Opening Day of the season for hunting pheasants in South Dakota is celebrated by many who never carry a gun or bag a bird. SD pheasant hunting brings friends and family together, draws people to the state from all over the nation, and pours tourist dollars into the state and local economies. This sport is so important that the Ring-neck is the state bird, much private and public effort is devoted to wildlife management, and efforts are made to raise public awareness of the impact of this naturalized bird on all residents as well as hundreds of thousands of visitors.
Almost all that is required to participate in the hunt is a small game license, available for both residents and nonresidents online or at specified physical locations. The license, which covers two 5-day periods, allows for the taking of fifteen birds, limited further to three roosters a day. Hunting hens is not allowed. The annual limit is 15 birds.
There are many wildlife refuges and game preserves in South Dakota, but the state invites sportsmen from all over the world to hunt over its other lands. Much private as well as public land is open during the season. This sport, which harvests over a million roosters a year, is carefully managed by wildlife specialists and enthusiastically supported by private landowners. To keep the population of the Ring-necked pheasant viable, landowners must help provide proper habitat.
Idle fields and dense brush provide the cover the birds need for nesting and feeding. Peak populations has coincided with periods when farmland is left fallow: during wartime, because of government incentives, or during economic hard times. The areas most suitable for pheasants are home to many other wild species as well. Periods of drought are hard on the birds, but with ample cover they can survive the coldest winters.
A pheasant does not usually have a long life span, so hunting is not as cruel as one might think. It helps to keep the number of male birds in a good balance with hens. Many pheasants are taken by predators before they mature or during periods of heavy snow in winter. Wildlife management teams and private landowners often plant corn or sorghum near pheasant habitats to provide extra food for the winter months.
Both Ring-necked and Golden pheasants were introduced in the late 1800s but failed to naturalize. Later and more successful attempts were negated by unrestricted hunting. However, with today's regulations, the Ring-neck population is self-sustaining, needing neither trapping to disperse the birds or supplementation by birds raised in protective captivity. Wildlife authorities estimate a population of over 10 million Ring-necks.
2008 records show that over a hundred thousand visitors and more than seventy-five thousand residents sought small game permits. All fifty states of the union were represented in applications. Many more people come for the social life that revolves around the sport. The season brings in more than two million dollars annually, boosting the state and local economy.
If you enjoy hunting, love the outdoors, or want to share vicariously in this traditional part of life in South Dakota, come for Opening Day in October or during the rest of the season. It's a great way to see this awesome state and meet great people. If you visit during the spring and summer, you can visualize millions of pheasant chicks happily eating insects in the tall grass or the bushes all around.
Almost all that is required to participate in the hunt is a small game license, available for both residents and nonresidents online or at specified physical locations. The license, which covers two 5-day periods, allows for the taking of fifteen birds, limited further to three roosters a day. Hunting hens is not allowed. The annual limit is 15 birds.
There are many wildlife refuges and game preserves in South Dakota, but the state invites sportsmen from all over the world to hunt over its other lands. Much private as well as public land is open during the season. This sport, which harvests over a million roosters a year, is carefully managed by wildlife specialists and enthusiastically supported by private landowners. To keep the population of the Ring-necked pheasant viable, landowners must help provide proper habitat.
Idle fields and dense brush provide the cover the birds need for nesting and feeding. Peak populations has coincided with periods when farmland is left fallow: during wartime, because of government incentives, or during economic hard times. The areas most suitable for pheasants are home to many other wild species as well. Periods of drought are hard on the birds, but with ample cover they can survive the coldest winters.
A pheasant does not usually have a long life span, so hunting is not as cruel as one might think. It helps to keep the number of male birds in a good balance with hens. Many pheasants are taken by predators before they mature or during periods of heavy snow in winter. Wildlife management teams and private landowners often plant corn or sorghum near pheasant habitats to provide extra food for the winter months.
Both Ring-necked and Golden pheasants were introduced in the late 1800s but failed to naturalize. Later and more successful attempts were negated by unrestricted hunting. However, with today's regulations, the Ring-neck population is self-sustaining, needing neither trapping to disperse the birds or supplementation by birds raised in protective captivity. Wildlife authorities estimate a population of over 10 million Ring-necks.
2008 records show that over a hundred thousand visitors and more than seventy-five thousand residents sought small game permits. All fifty states of the union were represented in applications. Many more people come for the social life that revolves around the sport. The season brings in more than two million dollars annually, boosting the state and local economy.
If you enjoy hunting, love the outdoors, or want to share vicariously in this traditional part of life in South Dakota, come for Opening Day in October or during the rest of the season. It's a great way to see this awesome state and meet great people. If you visit during the spring and summer, you can visualize millions of pheasant chicks happily eating insects in the tall grass or the bushes all around.
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