By
Dan Bechtold
Editor
This is an exciting time of year. It is
hunting season.
Pheasant hunting statewide opens on
Oct. 16. The season has been extended again this year to Jan. 31, 2022.
Shooting hours all season start at 10 a.m. until sunset.
Dillon Bates, South Dakota Game, Fish
and Parks conservation officer in Winner, is looking for a good pheasant season
this year.
Bates said it was looking good coming
into the spring then the drought hit and changed everything. He said a lot of chicks were lost during the
drought. Pheasants eat bugs the first six weeks of their lives. “No bugs means
no pheasants,” explained the conservation officer. “I did see a lot of late hatches
this year so hopefully some of those survived,” he said.
Bates is still optimistic it will be a
decent year for bird numbers. “Some of the areas held birds a lot better than
others. It has been kind of spotty,” he said.
Historically, northern Tripp County has
more birds and he says this seems to be
true this year.
Bates noted places with cattail slews
and water held the birds better.
GFP no longer does brood counts where
they count the number of birds in a certain area.
In August, Bates spent a few mornings
driving around. “It was not good,” he said. “In the past when I would drive
north of town I would see tons of pheasants and this time I saw 1 or 2.”
With the drought farmers are scrambling
to hang onto every piece of grass which could have a negative impact on
pheasants.
Bate has been the conservation officer
here for a year. He serves the four county area of Tripp, Todd, Gregory and
Mellette County.
What asked what he looks forward to
this year he noted he was not sure what to expect.
COVID-19 is still hanging around.
Last year a lot of hunters did not come
due to COVID-19. Now that there is a vaccine available and many people are
fully vaccinated there should be more hunters. “I think we will have more
hunters than last year. I do not think as many will sit out due to COVID. A lot
of them that sat out last year will be itching to get back out,” said Bates.
He checked with some hunting lodges in the area and they
reported good numbers coming into the season. “I think it will be busy year,”
he said.
When asked what he wanted hunters to
know when they come here he said to be
respectful of private property. If hunting road right of ways know where the
road right of way ends. Know what birds you can shoot and what birds you cannot
shoot.
Make sure to ask permission if you are going to go on someone’s property.
Bates stresses that hunters should know
the rules and requirements of transportation of birds.
He explained a lot of guys go hunting
with their buddies and only one person
brings the birds to town to the processing plant.
The rules are the bird is tagged with the name of the
hunter, the hunter’s address, the total number of species of birds taken, the
date the bird was killed and signature of the hunter.
Bates also reminds hunters they cannot shoot
within 660 feet of farms, livestock, school, and homes.
He said a lot of farmers are putting up
signs about the 660 feet limit. Bates has signs in his office if landowner
would like them.
The conservation officer continues to
receive calls from hunters seeking information of pheasant season. Each day he
gets one or two calls from individuals wanting to know bird numbers and where
they can go to hunt.
Tripp County does not have a lot of
public land for hunting. So, Bates would like to get more people interested in
signing up for walk in areas. They will provide more public lands for persons
to hunt.
Bates explained GFP has another program
called controlled hunting access but he says is more restricted that a walk in
area.
He says soon GFP will be getting a
private lands biologist that can work with landowners. This person will be
stationed in Chamberlain.
Bates is hoping for good weather for
the opening weekend. “I am looking forward to the season and I hope everyone
has a successful year and enjoys the hunt.”
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