2008 South Dakota Pheasant Hunting Outlook Forecast - August

August 11, 2008 by Chris Hitzeman

I just got a call from my Aberdeen pheasant camp owner and he said they were getting a good rain and he felt confident it would finish out his corn for the year and he would get another cutting of alfalfa. What's good for crops is usually good for pheasants! It's usually quiet just before the South Dakota roadside counts come out. When there is a lot of cover, it is hard to tell what is out there. My resident experts have nothing but good things to say about bird numbers in South Dakota this year. Some guesstimate that 2008 could even be a new record over last years record. What I look for is weather extremes or the lack thereof. For the most part it has been dry since June 1. That is good only to a certain degree. Chicks needs bugs and bugs need moisture to thrive. The good news is that the state has gotten good rains in each of the 3 months of summer with a nice one just coming through this week. With no major hailstorms, high heat or nesting season floods you can pretty much say the crop of pheasants we have now have come through the risky time of year and come through with flying colors. My September report will have a summary of the Game and Fish's roadside brood count survey findings. Fuel prices are expected to continue dropping. Make plans to enjoy another great season of pheasant hunting in South Dakota.