Pheasant Hunting in Western South Dakota

Pheasants prefer woodlands or cornfields and are rare in the Badlands and Black Hills of Western South Dakota.

Pheasant is the state bird of South Dakota and the state is known for pheasant hunting. Most pheasants and pheasant hunts are found in the eastern and south central areas of the state. The state game, fish and parks department reported 50 or fewer pheasants per square mile in the west in 2009.

Habitat

Ring-necked naturalized in South Dakota after arriving from China.

Ring-neck pheasants, the predominant breed in South Dakota and North America in general, prefer habitats with good cover around croplands and agricultural landscapes. Use of "clean" farming methods, such as the removal of hedgerows, reduces nesting and protective cover causing population decline.

Geography

On the South Dakota prairies, pheasants are raised alongside mule deep and antelope.

The landscape of western South Dakota is made up of the grasslands of the Great Plains, the Black Hills and, to their east, the Badlands. Much of the region is semi-arid plains. The rest is given over to cattle and sheep ranching. There is less arable farming in the west and thus less attractive habitat for wild pheasant.

Hunting

Pheasant hunts take place in grasslands and cultivated fields.

Since pheasants are non-migratory birds, they can be reared for pheasant hunting in areas where they might not otherwise thrive. Pheasant hunting in Western South Dakota is primarily at game hunting lodges on private land with the birds bred for the purpose.

References

• South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks: Pheasant Hunting Information
• USDA Natural Resources Conservation Services: Ring-necked pheasant
• South Dakokt Game, Fish and Parks: South Dakota Wildlife Brochure
• Encyclopedia.com: Columbia Encyclopedia, South Dakota Facts

Resources

• Game Bird Hunts.com: South Dakota Pheasant Hunting Lodges