South Dakota Pheasant hunting draws a crowd despite the cost - KOTA Territory News

South Dakota Pheasant hunting draws a crowd despite the cost

South Dakota has prime pheasant hunting, "It is the best pheasant hunting anywhere," said Washington hunter Roger Wendel.

And people come from all over for the experience, "I don't think we'd like to go pheasant hunting anywhere else I mean we really like it here in the South Dakota," said Georgia hunter Joe Parks.

But is the hunting worth making the long trip? "Well it must be because we do it, so it's not cheap," said Washington pheasant hunter Bill Baumgartner.

"I'm going to say it's probably going to run us around $3,500," said Wendel.

That's $3,500 per person, but not all of that money is staying in the Black Hills; some of it is flocking east river. "We couldn't get a flight into Pierre because it's so busy with other hunters so we have a three hour drive from here to where we're hunting," said Baumgartner.

According to the Game Fish and Parks, there are fewer pheasants on the west side of the state, but that doesn't mean that hunters aren't bringing in revenue to the Black Hills. "This is a great place to visit, like I say good people, good food, good hunting, couldn't ask for more," said Baumgartner.

And other hunters agree. They say the cost and travel are worth the thrill of South Dakota pheasant hunting. "There's nothing like a big rooster exploding in front of you to get your blood going," said Wendel with a smile.

"If it wasn't exciting we wouldn't be doing it and I've been doing it since I was a kid," said Baumgartner.

It's an adrenaline rush that keeps pheasant hunters coming back year after year.

The pheasant season runs from October 20th to January 6^th. Hunters can shoot three roosters a day with a total limit of 15 pheasants.