advice on SD merriams

[Gopherlongbeards]

When is your hunt schedules for TJ? Snake boots might not be a bad idea. That being said, if its an early hunt and it has been cold out the snakes may still be in their dens. Many people encounter snakes while bird hunting every fall, especially during the grouse season in Sept. Most of my friends will hunt until they see the first snake of the day and then call it a day. They are going to be most active during the middle of the day when its warmest. One nice thing is in SD you are dealing with prairie rattlers. Typically smaller and less aggressive than timber rattlers in SE MN and SW WI. I do not know one who's ever actually been bit by one, but know plenty of guys who have had close encounters (everything from one rattling between their dogs legs, to under their boot...). Don't let it ruin your hunt, just be aware that you may run into one and give it a little space. They may actually help you out a bit, forcing you to slow down and pay attention ;)

[turkey junky]

i will be out in the prairie unit for the SD opening day i think april 13 i think they will still be in there dens due to chilly nights & mornings???

oh im not scared at all of the snakes in SD MN or WI lol i have hunted in FL & OK wear there is lots of rattlers & not seen any knock on wood!!! if i did not buy snake boots for OK or FL i will not buy them for SD prairie hunt lol...

i have herd of them being way more visible in the prairie grouse season in SD i will be in prairie grouse county so my fingers are crossed im more worried about my 2 dogs i will have with finding a snake b4 i can dispatch it!!! lol

florida i seen some snakes just not sure if it was a rattler im about 80% sure i seen some pygmy rattlers thow they love sand & palmettos & guess wear i was when i seen the little snakes!!! think i dogged a bullet???

[Gopherlongbeards]

Yeah I wouldn't worry about it too much. Are you going to hunt prairie grouse next fall? That is always a good time. If you're going to go early I would recommend looking into a snake vaccine for your dogs, especially if they don't have any snake training.

[turkey junky]

yup i would get the vaccine for the the 2 dogs if i make it out to the SD prairie next sept? i really would like to hit the grasslands for prairie grouse in SD but to be honest i think i can get a top notch quality hunt write here in MN most folks head to the woods on grouse opener here in MN like you know & leave the prairies alone except for the hardcore prairie grouse hunters i would much rather walk the prairies then chase my dog in the thick ruffed grouse woods lol each to there own???

my new small munsterlander will be ready to go come sept so i cant wait for that as she was pretty good hunting at 8-9 months on prairie grouse didnt get her out to much for ruffed grouse & she loved pheasant hunting so after turkey season ill be training training training!!! wish we could use dogs for fall turkey in MN id give her a try at that???

cant wait till mid march ill be buying my SD prairie unit turkey tag it will be my father cousin & my self coming from OK & KS hunting rio grandes want to get my cousin a rio & merriams to knock off his bucket list he will be in same boat as me & my dad only needing a OSCEOLA to rap up the grand slam thats next season!!!

think we should buy a preference point in the 1st SD draw for the prairie unit gopher??? then we would have a point on our side for the 2nd draw & be damn near 100% on drawing a tag come the 2nd draw??? the unit we will be applying for for a unit wear there is plenty of left overs come the 3rd draw so we really would not have to but we want to secure a SD prairie tag for this season & i think thats our very best option??? we will still be able to get a tag if we dont buy a point but like i said we kinda just want to buy 100% on get n a tag... just wonder what you would do???

[Gopherlongbeards]

You will not need the point. The only tags available for the second draw are those that weren't taken in the first. If you apply in time for the 1st draw you should get a tag. The only units that have more applicants than tags are the small unique ones like custer and western Brookings county. I don't know anyone who hasn't received a tag for a prairie unit they applied for.

You also don't need to wait until mid March if you're hunting west river. Non-residents may apply for the first drawing in all units west of the Mo River.

[turkey junky]

oh yes i do know i can apply b4 mid march i was going to kinda get a idea of how many folks really apply & or hunt the area & pick up a remaining tag come march...??? but i think we may just send in for the 1st draw now to be sure we can get the tag & save the $$$ on buying the point... i think gregory county is the only unit that you are not going to get a tag in on your 1st go round DOUBLE K guide service & a few others messed that up for everybody with its over publicity of the area on T.V. & DVDs in years past... it has more people apply then they have tags its crazy how many people jumped on the band wagon & thats not including the unlimited number of archery tags they sell in the unit... that was double ks claim to fame the best place to bow hunt turkeys they actually say best place to hunt merriams with a bow but there turkeys are way on the HYBRID side of things...

just seen a hunting show yesterday wear a father & son won a free hunt with double k to harvest there merriams sub species but the kids 1st bird was a eastern the guide even said so & the dads bird was a HYBRID at best??? the next hunt was a pro hunter hunting with double k to get his merriams & a couple of young 2 yr olds came running in & he shot 1 it was also a merriams & the guide commented on how there is more & more of these easterns in this area & how they are write on the eastern merriams line??? to me that makes em all HYBRIDS lol??? any way he said they still have lots of white tipped merriams there also??? but i think they just are all HYBRIDS now days??? god i hope i dont have a eastern looking bird run into me in the SD prairie unit i want to hunt its a ways from double k so ill keep my fingers crossed!!!

i just kinda want to check SD off the turkey hunt list so??? it just sucks that damn near 100% of the state has hybrids & merriams wish there was only merriams there but what can i do about that??? lol

thanks gopher wish us luck this season... hey we can still apply as a group in SD for turkey write??? like in MN if 1 gets picked we all get draw correct??? ill read my paper apps also & make sure...

[twofer1]

How are the ticks and skeeters in SD?

[turkey junky]

south of there in NE they are vicious & the worst i have ever encountered & im from MN & thought i had seen bad ticks!!! i will assume that its the same way in the black hills... not sure on the skeeters there not to bad in NE they need water to thrive & i think all SD is in a drought so we may luck out??? if you have bug spray ur good with them not with ticks but id bet the ticks are crazy there good idea to call a forest ranger near the area you will be hunting & ask???

[twofer1]

I will have a couple of thermacells with me just in case and my tick proof undergarments. Thanks for the info.

[Gopherlongbeards]

I have never seen a tick in the Hills, even before I started spaying down my cloths with permethrin a couple years ago. Mosquitoes are also not a problem. The prairie units I'm not too sure. Would get plenty of ticks on the eastern side of the state.