Quick Trip Report: 1st Trip to SD

[carpfisher]

Camped in Farm Island State Park, Pierre in one of the cabins. Excellent digs. Hunted 99% Public land: WIA, FPNGL, Game Production Areas. We were never skunked in 6 days of hunting. Harvest Pheasant, Sharptail, and Prarie Chicken. Weather was perfect, although a bit windy 1 day ( 35 mph steady.) After reading some of the posts on this forum about getting to fields early and all, we saw very few other hunting parties. Almost none in the FPNGL and never had a problem getting on a piece of public land.
Excellent dog work. Sam was pointing solid in those 35 MPH winds. He made a great cripple find. My partner dropped the bird, it ran. and we visually lost it. Me and the dog were on the other side of the shelter belt when he shot it. I came over and put Sam to work. Partner's patience was wearing thin but about then Sam lock up and we move in. He found the cripple under a tumble weed. I was very proud of him and he was in a classic low head Enlish Setter point. Should've taken a pic but was more concerned with collecting the bird.
We need to understand the WIA program better. Seems like some of the land listed and marked as WIA is barely adequate to support insect life, let alone game animals. We understand everything isn't necessarily for birds but jez, some of that stuff was grazed to the nubs of grass. How much do the farmers get paid to be in the program? Seems like they are ripping off the state. All in All, fantastic and we'll be back next year.

[smilinicon]

sounds like a great time! I plan to head there when I retire.

[carpfisher]

I forgot to add a note about Barbed Wire.
Sam got into a bunch of some in a shelter belt we were hunting. He went in after a bird and cam out with blood all over his front half. Apparently he just knicked the vein the vet's use in his left forleg. After the split seccond of panic and WTF to see the gusher, I tackled him and applied direct pressure. I just started carrying a dog first aid kit this year so I shrugged off the Camelback with the kit in the accessory pocket, smeared a blob of EMT Gel on it, 4x4 bandages and wrapped it with cling tape. We hauled him to the Oahe Vet Clinic in Pierre (40 minutes away). By the time I got there, the bleeding had stopped and we discoverd he also tore up an ear. Dr. Heather Carlise took him right in. Sam was stichjed up and we were on our way in 30 minutes. Dr. said no problem so we hunted the next day. It was his best day. Seems like he slowed down and really paid attention to the job at hand. I am sold on EMT gel and will never hunt with out a Dog/people first aid kit.