South Dakota Combo Trip - Whitetail & Mule

[CiK01]

I have points in South Dakota for Black Hills whitetail deer and West River mule deer. If doable, I am debating burning both point totals in the same year (next year) and making a combo trip out of it.

How much time is a reasonable amount of time to plan for to make this happen? 1 week feels too aggressive and two weeks feels too long. Does somewhere in the middle sound about right? Anything else from experience I should take into consideration?

TIA


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[Ndbowhunter]

It’s hard to serve two masters.

 

[Tmac]

I’ve done similar hunts between SD, WY and MT. Sometimes all 3 on one trip. I found allowing 5 full hunting days for each tag worked well for me. If I did not take an animal by day 5 I moved on, maybe the next hunt I tagged out on day two, I could decide to go back or what ever. So with travel time I allowed almost one week per tag.

 

[CiK01]

It’s hard to serve two masters.

I am serving the elk by burning all deer points I have and focusing on elk only for the remainder of time.


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[Lytro]

The answer depends on the size of deer you’re looking for and if you know the area beforehand. I filled my BH whitetail tag the first morning out on a specific buck I was looking for in the area. That will be a really easy tag to fill if you have the motivation to leave your vehicle, as most do not in the hills. I would personally make a 7 day trip. Hunt the BH during the west river opening weekend, and hunt WR during the week if you’re hunting public land.

 

[Rich M]

Tons of WT in black hills. I'd say to plan for the 2 weeks, get one done and then do the other. Start with whatever means the most.

 

[Chett09]

i would stretch it out for the 2 weeks and if the trip turns into a chore its easy to shorten it on the fly. in my experience with back to back trips it feels like the day you leave one area and head to the next is about the time where the first few days finally start to come together. it never fails the last day is the best day of hunting. it is a lot to make happen and even more to think about but i am positive you will or should enjoy the experience.

 

[Travis907]

Really on depends on the quality game you are after! If you got your eyes set only on a monster of each then either take two weeks or only concentrate on one animal in my opinion. I personally like 7-10 per hunt and that’s for a single species. It’s takes a little time to get it figured out and dialed in unless you have done your homework throughly. Whatever you decide I’m sure you will enjoy immensely. Besides, it will be enjoyable just to get out of Indiana!

 

[Fatcamp]

Gotta draw them tags first, and in SD it's anyone's guess.

 

[Buckhunter1955]

Here is a West River hunt from a couple years back.

 

[CiK01]

Gotta draw them tags first, and in SD it's anyone's guess.

I have 5 points for both West River and Black Hills. Hope that is enough.


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[Fatcamp]

I have 5 points for both West River and Black Hills. Hope that is enough.


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Do you know how to look up previous years draw odds on SDGFP website?

That will give you an idea. SD is a bonus point state, no guarantees.

 

[KurtR]

5 points in some wr county’s isn’t getting an any deer tag. What county you looking at? If your just coming to shoot deer a week is more than enough. If you want a big mule deer forget the hills or take one day and kill the first whitetail doe you see and go hunt mule deer for two weeks. One of the few states you rifle hunt in the rut which is fun but also the reason the quality never gets to where it could

 

[dirtytough]

One of the few states you rifle hunt in the rut which is fun but also the reason the quality never gets to where it could

Agreed. Look at the Dakota’s/Montana and look at their neighbors to the north. Is the feed and genetics that much better up north or are the Dakota’s and Montana just killing everything that could be decent in November with a rifle?

 

[CiK01]

Do you know how to look up previous years draw odds on SDGFP website?

That will give you an idea. SD is a bonus point state, no guarantees.

Yep, I have looked it up. The unit I am aiming for had a 60% success rate with my point total last year. Hoping I can snag one this year.

5 points in some wr county’s isn’t getting an any deer tag. What county you looking at? If your just coming to shoot deer a week is more than enough. If you want a big mule deer forget the hills or take one day and kill the first whitetail doe you see and go hunt mule deer for two weeks. One of the few states you rifle hunt in the rut which is fun but also the reason the quality never gets to where it could

I want to hunt in Buffalo Gap Grasslands. Something about hunting in the Badlands terrain is appealing.

It means more to me to get a mule deer than a whitetail, but I bought points for Black Hills too so I need to use them. We have plenty of whitetail here in Indiana. I am spending most of my time chasing the West River deer.