Black Hills South Dakota tips for first timer?

[selmadogdoc]

I forgot.  A GPS, both auto and hand held is an absolute necessity.  When you locate a gobbler, put it in your gps and it will guide you back the next morning.

[Gopherlongbeards]

Lots of good stuff here, there is certainly a ton of public land and it can be rare to run into another hunter, especially if you get off the beaten track a bit.  You can, however, certainly hunt during the afternoon.  We have taken quite a few birds during that time.  Shooting hours are 1/2 hr before sunrise till sundown.  Depending on your map/navigation skills and ability to find your way through miles of forest road in the dark, yes a GPS can come in very handy   

[Timmer]

I forgot.  A GPS, both auto and hand held is an absolute necessity.  When you locate a gobbler, put it in your gps and it will guide you back the next morning.

Great advice.  I have a gps for my truck, and thanks to my wife a brand new Garmin Dakota 20 for the woods!

[BHhunter]

Best advice for the Hills is get in shape and have a good pair of walking boots. These turkeys love to gobble on one ridge to draw you in then gobble two more ridges away.
Many forest service roads are closed from Dec to 15 May, and if it's wet they keep them closed longer. If you're willing to walk off the road you can find solotude. Areas close to main roads you will have lots of company from your fellow statesmen. It's getting real popular here with the MN hunters. Still lots of land.
Get off the main road and bring a good coyote howler. Lots of birds here that last few years will give you fits with henned up toms. I've had to adapt more to hunting the travel routes and putting in a lot of long hours sitting. They can be pretty predictable if you have a few days to pattern them. My best luck has been mid morning to early afternoon, and then again the last hour before sunset if you find a roost area. There's a lot of country for them to roam in.
Many people feed them here too, so it can be frustrating as these birds roost close to houses, fly down to the yard and spend their day there. They'll gobble all day to you, but why leave 20 hens. That gets them nice and fat though. If you can call them up the ridge I've shot 20+ pound 2 year olds

Good luck.

[Gopherlongbeards]

Weather will be a concern.  Got 12" of snow dumped on me in May out there last year.  As far as asking for sightings, no real need.  Birds can be anywhere really, just get out and look.  Running into henned up birds can definitely be a problem.  Sometimes when this has happned in the past, we'll set up and call to a dominant henned up gobbler for an hour or so.  On several occasions another Tom has made the mistake of trying to slip in quietly on us.