Moving to Spearfish

[krhuntin]

So my wife accepted a job and i am transferring with my current job. Moving from Mandan to spearfish in January. Can someone give me some insight of hunting in that area? particularly bowhunting? Was seeing that my first year of residency i had an alright chance to draw an archery cow elk tag around there in areas. Best places to bow hunt in the areas? and also is there any type of bisman in that area for classifieds? seen the city on bisman but hardly any classifieds which leaves me to believe there has to be something else.
thanks in advance for any info provided

 

[Walleye Slayer]

I will try and answer some of your questions.

There is a lot of public land out there so hunting in general is pretty good.

Bowhunting is also good lots of different opportunities. Go north to the prairie and you have spot and stalk antelope and muleys. Head into the hills and you have Whitetail and muleys. Private land is kinda tough to get on.

I would go to SDGFP and start reading up on the preference system used for Elk before I would just put in for a cow tag. There is a video on their site that has a lot of good info.

Also go grab a hunting handbook and public lands map. Both are printed by SDGFP. This will give you a good picture of what is available.


I shot my First archery bull Elk out of the unit south of spearfish. He was a beautiful 7x7. It took me 13 years to draw that tag. my opinion is try to draw cow tags in the leftover drawings if you ever want a chance at a bull. If you draw in the first round here you lose the ability to apply for a first round tag in that season for 10 years!!

Don't know anything about classifieds, so I cant help you there.


Hopefully this info helps a little

 

[FishSticks]

You will be much closer to WY for speed goats / mulies / elk if you have trouble drawing SD big game

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Also pretty great fly fishing there from what I have heard

 

[Kurtr]

You will hunt every thing but elk sheep, mountain every year with a bow here

 

[krhuntin]

Thank you guys for the responses. Will at least put me on the right track.

 

[Traxion]

Shoot me a PM

 

[Lapper]

One of my best friends lives there, he and his son are bow hunting freaks. He would gladly meet you for a cup of coffee and get you pointed in the right direction. Shoot me a PM and I will get you his info.

 

[Chas'n Tail]

I know there was a big goat taken with a bow in extreme NW SD here last weekend. Cant remember the name of the guy....

 

[lunkerslayer]

Very beautiful town spearfish is drove through when coming and going to Gillette Wyoming. Seams to me the epicenter of big game hunting MT, WY,SD CO and of course ND. I am defiantly considering moving to Gillette work is dead in ND all the oil money is gone. Unless we have another war in the horizon it's going to be a dusty old road for the next few years. Its kind of desolate place in WY but with the big horns or yellowstone there is even a reservoir with eyeballs in it.

 

[Fishmission]

I never get tired of taking the scenic drive up Spearfish Canyon. I would move to that area in a heartbeat if I could find work

 

[krhuntin]

I know there was a big goat taken with a bow in extreme NW SD here last weekend. Cant remember the name of the guy....

must be a top notch hunter