South Dakota mule deer

[Shaghickory]

I drew a South Dakota tag for the first time this year and scored in the first hour of the opener

In that first hour this morning I saw 3 different 4 points cruising for does. Spent the afternoon window shopping since my hunt ended so quickly. Lots of deer in the unit I have which is SW


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very nice Andrew. Looks like the country on a ranch we hunted in Jackson Co some years ago.

 

[sodaksooner]

Lol I learned this the hard way years back my first time hunting AZ OTC. Deer like ease of access to food, shelter, and water just like us. They aren't going to go way back in unless they have to. Look in the spot's others aren't close to resources. I have found a lot of big bucks just off the road on a hillside, watching the road everyone drives in on. Smarter not harder.


looking.

Yeah, I have a pic of a really nice buck standing in downtown Hot Springs. They are where you find them for sure.

 

[AvgOtdrsmnLf]

Does anybody have any insight on the potential for SD moving back to allowing NR to hunt public starting Sep 1? I noticed looking at their website, that the tag description is defined a little differently this year as opposed to last year, but the 2025 regulation book hasn't been released yet for me to confirm.

 

[Beagle001]

One can dream, but given how much residents seem to adore non-residents there, I think those days are gone

 

[mdp22]

I usually pick up an OTC muzzy tag when home for the holidays and chase whitetail does at my friend's farms East River. We usually see around 100 deer throughout the day but this year saw 20. This past year they hadn't seen any dead around water sources so folks are wondering what happened if EHD didn't have a big impact. He had talked to three game wardens and they think possibly the hard winter in 2022 is the cause. They are recommending reducing tags in several counties.

 

[TheYukiYama]

Does anybody have any insight on the potential for SD moving back to allowing NR to hunt public starting Sep 1? I noticed looking at their website, that the tag description is defined a little differently this year as opposed to last year, but the 2025 regulation book hasn't been released yet for me to confirm.

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This annoys me because since I moved out of SD a few years ago, I liked taking a trip back over thanksgiving and get my rifle and archery deer in a single trip. I don't particularly expect this to change though. Once things get restricted, it seems unlikely to open back up.

 

[TheYukiYama]

One can dream, but given how much residents seem to adore non-residents there, I think those days are gone

You have issues with residents disliking nonresidents in SD? I've never had that impression before and I've been both..

 

[TheYukiYama]

I usually pick up an OTC muzzy tag when home for the holidays and chase whitetail does at my friend's farms East River. We usually see around 100 deer throughout the day but this year saw 20. This past year they hadn't seen any dead around water sources so folks are wondering what happened if EHD didn't have a big impact. He had talked to three game wardens and they think possibly the hard winter in 2022 is the cause. They are recommending reducing tags in several counties.

It'll be interesting to see what they do then. Deer number have seemed fine in the areas my family and I are familiar with West River.

 

[Fatcamp]

They need to stop all mule deer hunting in September. Really stupid idea that is not treating our herd well.

 

[Beagle001]

You have issues with residents disliking nonresidents in SD? I've never had that impression before and I've been both…

No, that was maybe a little unfair. Just the discourse on the internet (maybe my answer right there) is much more salty toward NR by residents than I’ve seen by any other state.
Heck, I’m in Wisco and we gripe about FIBs like you wouldn’t believe lol

 

[AvgOtdrsmnLf]

They need to stop all mule deer hunting in September. Really stupid idea that is not treating our herd well.

Is it more detrimental to hunt them during September or during the rut?

 

[Fatcamp]

Is it more detrimental to hunt them during September or during the rut?

Neither is a great idea but hunting mule deer nonstop with unlimited tags for 4 months is not sustainable. This state has always hunted the rut. Gonna be tough to change.

September archery and it's implementation never could have foreseen the popularity of archery or the increase in technology.

 

[Fatcamp]

No, that was maybe a little unfair. Just the discourse on the internet (maybe my answer right there) is much more salty toward NR by residents than I’ve seen by any other state.
Heck, I’m in Wisco and we gripe about FIBs like you wouldn’t believe lol

I'm a resident but am from the wrong side of the state. They dislike me too.

 

[TheYukiYama]

Neither is a great idea but hunting mule deer nonstop with unlimited tags for 4 months is not sustainable. This state has always hunted the rut. Gonna be tough to change.

September archery and it's implementation never could have foreseen the popularity of archery or the increase in technology.

I wouldn't be opposed to getting rid of December either

 

[Fatcamp]

I wouldn't be opposed to getting rid of December either

I didn't even hunt archery this year. We had muzzleloader tags and the number of out of state hunters with archery tags still out on public land was surprising.

 

[KurtR]

I had an any deer east river tag this year i get to hunt alot of good private land and alot of public. Didnt see one mulie that got me excited. Even the number of white tails was horrible. Its time to make archery for nr at a minimum draw i would even say residents. I would be all for rifle hunting out of the rut and quit killing mulie does till the population recovers. Its the same story across alot of the state with all the people i talk to. You here the random person say they seen deer but then talk to farmers and ranchers and they tell a different story being out in the country every day. My dad and father in law both been hunting lots of years and this is the worst they can remember even in the 70's before crp when it was a big deal just to kill a deer.

 

[Fatcamp]

I had an any deer east river tag this year i get to hunt alot of good private land and alot of public. Didnt see one mulie that got me excited. Even the number of white tails was horrible. Its time to make archery for nr at a minimum draw i would even say residents. I would be all for rifle hunting out of the rut and quit killing mulie does till the population recovers. Its the same story across alot of the state with all the people i talk to. You here the random person say they seen deer but then talk to farmers and ranchers and they tell a different story being out in the country every day. My dad and father in law both been hunting lots of years and this is the worst they can remember even in the 70's before crp when it was a big deal just to kill a deer.

Yup. Everyone I know who spends time on the landscape across South Dakota is reporting a herd that is really struggling.

Except SDGFP. Not a peep from them.

 

[KurtR]

Weak fronts and no mass best deer I saw all season.



between work west river and scouting every weekend and lots of week nights for waterfowl east river it’s noticeable how bad deer numbers are.