Black Hills Turkey Trip

Just looked up a 5 day motel stay in the Hills for turkey hunting, one place was $166 and a better place was $225. I have stayed at both before the one is pretty basic but I will just sleep there so fancy won’t matter to me much. Will see if they will even be open then.

Do you hunt on National Forest land ? When I went out there that is what we did and had an excellent hunt. That’s been a few years ago, I’d love to go back.

We also visited Mount Rushmore and Custer Park.

Yep love the National Forest just need to know how to work it the birds are there.

That’s cool Law Dog, good luck. I cant wait to hunt, but need to shoot my bow more.

when you going

Just telling the grandson it's just a few weeks away . no school so lots of Turkey hunting.

Awe c'mon. I real outdoorsman would be roughing it in a tent! A few years ago myself and two grown men stayed in a 7x12 enclosed trailer on a December cow elk hunt just west of custer. That was pretty cozy. Genie running at night with an electric heater, just about like home lol. It was above average temps tho, packed out a couple elk in a flannel shirt that year. You may need a plan B if they close up shop.

Hopefully you will have a place to stay. I heard the Super 8 is closing and a couple of the big motels might not open.

The last week of April is when I’m going, we have a season long tag and May 1st the late season tag kicks in so I can get 2 birds that week. If I fill my season tag before May 1st I can go to WY and buy a tag over the counter. Plus I have 2 prairie tags for around the house.

Hunted Merriams three years in a row out in the Black Hills. Camped all three years, for 5-6 days each time. Hunting turkeys in the big timber is spiritual for me. Was tentatively planning to go out there again this year, however it isn't meant to be.

Good luck!!

I would like to do a 14 day self isolation up on castle creek ,,,,trout,not gobblers.

If I had a little pop up 14 days for turkey would work for me but I get my birds pretty fast if the weather cooperates.

I'll be hunting just west of Hermosa the last week of April, It's a yearly hunt with my Dad from Iowa, he turns 87 this summer, hope for many more.

Almost in the park then? I see a bunch of birds on the road North of the Park West of Hermosa.

Not this year but maybe next. I met a young couple from SD in Fairbanks that don't hunt but invited me down to turkey hunt. Said they see them all the time. I've always wanted to kill something besides Easterns.

A buddy and I hunted both the SD and WY sides on one trip a few years ago. Stayed at the Buckhorn bar on the state line in a trailer. Good trip. Incredible amount of game out there then. Killed our gobblers. Pretty country.

Hunted out of Hot Springs maybe 10 years back. What a great hunt and a truly beautiful, historic place. Turkeys everywhere and unbelievably light pressured birds. The bird I took in the black hills unit must have gobbled 150 times as he traversed 3 or 4 1/4 mile deep ravines to get too our decoys and double bull blind. Bird was hoarse from gobbling by the time he got into range. Still remember my buddy was slurping down leftover ribs from the previous night's meal when the tom strutted right past the blind. A quick shot and I tagged my bird, close to a 12 inch beard but did not look like a Merriam's at all. Much more Rio Grandish, similar to a bird I had already ready taken at home. Then we each doubled up on prairie birds a day later, ransacked the clearance isle at Scheels in Rapid City for dirt cheap walleye cranks, then back to Hot Springs for round two on bbq ribs. Buddy finished the trip with his black hills bird the next morning.

I assume the pressure is much higher early but we hunted the first week of May and they were red hot begging to be kilt type turkeys. Thanks for the thread, jogged a great memory.

Public Service Announcement for anyone interested. That could ruin a trip real fast. I always say the only thing I really cant forget at home is my tag, everything else can be purchased along the way including a gun if needed.

I stayed at Dampier Lodge not that far from there until they shut it down. We could get a huge cabin for $100 a night split 6 ways it was a good deal, the new lodge that opened wanted $200 a night and $50 per person over 4 people I don’t stay there. LOL