GFP Secretary. " We’ re extremely pleased with the success of the 2024 season and plan to build on this success for 2025."
Under former Gov. Kristi Noem’ s direction, the summer pheasant brood count was eliminated a few years ago with the undesirable possibility of having to report a decline in bird production. That, according to current political structure, wouldn’ t bode well for the economic community.
Conservation Programs
As was reported by GFP, the current run of success has been accomplished by partnering with landowners and ag producers through habitat programs offered by South Dakota, the federal government and multiple conservation groups working together to put more habitat acres on the landscape. Approximately 80 percent of South Dakota is privately-owned, which means landowners and ag producers are at the front line of habitat management. One example of these programs would be the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program( CREP) on the James River and Big Sioux River valleys, which provides the benefits of CRP with the additional component of access, according to GFP.
“ These CREP lands are directly in the primary pheasant range and provide high quality grassland habitat and access as well,” added Robling.“ This is just one example of the many great habitat programs offered.”
The best pheasant and sharptail hunting remains, of course, in the central and western part of the state.
A press release from GFP earlier this summer glorified,“ The combination of landowners and ag producers willing to set a few
������������������
�������� �� �������������������������������
����������������������������������������
• ����������������������
• �������������������������� ���������������������������
• ��������������������������� ����������������
• ��������������������������
• �����������������������������
SD Sharp-tailed Grouse
Nearly 99,000 grouse were harvested throughout the 2024 season in South Dakota, which was also the first time grouse season was open through January.
“ This is the highest harvest we’ ve seen since 2000,” said Alex Solem, senior upland game biologist.“ Perhaps more importantly, this is the highest birds per hunter since 2000 as well.”
Birds per hunter is one of the best metrics to determine success, as this is the easiest way to determine at an individual level how a hunter fared over the course of the season. The average birds per hunter for 2024 was 5.15.
“ A high overall harvest number is one thing,” continued Solem.“ When you’ re seeing individual hunters have more birds harvested, that’ s when you know you had a really strong season.”
To support this note, the 2024 season saw a 42 percent increase in harvest from 2023 with the same number of average days hunted as the last two years. •
��������������� ����������������
�
� acres aside for wildlife habitat, a great conservation delivery team, and help from Mother Nature resulted in a fantastic 2024 season, with all signs pointing toward similar results this fall.”
Remaining Issues
That being said, access to hunting grounds on private land, as well as the ongoing issue of hunters being allowed to legally shoot on section lines in South Dakota, remains a sore spot for many hunters and conservation groups, which the South Dakota legislature has continually been fearful to address for the citizens they represent.
To qualify the positive reports of the 2024 season, Jake Wolfe, pheasant biologist in South Dakota, said the results are accumulated with surveys sent to thousands of hunters after the season.
“ These totals are calculated using the results of a survey we send to small game hunters who purchased a license,” Wolfe said.“ Around 15,000 surveys are sent to both residents and nonresidents every year after the upland bird season closes. We ask an array of questions including how many days they hunted, how many birds they harvested, as well as what counties they hunted. These surveys will get our results for both pheasant harvest as well as grouse harvest.”
Page 38, Dakota Country, September 2025 www. dakotacountrymagazine. com