Anybody with early p-dog experience in South Dakota? - The Firearms Forum

polishshooter · 01-31-2013, 08:06 PM

We used to go some time after June 15th since that is when the season started on Federal Land, but now it's year round even on Federal Land.

But last year we went the end of June/beginning of July and there were a lot of doggers out, from all over, some of our old towns we had luck on were being hunted, and a couple had been shot over not long before we set up.

We got kills but it felt like "sloppy seconds" sometimes...

This year we are thinking the last week of May/first of June.

Has anybody shot out there in late May? Are the young ones out yet?

And now we read on-line that they have some dog towns off limits due to reintroduction of the endangered ferrets on western Federal Land...

Is there any talk how much of it is off limits? It sounds like only a few small isolated areas....

catfish83861 · 02-01-2013, 09:58 AM

Haven't heard anything from over here in North Idaho. However a P-dog shoot sounds like fun. Might have to go over to Montana to a guys ranch to see if he will help me control some of those pesky rats.

polishshooter · 02-01-2013, 11:50 AM

Yeah Cat, we usually hunt near the badlands south of Wall, SD but we've talked about maybe exploring a little west into eastern Montana sometime, maybe this year ....

Bindernut · 02-01-2013, 01:07 PM

I answered in your new toy thread in the long-gun forum but figured I'd pop in here too.

The pdogs are normally out in May. Some of the litters might still be young, depends on the town. Not sure if the public lands are still closed from March through May...private land is open year-round.

I heard some talk on the news about the plague spreading out more this year. I'm not sure how it's like down by Wall though.
I haven't paid much attention to anything about the ferrets, except I think they'd just be closing hunting on the Federal land and maybe State land too. Too far out of my area to give it much thought I suppose.

I was supposed to be getting out to Rhame ND to call coyotes at a college friend's place in January, but it done went and got cold the last couple weeks so I've been chickening out. Same area we shoot p dogs. The dog numbers are down a little in that area, but not enough to worry about.

polishshooter · 02-01-2013, 05:15 PM

Thanks Binder. When we first shot on "our" private land around June 15th the rancher was pretty happy since "The young ones should be out by now" and we did have a grand old time over one of the biggest towns we had seen until then....and the back part of it over the ridge had NEVER been shot! THAT was a hoot!

But the next year he poisoned them and it was good for maybe 10 shots all day

....so we headed back to Federal Land. We check in every year though, because he says "they ALWAYS come back no matter how much poison you use...."

01-31-2013, 08:06 PM	#1
polishshooter Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Indiana Contributor Posts: 7,860	Anybody with early p-dog experience in South Dakota? We used to go some time after June 15th since that is when the season started on Federal Land, but now it's year round even on Federal Land. But last year we went the end of June/beginning of July and there were a lot of doggers out, from all over, some of our old towns we had luck on were being hunted, and a couple had been shot over not long before we set up. We got kills but it felt like "sloppy seconds" sometimes... This year we are thinking the last week of May/first of June. Has anybody shot out there in late May? Are the young ones out yet? And now we read on-line that they have some dog towns off limits due to reintroduction of the endangered ferrets on western Federal Land... Is there any talk how much of it is off limits? It sounds like only a few small isolated areas.... __________________ The problems we face today are there because the people who work for a living are outnumbered by those who vote for a living. -->

02-01-2013, 09:58 AM	#2
catfish83861 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: North Idaho Posts: 2,019	Re: Anybody with early p-dog experience in South Dakota? Haven't heard anything from over here in North Idaho. However a P-dog shoot sounds like fun. Might have to go over to Montana to a guys ranch to see if he will help me control some of those pesky rats. __________________ 'Bravery is being the only one who knows you're afraid.' - David Hackworth

02-01-2013, 11:50 AM	#3
polishshooter Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Indiana Contributor Posts: 7,860	Re: Anybody with early p-dog experience in South Dakota? Yeah Cat, we usually hunt near the badlands south of Wall, SD but we've talked about maybe exploring a little west into eastern Montana sometime, maybe this year .... __________________ The problems we face today are there because the people who work for a living are outnumbered by those who vote for a living.

02-01-2013, 01:07 PM	#4
Bindernut Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: ND, USA Posts: 2,443	Re: Anybody with early p-dog experience in South Dakota? I answered in your new toy thread in the long-gun forum but figured I'd pop in here too. The pdogs are normally out in May. Some of the litters might still be young, depends on the town. Not sure if the public lands are still closed from March through May...private land is open year-round. I heard some talk on the news about the plague spreading out more this year. I'm not sure how it's like down by Wall though. I haven't paid much attention to anything about the ferrets, except I think they'd just be closing hunting on the Federal land and maybe State land too. Too far out of my area to give it much thought I suppose. I was supposed to be getting out to Rhame ND to call coyotes at a college friend's place in January, but it done went and got cold the last couple weeks so I've been chickening out. Same area we shoot p dogs. The dog numbers are down a little in that area, but not enough to worry about.

02-01-2013, 05:15 PM	#5
polishshooter Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Indiana Contributor Posts: 7,860	Re: Anybody with early p-dog experience in South Dakota? Thanks Binder. When we first shot on "our" private land around June 15th the rancher was pretty happy since "The young ones should be out by now" and we did have a grand old time over one of the biggest towns we had seen until then....and the back part of it over the ridge had NEVER been shot! THAT was a hoot! But the next year he poisoned them and it was good for maybe 10 shots all day....so we headed back to Federal Land. We check in every year though, because he says "they ALWAYS come back no matter how much poison you use...." __________________ The problems we face today are there because the people who work for a living are outnumbered by those who vote for a living.