The Lazy J

Hunters and non-hunters alike can applaud the recent efforts of Pheasants Forever. The grassroots organization, which sets up local chapters to address wildlife concerns across the nation, is in the seventh year of its Farm Bill Biologist program. Through this program, local landowners (including those who provide habitat to pheasants and other game) are being educated about how they can improve conservation on their sites.PF employs seven Farm Bill Biologists in South Dakota, who have collectively contacted more than 13,000 landowners since 2003. The biologists evaluate the current state of the land, offer improvement suggestions, and recruit for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), one of the forerunners of modern conservation efforts. CRP was established by the Farm Bill of 1985 and is overseen by the USDA Farm Service Agency, tackling issues like erosion, groundwater usage, flooding, and more. By creating land cover on their sites, landowners can receive payments from the FSA. (more…)

What does victory taste like to you? Find out with these selections of pheasant recipes, designed to tickle your taste buds and delight your senses. Make sure to store your pheasants properly so that you can enjoy these dishes for weeks to come after your hunt. Visit each dish’s respective site for the complete recipe.

• Chili Pheasant: Bone several pheasant breasts and stuff them with chilies and jack cheese. Roll the breasts in butter and bread crumbs and bake. Finish off by spooning a spicy tomato sauce mixture over each item. This zesty pheasant concoction is sure to get your guests’ mouths watering. (Ultimate Pheasant Hunting)
• Drunken Pheasant: Brush your bird with melted butter for flavor, and then grill it over a can of evaporating beer. The butter will seal in the flavor, locking in a taste so good it’s almost intoxicating. (Ultimate Pheasant Hunting) (more…)

South Dakota is one of the premier pheasant-hunting states in the nation. Lest you doubt its commitment, the state even made the ring-necked pheasant the state bird. Local hunters and visitors alike flock to the state’s many ranches and lodges when the season hits. We’ve assembled some of our favorites (in alphabetical orderno other ranking is intended):A1 Al’s Pheasant Ranch: A1 Al’s is located in Emery, less than an hour from Sioux Falls. Bring your dogs with you and enjoy the wide variety of hunting locales, including sorghum, sloughs, and prairie land. The lodge includes a rec room, poker table, and satellite TV for relaxing after the day’s activities.Buffalo Butte Ranch: Buffalo Butte is located in the South Dakota “Pheasant Triangle,” located between the towns of Gregory, Winner, and Chamberlain. It’s a family-owned and operated lodge with four generations of history. Before the hunt, you can practice at the complimentary clay trap shoot. The price also includes all processing and freezing of birds. (more…)

In South Dakota, the pheasant refers most often to the “Common Pheasant,” which were introduced in North America in 1857. The species is most closely related to the Green Pheasant of Japan. The Common Pheasant differs greatly between genders, and variations are even displayed between males of the same species due to past breeding practices. However, there are certain characteristics to indicate whether you’re tracking a rooster or a hen. (more…)

We know that the axiom has been run into the ground, but when it comes to pheasant hunting, there really is no better companion than a well-trained dog. Choosing your hunting dog can obviously involve a lot of personal taste, but there are some other factors to consider as well. For instance, the age-old debate between retrievers and pointers still rages on. It doesn’t have to be a battle, thoughthere are situations for everything.AAA South Dakota Pheasant Hunting states that the Labrador retriever is the dog of choice during pheasant season. These very social and intelligent animals are easy to train and love to be out in the field. They’re also very rugged, able to withstand the shifting weather of the South Dakota fall and winter seasons. In the event that a pheasant has buried within a snow mound, the retriever will dig its way in, flushing the bird out the other end. (more…)