South Dakota Fun

[Brett Trimble]

Having a good time trying out a Repro SSS in South Dakota. Lots of grouse this season.

Best,
Brett

[Kevin McCormack]

Years ago we hunted south of Pierre about an hour plus near the whistlestop towns of Murdo, Presho, Vivian and Draper. We hit two areas that held sharptails as well as pheasant; what a thrill it was to have them rocket up out of the stubble! That hunt confirmed them as my favorite prarie game bird. Great pics and great birds! Thanks for posting.

[Wild Skies]

The very attractive figure of your SSS’s stock is atypical from what’s typically encountered with that model. Very nice!

[mobirdhunter]

Now that looks like two happy hunters. Nothing quite like bird hunting on the prairie. Thanks for sharing your hunt.

[Brett Trimble]

Thanks for the kind words gents.

Kevin is spot on, that’s the area we’re shooting. Hard to tell but I’m holding two sharp tails and one chicken. There seems to have been a bumper crop of both the last couple of years.

The butt stock of the SSS isn’t the original. I had a replacement made as the original didn’t fit me well.

[Larry the Gun Guy]

Very nice indeed. It looks like you both got a lesser prairie chicken. The horizontal bars going down the body are a dead give away. And in the picture of the birds on the ground you can definitely see the "chickens" foot on the prairie chicken. Were they shot as the flock flew past or did you flush them?

[mobirdhunter]

Originally Posted by Larry Stauch

Very nice indeed. It looks like you both got a lesser prairie chicken. The horizontal bars going down the body are a dead give away. And in the picture of the birds on the ground you can definitely see the "chickens" foot on the prairie chicken. Were they shot as the flock flew past or did you flush them?

Are there Lessers in SD? I hunted them (unsuccessfully ) in SW Kansas before they closed hunting on the species. We saw them...at a distance only. A chicken, Greater or Lesser, is a trophy bird in my book. Congratulations again to those happy hunters.

[Larry the Gun Guy]

No, the prairie chickens in SD are commonly know as greaters, but they do vary in size from sharp tail size to nearly pheasant size. I did harvest a phesant size bird a few years ago that I wished I had mounted, but I did mount one of the smaller birds that I took near Pierre. And they are great eating, as are sharp tails.

[Brett Trimble]

Larry,

We shot these in the morning as they came into a cut sunflower field. I had the right spot, as it turned out and both flocks of 25 or more and singles/doubles came over. I could have shot many more.

We shoot them over flushing dogs in the CRP grass just before dark as well. I’ve attached a pic of a big male chicken I shot last season in the CRP and a pic of me freezing in a lawn chair waiting for them in the morning.

I have mounted chickens and sharptails. They make beautiful mounts!

Brett

[mobirdhunter]

Brett, I envy your access to prairie chickens. They are a special part of the history of the Great Plains.