south dakota outfitters

Joined
Apr 2, 2021
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20
Location
iowa
i have been hunting mulies in the same location in SW south dakota for over 15 years. i have harvested a couple average bucks for that area but nothing in the 150 class. usually we shoot just 3x3 or maybe a 4x4. It also appears that the whitetails are taking over and maybe that is why the mulie numbers are declining. my hunts have always been DIY with another buddy. next year i will have 5 points accrued. I have heard and seen via internet that there maybe larger mulies and more population in the NW area of SD. I am contemplating maybe doing a guided hunt in that area. anyone have any experience with outfitters in that area of NW SD that they would share? Thanks
 

Mudslinger

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Apr 25, 2016
Messages
206
Location
Wisconsin
This doesn't answer your question but, I've talked to quite a few people that hunted the nw corner and they didn't see much for deer on private or public ground. I have heard good things about Routier outfitters though
 

KurtR

WKR
Joined
Sep 11, 2015
Messages
3,534
Location
South Dakota
Ya numbers are down here every where. But with the rut during rifle season there is always a chance. That outfitter looks as good as any i have hunted that area and nice country there
 

hoyt-guy

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 27, 2018
Messages
177
Location
Minnesota
Yeah that Routier Outfitters seems to have things dialed from what I see on social media..
 

Lytro

WKR
Joined
Jun 19, 2019
Messages
513
The NW part of the state has been pretty inconsistent the past couple years. It gets a TON of pressure from NR archery hunters beginning in October, and mature bucks seem to be really few and far between. My wife's cousin hunts a unit up there nearly every year, and he said this year was the fewest deer he's ever seen. I hunted the neighboring unit to him and saw a good number of deer opening weekend, but not much for size other than the one I shot.

Like others have said, Routier is probably your best bet if you're dead set on going with an outfitter. If you have the time, I think you would be able to come across a decent buck within the 16 day season by yourself though. There's tons of public land out there and a large portion of the tag holders don't leave their vehicles.
 

dtrkyman

WKR
Joined
Oct 2, 2014
Messages
2,932
I guided near Ft. Pierre area in 21, Mule dder numbers were defnitely down compared to what I heard from a couple other guides that have been there a while.

Quality was way down, they used to pick and choose bucks, now guys were shooting anything mature.

My clients had whitetail tags, numbers were decent, quality was lacking!
 

JBWinter

FNG
Joined
Apr 12, 2022
Messages
18
That portion of SD has had some real population declines for a host of reasons, and especially with the winter in general that has been had, I would probably hold on to your points for a bit if it was me. There were some recent changes that just passed committee that is going to have an impact on mule deer throughout the state and could really change the structure positively. For real top end potential, those regulations having a few years in place could change things.
 
Joined
May 17, 2015
Messages
711
That portion of SD has had some real population declines for a host of reasons, and especially with the winter in general that has been had, I would probably hold on to your points for a bit if it was me. There were some recent changes that just passed committee that is going to have an impact on mule deer throughout the state and could really change the structure positively. For real top end potential, those regulations having a few years in place could change things.

What changes are those? Genuinely curious


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JBWinter

FNG
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Apr 12, 2022
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What changes are those? Genuinely curious


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Changes to NR archery tags in the state. Public land archery deer tags will be converted to a limited draw system. NR private land or guided is not affected. This change will reduce pressure on counties high in public land and mule deer that are currently being harvested at a rate that is not sustainable , especially for mule deer given the population issues they are already facing. IF NR harvest of mule deer is curbed in several counties as a result, overall mulie populations, and or quality of bucks should improve. This was just a first step and may not be the end of regulations to try and better manage mulies in the state.
 
Joined
May 17, 2015
Messages
711
Not that I don’t think hunting pressure and numbers should be regulated but do you really think NR bow hunters are killing that many deer that it’s having a population level effect?


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Lytro

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Jun 19, 2019
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513
Not that I don’t think hunting pressure and numbers should be regulated but do you really think NR bow hunters are killing that many deer that it’s having a population level effect?


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The harvest statistics say yes. Lots of NRs come out every year to solely kill mule deer. While they're not the only reason for declining population, it's the one factor that can actually be managed. It's a step in the right direction and will hopefully lead to additional management tactics.
 

JBWinter

FNG
Joined
Apr 12, 2022
Messages
18
Not that I don’t think hunting pressure and numbers should be regulated but do you really think NR bow hunters are killing that many deer that it’s having a population level effect?


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Lytro is correct in my opinion in the post above and also the SD data on harvest bears that out. In one of the more popular counties, NR archers accounted for nearly 200 mule deer harvested. Given the other population issues they are already facing, and were facing the year of that harvest stat, that is a massive number. With our tags being any deer, that also means some of those were likely mulie does, which have been getting tons of protection by reducing the resident harvest of mulie does to almost non existent via tag restrictions. So basically that type of concentrated harvest of specifically mule deer in certain counties is having a population level impact on that county or those larger parcels of public land. Mule deer per sq mile density is low, so 200 is A LOT. No it is not the only factor, and no the new regulations arent a silver bullet, but it is a step in the right direction, and more is likely coming for NR and residents alike to conserve mule deer specificaly. Also the regulations were passed to address antelope as well. Same problems. Very heavy localized harvest, leading to massive reduction in herd sizes . Wherever the animals are in any given year, the way our tags were set up, there were all the hunters and absolutely hammered those herds. Add in a few bad winters, and some disease for the mulies... you have a real problem, that we are already a little behind on trying to curb. I as and SD resident with NR family members am not hating on NR hunters or saying banish em all, but some steps needed to be taken that were common sense and fair given the rest of the western model of hunting. Mind you I NR hunt all over the west outside of SD too, so I see both sides on it. SD could do a lot more like some other states to really stick it to NR, but so far they havent.
 
Joined
May 17, 2015
Messages
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I’ve never had much luck finding good harvest stats from South Dakota, so thanks for the info. Crazy that archers were killing that many deer. I can only assume with numbers like that and general season archery harvest rates that usually number in the 10% range that means there were likely 2000 archery hunters in that one county alone. I can definitely see the problem there


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Lytro

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Jun 19, 2019
Messages
513
I’ve never had much luck finding good harvest stats from South Dakota, so thanks for the info. Crazy that archers were killing that many deer. I can only assume with numbers like that and general season archery harvest rates that usually number in the 10% range that means there were likely 2000 archery hunters in that one county alone. I can definitely see the problem there


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It’s a lot of pressure. I didn’t think it was that bad until I took a NR buddy out archery hunting last October. I was amazed. He also ended up killing a muley in that county though so you could say I contributed to the problem. Lol. I’ve been talking to him about the changes and he agreed he’d rather hunt out here once every 3 or 4 years if it meant less pressure. He’s from WI so him thinking it was crowded is saying a lot.
 
Joined
May 17, 2015
Messages
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It’s a lot of pressure. I didn’t think it was that bad until I took a NR buddy out archery hunting last October. I was amazed. He also ended up killing a muley in that county though so you could say I contributed to the problem. Lol. I’ve been talking to him about the changes and he agreed he’d rather hunt out here once every 3 or 4 years if it meant less pressure. He’s from WI so him thinking it was crowded is saying a lot.

I mean, but has he ever hunted unit 39 in Idaho though?

I always use unit 39 out here as my measurement tool for pressure, which I will admit probably skews my view on pressure a little. 13,000 people in one unit is a bit much though


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Lytro

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Jun 19, 2019
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No, but the deer harvest in the county we grew up in is 10,000+ every rifle season. Mostly private land though.
 
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