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Tips For South Dakota Pheasant Hunting

By Sharron Cantu


Estelline is part of the Watertown Micropolitan Statistical area of the state of South Dakota. It had a grand population of 768 people as of the census in 2010. Estelline is also great for South Dakota pheasant hunting. Altogether, the city has a total area of less than one square mile. You can probably figure out the population density for yourself. Compare to this to the most heavily populated city in the United States, New York, which has a population density of almost 28,000 per square mile.

Two other fruitful areas for pheasant-hunting are Aberdeen, about a five-hour drive southwest of Estelline, and Chamberlain, between two and a half and three hours to the northwest. Chamberlain has half the population of Estelline distributed over nearly three times the area, for a population density of 360/square mile. Aberdeen, another micropolitan statistical area, has a population density of 1,700/square mile.

Part of the Golden Triangle of pheasant-hunting, Chamberlain is located on the Missouri River. Brood counts here have averaged close to 16 per square mile during the decade leading up to 2014. This is twice the average for the state as a whole. The area around Aberdeen has around 200,000 acres of land available to the public for tracking down these birds. Hunters here can average nearly nine birds per season in a good year.

Sexual dimorphism refers to a feature of animal species in which the male is more flamboyantly turned out than the female of the species. Among the family Phasianidae, this is particularly pronounced. The males in this group are adorned with bright colors, wattles and long tails. They adapt quickly to new environments and are able to breed in captivity.

Shooting pheasants is both fun and good exercise. It is a good idea to practice shooting before you hit the wilderness. Skeet shooting makes for good practice aiming your gun ahead of your moving target. An important safety practice is to not pull the trigger until the bird has flown above the height of human.

You will also need to make sure you are fit before you venture into the wilderness. This is a sport that involves a lot of walking up and down hills and through marsh areas. When you are out shooting with your buddies, you must walk side by side to avoid shooting each other.

For an enhanced experience, take a good hunting dog with you. Different breeds have different talents. If you want an animal who will flush the birds out of the brush for you, go for a spaniel or a retriever. If you prefer to do the flushing yourself, but want a companion who will point to the birds for you, then you are better off with a continental breed, such as a Brittany, a GSP or a GWP.

An extra perk to wearing yourself out and getting sopping wet is the possibility that you will bring home a little something for the dinner table. Slowly roast it, perhaps with juniper berries, and serve alongside a jug of old-fashioned bread sauce.




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