Your South Dakota Pheasant Hunt Starts Here

For decades, late-season pheasant hunters in South Dakota have relied on predictable winter patterns that usually push birds into the thick stuff. This year, Mother Nature had other plans.

South Dakota’s traditional pheasant season opens Oct. 18 this year, and closes Jan. 31, 2026.

While I love the first month of pheasant season, the true hunter in me longs for the short, colder days of late-season pheasant hunting after Thanksgiving when the birds are bunched up in the thick stuff and fewer hunters are afield.

In fact, part of me believes more people should be aware of the benefits of hunting late-season roosters. Selfishly, the other part of me wants to keep it a secret.

After 30 years of chasing roosters across South Dakota's sloughs and prairies, I've learned one hard truth: today's pheasants aren't your grandpa's birds. Here are my three favorite tactics for outsmarting pressured birds.

These resources are game-changers when it comes to hunting public land in South Dakota.

Gun dogs bred for performing in the field should be considered professional athletes — and then treated that way.

Where to find birds and how to hunt them when all the crops and cover are still standing.

While pheasant reigns king in South Dakota, don't forget about the 'other' upland game — prairie grouse.