisoned them twice a year and they have done a very god job. Pretty sorry shooting up here anymore. Russ

 

[bddc2012]

Thank you for the reply we are planning on shooting South Central area I hope it is better than you say.

 

[coford]

I was in SW South Dakota earlier this week and did a little spotting. They have had a lot of rain so it was very difficult to even see the little devils. Did not find very many and talked to several locals that also said the government poisoning was very effective. Hope things are better in the central part of the state.

 

[Raptor]

I live in central SD and don't even go out and try to find dog towns. All the ones I used to shoot in are all shot out. Every since the VH mag came to town we have been inundated with dog hunters. They come in the early spring and started shooting the mothers before they have the pups and when you don't have much of a hatch you won't have much for dogs the next year. Might check the reservations and see what they have. You will probably have to buy a license and maybe "Have" to hire a "Guide".

Same thing is happening with coyote hunting. They are having a calling contest about every other weekend and now the coyotes are "Call smart" and won't come to the calls. Plus we had several years of mange so that really hurt that sport too...

 

[SDWhirlwind]

I live in central SD and don't even go out and try to find dog towns. All the ones I used to shoot in are all shot out. Every since the VH mag came to town we have been inundated with dog hunters. They come in the early spring and started shooting the mothers before they have the pups and when you don't have much of a hatch you won't have much for dogs the next year. Might check the reservations and see what they have. You will probably have to buy a license and maybe "Have" to hire a "Guide".

Same thing is happening with coyote hunting. They are having a calling contest about every other weekend and now the coyotes are "Call smart" and won't come to the calls. Plus we had several years of mange so that really hurt that sport too...

Couldn't have said it any better!! Pdog and Song Dogs both SOL here anymore! VHA, out of staters who were in here last week of April and first week of May this spring and gov aid to poison. Cost landowners $10/acre I was told 2wks ago by a landowner! 2 ladies with 4 wheelers out of the Black Hills do it. Makes more sense to sell beef than deal with pdogs, hunters and all that comes with both.

All the yote videos and electronic calls sure have taken 'the stupid' out of the coyote population as well. No stop and look back a couple hundred yards away, now, more like 800 yds if at all. Haven't shot a coyote in almost 2yrs.

I made 1 trip out a couple weeks ago and shot less than 100 rds in 3hrs, that includes 50ish 22's for entertainment mostly, that was a few that moved onto the family farm a couple yrs ago. Need to start selling rifles and surely quit building new ones! So much pressure up here the last 10yrs on public land I don't even bother to go look and see how wild and gunshy they really are!

Some day we may learn, when you combine a dollar amount and an animals life things go south eventually. Guess perhaps I look at things a bit different so don't find any rewards with fee hunting, calling contests, trespass fees or any other thing you want to call it! Maybe I am just getting old and tired of killing, especially for entertainment and surely not for money.

 

[swampshooter]

We really need a season on Pd's. Slob hunters are doing too much spring shooting. Killing pregnant sows and killing nursing mothers resulting in the pups starving to death in the den.

 

[TheOtherZilla]

Dang. And here all these years I thought the idea of shooting P-dawgs was to get rid of em.. Didn't know we are "Managing" them.. I guess I am now officially a slob hunter as I shoot when I see em.. I am gonna hafta change my ways and leave some dawgs to dig holes so the live stock can break a leg..

 

[Ken]

yep, age old conflict between rancher point of view and shooter point of view. As a shooter, I like to leave some for seed.

 

[bddc2012]

Thanks for all the responses it is not what I was wanting to hear but at least I can plan an alternate response if it is bad where we we will be shooting.

 

[swampshooter]

Extermination of the species should not be the goal.

 

[RHux]

Look elsewhere there is lots of shooting to be had. My son and I shot 1600 rounds in 3 days , with an outfitter .

 

[WindSurgeon]

We go down to SW SD every year. We called our friend out in Jackson/Pennington and he said that the plague has devastated the population out there so we did not go. Last year the shooting was slim. Out in that area the issue is that the PD has been protected to help out the Black Footed Ferret that feeds on them and is "endangered". So many dogs ended up on the landscape that plague tore through the towns and wiped out many of the places we used to go. All we saw last year was those yellow plague warning signs at our usual spots.

That said, we have found decent shooting on the Pine Ridge reservation. Problem is getting on without a lot of fees and a guide requirement by the tribe. If you have the cash, go have a bash.

 

[Rtheurer]

This Late in the season ussually they are pretty skidish if you find a spot that has dogs and has been shot at all summer long. One shot and they go down for the next half hour.
I like to go in the spring around June right before the grass gets too tall and the little ones are a little bigger and out. Agree with the above.... Way way too much pressure now days after it got popular to do. I grew up in an area in the 70's and 80's where you could go anywhere and shoot. Didnt even have to ask after the first time. So to me to pay some one is absalutly out of the question weather for a Tresspass fee or guide fee. Just not going to do it.
Im lucky I have a spot I can go anytime I want, other wise I might just not go at all.

Be prepared to find a new spot in case you strike out early.
RT

 

[drgunlimited]

just got back home from a good shoot. dead calm this morning dog numbers were better than I anticipated. two of us for about 5 hours on two towns... wind started to pick up or we would have went back to the first town again...

 

[bddc2012]

Thanks for the responses our intentions were to go later in the year so as not to shoot too many dogs as we are not intending to have a wholesale slaughter of a species just wanting to have a nice father son outing.