South Dakota pheasant season opens to keen hunters

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 18 Oct, 01:32 · Archive

South Dakota's pheasant season opened on Saturday, drawing hunters from across the United States and beyond.

South Dakota's pheasant season opened on Saturday, drawing thousands of hunters to the state. Lodges throughout South Dakota welcomed visitors from around the country and world, including groups from Kansas and Massachusetts at the Granite Springs Lodge in Alexandria.

Hunters braved windy conditions on opening day in Howard. Tom Christopherson, a pheasant hunter, said the season opener was 'a great day' and looked forward to spending the morning and early afternoon with ten friends. Preparation for the season takes months, with hunters mowing trails and maintaining food plots by mid-summer to prepare for the autumn hunt.

For many participants, the appeal extends beyond acquiring pheasants. Doug Bell, a pheasant hunter, highlighted the value of watching hunting dogs work through the grass and retrieve birds. Brian Graves, co-owner of Granite Springs Lodge, reported that fields were in good condition this year following September rain, with large broods present. Kirk Hintz, a hunter from Kansas City, emphasised that the season was 'about camaraderie' and about supporting local economies alongside the hunting itself.

How it is being reported

• Hunters flock to South Dakota for pheasant season openerThe pheasant opener was Saturday, and lodges throughout South Dakota welcomed hunters from around the country and world.Dakotanewsnow · 18 Oct, 01:15
• South Dakota 2026 pheasant openerHOWARD, S.D. (KELO) - In South Dakota, October means one thing for thousands of hunters who travel near and far: pheasant season. In Howard, hunters braved Saturday's windy conditions, eager to get out into the field for opening day. "This is a great day. Pheasant opener is something we look forward to and we've got [...]Keloland · 18 Oct, 00:38

In this story: South Dakota · Howard · Tom Christopherson · Doug Bell · Granite Springs Lodge · Alexandria · Brian Graves · Kirk Hintz

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem