Some of the best public access areas include:
- Walk-In Areas (WIAs) in central South Dakota, particularly in:
- Hughes County
- Lyman County
- Hand County These areas consistently have high pheasant populations and good habitat.
- Waterfowl Production Areas (WPAs) in the northeastern region:
- Marshall County
- Day County These offer excellent cover and are well-maintained for wildlife.
- Game Production Areas (GPAs):
- The Fort Pierre National Grassland (Hughes/Stanley counties)
- The Grand River National Grassland (Perkins County) Both offer vast tracts of public land with strong pheasant numbers.
Key tips:
- Focus on areas with a mix of grassland, cattails, and agricultural fields
- The James River Valley region generally has excellent pheasant habitat
- Check the annual pheasant brood survey reports from SD Game, Fish & Parks for current population trends
- Get a Public Hunting Atlas from SD GFP for detailed maps
by Tim Esse
