SD deer and pronghorn

[AT Hiker]

Ever since my first Black Hills turkey hunt almost 4 years I became fascinated with that region of SD, I was also in awe of the number of whitetail I seen roaming those hills. Yearly I drive through the region on my way to WY or MT and keep thinking I need to try deer hunting there, so this year I started to donate some hard earned money to SD G&F. In a couple years I hope to start drawing some tags for deer and pronghorn, in the meantime I hope to get out there and spend some time turkey hunting/deer scouting.

Looking at draw odds I will probably try for Black Hills whitetail first, then pronghorn, and one day West mule deer. The BH whitetail just seems like a really neat and fun hunt, but I am a little worried because the number of roads that cut through the forest. Seems like making "getting away from the crowd" a not so real tactic.

Anyone have any success or cool adventures from any of of Western SD? I know my turkey hunt was a blast.

 

[Tim McCoy]

Western SD was very good to me over the years I hunted there, 2001 - 2012. Never hunted the black hills, was north and NE of there on all my hunts. Had some of my best MD & WT adventures out there, including 3 of my biggest bucks. As I recall, fairly complicated state draw cycle, multiple draws and a number of Rez opportunities. Lost some access, and lost a contact on the Rez. Found an opportunity in MT, so am in E MT now. Before the bad die off some years back, there were more and surprisingly large MD there, excellent WT and good numbers of average Antelope. SD is where I learned to love chasing open country WT, which I still do today in MT. If the population has recovered, and I suspect it has, you should be able to find some great hunting with a little snooping around.

 

[AT Hiker]

I hunt mule deer in MT, which is about 40 miles SW of Buffalo, SD. Im thinking of checking it out this year if I have time after/before my MT hunt. Im really wanting to hunt some open country whitetails in West River unit but Im planning to hunt the Hills too simply because I think it would be a fun hunt.

 

[Tim McCoy]

Hunted MD south of Buffalo in SD, just west of Redig, had a sweet trespass fee deal on a ranch for a time. Great deer, antelope, bird, and turkey country. We are a bit south of Ekalaka in MT now. Have open country WT/MD, WT in the Pines on part of it, and 3 dog towns, we really enjoyed it. Mulies are real small at this point there, not so with the WT. Not sure what the deal is with the MD there. Some weird sort of local size deal or a die off that only hit the MD a few years back? Last year was our first year there, so it's all new to us there right now. Good luck!