Any pheasant hunters here, surprised with trip to South Dakota

[j_volt]

Screw the pants, make sure you bring good whiskey.

 

[Winnie]

Dress in layers so you can shed a layer. You will likely overdress. Thin layers are way better than 1 big heavy coat. I hunt MN and ND and I will never wear a heavy coat even if below zero.

Bring a bottle of water if hot. Make sure you wear safety glasses as you will likely be hunting with others.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

comfortable boots with good ankle support. I shoot an over under with a modified and full choke. I mostly hunt late season though, so birds are skiddish. Brush pants are nice and I would grab an upland bird vest if you dont have one. October will still be warm weather i am guessing.

 

[Bcon]

You have gotten great advice already, so not much to add. I would say that for me, and it might just be me, the real value of the "chaps" is that my pants stay dryer and last longer. I typically go through a pair of the Filson ones every 2-3 seasons hunting between Nebraska / Iowa, mostly they get torn up along the hems. So that being said, the chaps are helpful to stay dry (need to dress them), but if you are not hunting a ton, probably won't matter as far as the wear on your pants. As far as a gun goes, shoot what you are used to using (unless you want an excuse to buy something new!) Whatever fits you well will work.

Along the lines of "don't shoot the guides dog..." Don't shoot at a bird on the ground, cripple or otherwise. I hate to say it, but that has been something that I never assume I shouldn't have to tell someone that I'm taking along with me unless I've hunted with them a lot.

Enjoy your trip, enjoy the dog work, that is the best part!

Sorry, I added more than I thought.