Black Hills SD First Time Hunt - Any Tips?

[SCTurkeyMan]

I am planning a Black Hills public land hunt the 2nd week of May this spring.  Myself and 1 buddy are driving up from SC in hopes of chasing some Merriams and seeing some beautiful country.  We have budgeted a week and hope to hunt the black hills and possibly pine ridge of NE if we have time.  This is our first time hunting the Midwest, so any tips for tactics, locations, climate, camping, bird activity or anything that could be helpful for the Black Hills or Pine Ridge areas would be greatly appreciated.  We are preparing for a lot of walking and are up for a new challenge compared to what we are used to when chasing easterns down in SC.  Thanks in advance to anyone willing to lend any advice.

[Delmar ODonnell]

http://oldgobbler.com/Forum/index.php/topic,94757.0.html

There's a lot of other threads about the black hills on here you can find using the search function.

[SCTurkeyMan]

Thanks I should have thought to check before posting

[TTG]

What part of SC you coming from? Spent my whole life there and am now living in a relatively short driving distance of the BH. This will be my first spring here and that's one weekend I was shooting to head out there.

[SCTurkeyMan]

TTG we are from Edgefield but live in Anderson now.  Whereabouts are you from?  SD seems like an amazing place to experience.  Can't wait to check it out.  Maybe we will see you out there. 

[Swamprunner]

Prepare for any type of weather.  It can change quickly, and it can be cold.  Be prepared if you have to sit in the snow. I never thought about that until the first time I had to do it.

[TTG]

TTG we are from Edgefield but live in Anderson now.  Whereabouts are you from?  SD seems like an amazing place to experience.  Can't wait to check it out.  Maybe we will see you out there.

Grew up in Charleston and went to Clemson so fairly familiar with Anderson. Been through Edgefield a handful of time. Feel free to reach out sometime, I'll likely be going by myself. I know you'll be with a buddy but we might could help each other out in terms of general areas or something.

[SCTurkeyMan]

We are also Clemson Alums.  Go Tigers!

[hambone50]

a friend and I went back in 2017 and had a great time. we were around birds the whole trip, and managed to fill 1 of our 2 tags (I goofed up my opportunity at a longbeard on the first day 30 minutes out of the truck!). we tended to find them on public that was interspersed with private. just be careful of property lines. 

get you a coyote howler for roosting in the evenings. they'll gobble up past 9pm sometimes.

you will love the experience! that is some beautiful country.

[TTG]

Great tip, thanks hambone. Definitely going to look into a coyote howler!

[ddturkeyhunter]

Great tip, thanks hambone. Definitely going to look into a coyote howler!

You did catch that he did say use the coyote howler in the evening. Because they sometime will gobble at it at any time of the day just because it is loud. But I found out they are running away in the other direction at the same time.

[GobbleNut]

Great tip, thanks hambone. Definitely going to look into a coyote howler!

You did catch that he did say use the coyote howler in the evening. Because they sometime will gobble at it at any time of the day just because it is loud. But I found out they are running away in the other direction at the same time.

Yeah,...I'm not sure if using the sound of a turkey predator to get them to gobble is a good idea or not.  The key is the volume and suddenness of the noise they hear more than anything.  A really loud crow call,...or similar,...will get them to gobble just as easily and you won't have the concern about putting them on the alert that there is a predator around.