One of my favorite times of year here in South Dakota is in the fall and one of the reasons is because we have some awesome hunting in and around Britton.
We are probably best known for our pheasant hunting but our location is situated right under some of the major flyways for migratory waterfowl which can lead to some incredible hunting for ducks and geese. We also have some great deer hunting.
Let’s take a look at each of these and the opportunities for hunting them in and around Britton.
Pheasant Hunting In and around Britton
Pheasant hunting in our area holds a special place in my heart. There is just something about watching a good bird dog work the cover and point or flush a wild rooster.
Here’s one of my favorite stories about pheasant hunting in Britton.
When my two boys were young, around 12 and 13, they wanted to learn how to hunt pheasants. So I signed them up for firearm hunting training and after they completed the training, we gathered up our shotguns and headed out to the field for first light.
They were so excited and it was awesome to experience their first hunt through their eyes.
We walked the fields and beat the brush for hours and never saw a pheasant. We did however, see other hunters and every single one of them had pheasants, and a dog.
The boys got very discouraged and we stopped around lunch time.
My oldest son said “Dad, if we are going to hunt pheasants, I think we need a dog.”
That’s when I had an idea.
I said, “We will come back next week and we will bring Buddy!”
Buddy was our couch potato Golden Retriever who had never been hunting before.
My son said, “Dad, Buddy doesn’t know how to hunt pheasants.”
“Well, we can let him try” I replied.
A week later we arrived at the field just as it was getting light. We all got out of the truck and I opened the back door and let Buddy out.
Buddy went to some nearby brush and started sniffing around. While doing so, he flushed a pheasant!
The pheasant flew low over the field and Buddy took off chasing it as we all watched.
Buddy was fast and he gained ground quickly.
Then, to our amazement, Buddy jumped up and grabbed the pheasant out of mid air!
He shook the pheasant a few times and then proudly pranced back to us and dropped the bird at my son’s feet.
“I guess Buddy does know how to hunt pheasant!” my son exclaimed.
The rest of the day was a success, with Buddy flushing many pheasants and each of us shooting well enough to bag a bird.
Buddy was like a new dog after that. It was like he had found his calling after all his years.
The area in and around Britton is loaded with some awesome pheasant cover. There is loads of land open to the public and there is also private land where you can ask permission.
Just remember to bring a dog!
Waterfowl Hunting Near Britton
Britton and the Northeast South Dakota area is home to great waterfowl hunting.
The area also is very hunter friendly and the hotels and restaurants cater to the hunters and welcome them to the area.
Duck Hunting
The first few weeks of the duck hunting season is great for blue winged teal and puddle ducks. As the season progresses, you will start to see pintails, divers, widgeon, canvas backs and gadwall, followed by mallards into November.
Goose Hunting
Goose hunting in our area is some of the best in South Dakota for both snow gees and canada geese.
The problem in our area is getting access to some of the prime land. Many of the best fields have been leased by outfitters and are now only available to hunt by paying for the privilege.
There is still a lot of public land open to goose hunting, but if you aren’t from the area, your best bet may be to hire an outfitter.
Deer Hunting In and around Britton
Most of the deer hunting in our area is centered around the whitetail deer and the same habitat that is great for pheasants also leads to some good deer hunting.
Some of the deer hunting is done from tree stands, but my favorite is finding some well used fields and scanning the area to find a good whitetail buck. Then putting a plan in place to harvest him.
Sometimes that will mean setting up a tree stand between where he is bedding and where he is feeding. Other times it will be a spot and stalk, where I plan a route to the deer while staying concealed in the high grass or a ditch or some other cover.
Conclusion
Britton South Dakota has a lot to offer for the outdoorsman or woman. The hunting in and around Britton can be really awesome and is definitely my favorite time of year.
It doesn’t matter what type of game you like to hunt, Britton has you covered.
And please remember to take a kid hunting. Our long standing traditions depend on it.