Standing rock reservation south dakota

BIG GAME HUNTER

New Member
Mar 25, 2016
8
0
Has anyone hunted the rifle season on the reservation? We are heading out this fall and giving it a try, everything we have read is to get off the beaten path and make sure you have a good map. We were thinking of staying in Mobridge S.D. We are heading out in April to do some scouting for a weekend. Any information would be appreciated, we don't want your spot just want to talk with hunters that have been out there.

Thank You!
 

Tim McCoy

Veteran member
Dec 15, 2014
1,855
4
Oregon
Have hunted it a number of times, but not recently, last hunt for me there was 2011. It did have a lot of game, but a bad winter there can change things fast. The ownership is a byzantine labyrinth at best. A good map from the tribe is pretty much mandatory. I was told the tribe may have changed some of the land access rules recently and made it a much more difficult hunt, mostly for WT. Some new rule about river bottoms being off limits, not sure, but Peggy Three Legs at the Tribal Game and Fish office could probably tell you.

I usually stayed at the Casino outside of Mobridge, they had a gold card program you could sign up for and get a decent room price and a reasonably priced evening buffet. There is a good game processor in Mobridge, forget the name, but from the casino it was on the RT not too far into town. I enjoyed my hunts there and did take some pretty nice bucks, both WT and MD, once I found a few reliable spots. Based on the trips I made there, in the areas I hunted, I'd say the WT trophy quality was better than the MD, may or may not have changed.

I'd see a big WT at some point most every hunt, as in 145-150+ WT and did see one 175-180+ MD. Those open country WT are very wary. Managed to get one big WT, but most were 125-135" 8 or 10 points, the big mulie eluded me for several years, he picked his spot well. Interestingly, the big MD was close to town, where most would never think to look, it does not take much cover there to hold a good one, as long as they are left alone, I don't think there was a tree or bush taller than 18" within 2 miles of him. He laid in weed patches among the open rolling hills. I found the folks to be very welcoming and willing to talk to you about where to hunt, so chat em up and bring your glass.
 

BIG GAME HUNTER

New Member
Mar 25, 2016
8
0
Tim,

Thank you for the response, sounds like you had some fun hunts out there. After our scouting trip, would be ok to contact you if we have a couple questions? Thanks again for the advice.
Joe
 

Sawyer

New Member
Mar 29, 2016
1
0
Wisconsin
Three of us hunted Standing Rock last November, stayed in Mobridge. It definitely took awhile to learn the lay of the land. We put on a lot of miles, but it was a great time. We plan to go again. Sent you a PM