South Dakota - Black Hills whitetail.

[84toyota]

Hi guys,
I'm wondering if any of you can tell me how the whitetail numbers are doing in the Black Hills this year? My dad and I drew any whitetail tags, but have not hunted there since 2007. I have heard that the numbers dropped off a few years back due to disease outbreak. Have the bounced back at all? Are there certain parts of the Hills to avoid due to low deer numbers? We hunted near Custer in 2007. Would you recommend a different part of the Hills for 2016? Thanks!

 

[mikkel318]

I did that hunt last year and we hunted around Custer. We saw a lot of deer and some good bucks as well. I hunted back in 2008 and it was similar. My Dad, Brothers, and I killed 4 bucks in 3 days of hunting. I will try to attach some pictures when I get to my home computer.

The best advice we received is to go the last few days of the season. We hit snow and cold which made it easier to see the deer and they were on their feet throughout the day.

 

[bjfoxhoven]

I did that hunt last year and we hunted around Custer. We saw a lot of deer and some good bucks as well. I hunted back in 2008 and it was similar. My Dad, Brothers, and I killed 4 bucks in 3 days of hunting. I will try to attach some pictures when I get to my home computer.

The best advice we received is to go the last few days of the season. We hit snow and cold which made it easier to see the deer and they were on their feet throughout the day.

Have to agree with you too, later in the season has always been better for us as well. We hunt a few different areas most years, so if we don't see many in one area we head for another. I would have to say numbers seemed a little lower the last couple years then the previous ones, but with that said we have seen nice bucks each of the last couple years. We found lion tracks in one of our better areas and believe that is why we were not seeing as many deer last year. Custer area has always been good to us. I didn't draw this year but two cousins dos, so I plan to tag along if I have time between school and the baby. Good luck!

 

[drrice]

I would have to say the numbers are doing pretty good. They are allowing antlerless archery hunting this year again so that in itself is saying something in regards to the population. I also drew a Whitetail tag this year that I will try to fill with my archery equipment.
Here is one I got on camera this year

 

[jeffpg]

It's good to hear that the deer are making a comeback there. I have always driven through the state on my way to hunt elsewhere but have always seen decent numbers of animals just driving through.

I am beginning to think that I'd like to start hunting deer and antelope in South Dakota, so I'm buying points this year to get started. I may make a scouting trip while I'm out in Wyoming this fall, and had even thought about getting the archery tag to make it more of an adventure.

What I'd really like to do is begin learning an area (while carrying my bow) that offers decent hunting for antelope AND deer. Does such a unit exist? I have taken my share of trophies and I do love trophy hunting but I don't have to have monster animals in front of me to have a good time.

 

[usmc99]

I'm headed there tomorrow camping with the family. Gonna take my spotter along and do some lookin around. I'll post up if I see anything good.

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[bjfoxhoven]

I'm headed there tomorrow camping with the family. Gonna take my spotter along and do some lookin around. I'll post up if I see anything good.

Find anything? We went out two weekends ago, looking for mostly mule deer. Found a decent amount of deer, 7-8 bucks but nothing mature. Mostly forkeys and 3-3's. We generally don't mess around our whitetail areas since we don't want to pressure them more then they already get. Most years can find a couple good bucks so it has worked for us. I will post a picture when I get a chance.

 

[usmc99]

I'm headed there tomorrow camping with the family. Gonna take my spotter along and do some lookin around. I'll post up if I see anything good.

Find anything? We went out two weekends ago, looking for mostly mule deer. Found a decent amount of deer, 7-8 bucks but nothing mature. Mostly forkeys and 3-3's. We generally don't mess around our whitetail areas since we don't want to pressure them more then they already get. Most years can find a couple good bucks so it has worked for us. I will post a picture when I get a chance.

Didn't see a whole lot, but I did I get much time to do any looking around either. We would see a couple deer every day so I'm sure theres at least a few around. We were just to busy doing all the kids attractions up there. What Money pit!

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[bjfoxhoven]

Didn't see a whole lot, but I did I get much time to do any looking around either. We would see a couple deer every day so I'm sure theres at least a few around. We were just to busy doing all the kids attractions up there. What Money pit!

Gotcha, yeah we just keep driving past for now lol. My girl is too young to remember that stuff now. Still fun to get out there away from the rigors of work, school, etc.

 

[Jared Bloomgren]

The whitetail populations in the hills have been on the up and up. Great bucks have been making it through past seasons so you should experience a good hunt! Best of luck! Cant' wait to see pics!

 

[84toyota]

Picked up some west river doe tags to go with the Black Hills either sex tag... It's nice to be able to target multiple animals after driving such a distance... Just have to find some public land or walk-in access in that particular west River unit now!

 

[drrice]

Here is the buck I shot in the Hills this November

 

[84toyota]

Here's a pic of my Black Hills whitetail from last November. Love hunting the Hills!

 

[84toyota]

Here's a pic of my dad's buck... he'd already started cutting it up by the time I made it there with a camera!

 

[bjfoxhoven]

Man all hear are nice respectable bucks. There were some really big ones shot last year, and there was decent rainfall this year so I'm hopefully here will again be another great year. I drew my any whitetail tag with my dad, so plan to try to get him a buck first. None of the deer we had an eye on last year got shot that we know of, hoping to turn them over this year though.

 

[Hesseltine32]

Nice bucks you and your dad got 84. Something about hunting those western whitetail. I have become addicted to it.

 

[smitty_bs]

Hello there. I used to live in South Dakota, but only hunted deer in the plains. I moved to Illinois many years ago, but would like to hunt the Black Hills. I did turkey hunt years ago there, but never for deer. Any advice on how a non-resident could get a firearm white-tail tag?

And I would have not clue as to where to hunt. As I recall, there were little pull-offs from the forest roads and you could walk in from there. At least that's how we turkey hunted. Do most people just sit? I don't think I would want to still-hunt or stalk much on public land and accidentally walk into another hunter's area.

 

[windlaker]

LOTS of Preference points.

They hand out Black Hills tags to NRs with an eyedropper.

Still waiting for mine.

 

[Fatcamp]

Look around the SDGFP website for maps of public land and draw odds. Plenty of info to make educated choices.

 

[jm1607]

LOTS of Preference points.

They hand out Black Hills tags to NRs with an eyedropper.

Still waiting for mine.

I thought they were easy to win? Like, you were guaranteed a tag with 2 points?