Introduction

Hands down, South Dakota has the best wild pheasant hunting in North America. Our Torilil Farm is located in Lyman County in the coveted South Central pheasant belt of South Dakota near the town of Presho. Lyman County is consistently ranked among the top pheasant producers in the state. In his book, "Wingshooter's Guide to South Dakota" the author, Chuck Johnson, describes Presho as being located "in the center of some of the best upland bird hunting in South Dakota." We couldn't agree more with Mr. Johnson's assessment. We typically see 500-800 wild pheasants a day. This is something every pheasant hunter should experience at least once in his or her lifetime. We have a very loyal following and some of our hunters have been coming to our farm for more than 10 consecutive years.

Pheasant Statistics

South Dakota has the highest pheasant population of any state in the U.S. According to South Dakota Fish and Game, hunters harvested 2 million ringnecks in 2005 and the total pre-season population in the state was estimated at 9.5 million birds ( the highest ). In 2005, the South Dakota Fish & Game Brood Count survey indicated the highest pheasant count per mile than in the past 40 years!! The 2007 season set another record and at the start of the season South Dakota had more pheasants then in the past 60 years!

The pheasant population in other popular pheasant hunting destinations including Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas, has declined, mainly due to habitat loss. Many hunters who hunted in these states are now coming to South Dakota. The south central region of South Dakota where our Torilil Farm is located continues to breed staggering numbers of pheasants because of the excellent habitat, primarily the large tracts of land enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program ("CRP"). Habitat is key and we manage our farm to provide the best wild pheasant habitat.

The Dakota Wild® Hunt

ALL OF THE GAME ON OUR PROPERTY IS WILD. WE ARE NOT A PRESERVE AND ONLY HUNT DURING THE REGULAR STATE SEASON.

WE DO NOT SUPPLEMENT OUR WILD POPULATION OF PHEASANTS WITH PEN REARED BIRDS LIKE A LOT OF OTHER OPERATIONS DO.

In addition to Pheasants, we also have a small population of Sharptail Grouse and Greater Prairie Chickens. Our farm is located in one of only two places in the world where it is possible to shoot both Prairie Chickens and Sharptails. The unique habitat in our area allows both of these indigenous birds of the prairie to cohabit.

We have private access to over 1,200 acres of private, natural grasslands (CRP), food plots, creek bottoms, ponds and draws. We focus entirely on the quality of the hunt. We don't run a lot of hunters through our property like others operations do. Each group is given exclusive use of our property and our professional guides provide outstanding personal service. Your group will be guided by experienced, friendly guides using well trained flushing Labs. We do not mix groups or add people to your group. Our hunters aren't walking through fields of standing corn like at many other operations. Our fields of CRP provide excellent bird habitat and give hunters the pleasure of seeing the dogs work. We strongly emphasize good sportsmanship, safety and respect for the South Dakota game laws. See our Hunt Rules and Terms for Bookings and Comments from our Hunters.

Current limits are 3 Roosters and 3 Sharptail/Prairie Chicken combination per day. The 2008 Pheasant season opens on the third Saturday of October (Oct.18th) and closes January 7th. Shooting hours under State law are noon to sunset (approximately 7:00 p.m.) for the first six days of the season, and changes to a 10:00 a.m. start time on October 25th.

Rates, Costs and Logistics

Our 2008 guided hunting rates are as follows:

$350 per person, plus 5% state tax for goups of 3 or more. $500 per person for a group of 2, plus 5% state/tourist tax. Our rates include our local guide, well trained dogs and we provide lunch. We use hard working, flushing Labs for the dog work. You are welcome to work your own dog as well. The maximum size group is 10.

Tipping

Tipping our guides is at the discretion of the hunter. Our guides work hard and very much appreciate a tip for a good hunt. Past hunters have asked us to provide some guidance on tips. A tip of $100-$150 per day, per group, is a good tip. Some groups do more and some do less. Tipping is totally at the discretion of the hunter.

Licenses

A non-resident license costs $110 and is good for two 5-day periods designated at the time of purchase. Non resident licenses are easily obtained on line at www.sdgfp.info or at many local dealers in the state. Youth hunters under 16 need to have their hunter safety card or a license from a prior year in their home state to get a license. Bird cleaning and storage are available in Presho by local bird cleaners. The bird cleaners charge $3.00 per bird and they will freeze and hold your birds until your departure.

Accommodations

In terms of accommodations, there are a number of local motels and hotels where reservations can be made. When you book a hunt, we will provide you with a detailed information packet containing listings and other information about local lodging, restaurants, air transportation, car rental, licenses, gear, etc. There are many options and price ranges for lodging. If you prefer more eating options, we recommend that hunters stay in Pierre or Chamberlain rather than Presho, unless you don't mind the somewhat "spartan" lodging and limited eating opportunities in Presho (pop. 500). Torilil Farm is located near Presho (5 miles west) and approximately 35 miles south of Pierre and 35 miles west of Chamberlain.

Why Choose Dakota Wild®

Dakota Wild® is the best choice for the serious bird hunting sportsman who seeks and appreciates a Really Wild™ bird hunt. The following features differentiate us from many of the other South Dakota pheasant hunting operations.

Exclusivity

1. We don't mix groups. Your group will be individually guided and given exclusive use of our property. Strangers won't be added to your party and you won't be hunting ground that has already been hunted by another group the same day.

Habitat

2. We manage our property to enhance wild pheasant hunting, not farming. We plant food plots of Milo and cane and establish shelter belts and ponds to enhance wild bird habitat. You won't be walking through fields of standing corn. While corn fields can be productive, it's not a fun way to hunt pheasants. The walking is difficult and you can't see the dogs work.

Wild Birds

3. We provide our hunters with the Really Wild™ bird hunting experience, the way it was in the "good old days". We are not a preserve and we do not supplement our wild stocks with pen raised birds like many other pheasant hunting operations.

In South Dakota ringneck Pheasants outnumber people 8:1. You will find South Dakotans to be a friendly, helpful lot. They cater to hunters and genuinely appreciate the revenue that hunting season brings to the state. Enjoy the expansive beauty of the South Dakota prairie and join us at Dakota Wild™ for a Really Wild™ Pheasant hunt.

"Dakota Wild® - The Really Wild™ Bird Place."

Message from the dogs: "We want to hunt for you."