For most of you guys that think your land is lacking in some form of deer habitat or another, be happy that you at least the basics to work with and improve. I'm sitting in the middle of North Dakota right now, and let me tell you, this state has huge expanses of barren landscape when it comes to deer habitat. Food they got, habitat NO. Great place for ducks & pheasants, but I don't really want to hunt deer in the cattails. Rather have a 40 in MN or WI than 400 here.
You think YOU got it bad?
- Thread starter Satchmo
- Start date
West Branch
5 year old buck +
There are some amazing pockets of deer habitat in both dakotas. You are SOL without some ravines or creek and river bottoms. My brother harvested crops for a guy SE of Pierre SD along the river who has close to 25k acres and over 4k of it was creek bottoms and ravines. High populations near the habitat and non existent further away.
He saw quite a few massive muleys and whitetails. In 2012 they were hit by EHD and/or blue tongue and there were a lot of dead heads. He brought back a 140+ inch 8 pt dead head. Had pictures of a few other very nice ones.
He saw quite a few massive muleys and whitetails. In 2012 they were hit by EHD and/or blue tongue and there were a lot of dead heads. He brought back a 140+ inch 8 pt dead head. Had pictures of a few other very nice ones.
j-bird
Moderator
I was on a business trip once up to Watertown SD and we flew into this little airport. And HOLY crap! I thought it was flat around here - no, not like that. I was like we landed in the largest, flattest cattle pasture on the planet! You could see for miles in every direction and there wasn't but a handful of trees to be seen (those where near building as landscaping and didn't exceed 50' tall). I thought it was flat in IN - I was wrong! That area of SD has us beat hands down!
Saw some real nice areas of the farm country of MN that trip as well. I think it was the Litchfield area. It was 10+ years ago so names are a bit fuzzy.
B
bat man
Guest
The 'goal' in ND is 70% success for rifle tags. I would trade hunting every fall for that kind of hunt every few years.
foggy
5 year old buck +
If you were in Watertown.....that's the "hill country" of So Dak. :) It does get much flatter and more open than that - out west.
j-bird
Moderator
I asked "what is over there" - and pointed to a small rise off in the distance (looked like a speed bump) and they said, "Oh, over that hill is the golf course" I just laughed and shook my head...."hill" they called that a "hill"!!!! Later on in life I traveled to Pittsburgh PA, via West Virginia - they called those things "hills" as well! I'm so confused - apparently the term "hill" is relative!
D
dipper
Guest
It will get better
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Greta&Gus
5 year old buck +
I have seen a few real nice bucks while pheasant hunting near Watertown SD. There isn't a ton of cover but they will hunker down in some small spots and you would have no idea they were there until your dog kicks them up. The use of trucks while rifle hunting is rampant out there though.
biglakeba$$
5 year old buck +
Duck hunting would be one of my favorite things to do other than deer hunt. I absolutely love going out there into the vastness of nothing. :)
Its always amazed me the number of deer we see out there as well. And some of the bucks we have seen rival the best I have seen in MN for certain. I have a couple friends with deer hunting land out there along the Cheyenne River. My god the pics they get on camera are what dreams are made of. They have taken some whoppers too. I am plenty jealous of what they have out there.
Its always amazed me the number of deer we see out there as well. And some of the bucks we have seen rival the best I have seen in MN for certain. I have a couple friends with deer hunting land out there along the Cheyenne River. My god the pics they get on camera are what dreams are made of. They have taken some whoppers too. I am plenty jealous of what they have out there.
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