Headed for Nebraska!

[sticknstring]

Good luck Hoyt! Tomorrow is supposed to be an absolute gorgeous day. After a week of cold & rain/snow, the birds should be fired up. Wish I was going back down!

[PKretsch20]

Me and 2 buddies are heading to Northeast Nebraska the 21st- 23rd. We are planning on going to hunt the Santee Reservation. None of us have ever hunted Nebraska. What should we expect? Any opinions on Santee? tips?

Thanks in advance for any response!

Parker

[mnhunter2]

I have hunted the Santee a few times, the place gets tons of pressure and it seems I am always getting bumped by someone. You can only hunt on land owned by the tribe or a tribal member and not very much of the land in the reservation is actually huntable as most is owned by nontribal members. Its better than no turkey hunting but its low on my list of good spots, I would suggest trying to find a place to hunt in nebraska thats not on an eastern reservation.

[SpitnArgueDuckClub*]

I agree about the Santee be better than not hunting and can add that there are two other Ne Indian reservations a little farther south that offer much better turkey hunting. Look up the Winnebego (1st choice) and Macy (2nd choice) Indian reservations for turkey and deer hunting. Both are draw only hunts so the tags are probably full for this season but get in for next season and you will not be disappointed. Big woods hunting is a nice change from the broken ridges and crops that we hunt here in Iowa.

[#fishhunt#]

Leaving in 11 days. 1st time to Nebraska. Bow hunt and Shotgun. can't wait. Heading to Springview. Hope to get my first turkey under my belt. Jeep us updated on how you did.

[123fish]

#fishhunt# you are going to love Nebraska. We will be in the Springview area starting the afternoon of the 17th. This is our fifth year out there and it's a great place to hunt. Good luck.

[Hoyt4]

Just got back from NE. A great way to start off the 2011 spring. Shot a 22lb tom and 18 jake. Birds are still grouped up and not coming to calls. The Tom I shot did play the game but most the birds are surrounded by hens and I happen to get between the gobbler and hens in roost.Hunting fields no decoys and lot's of chances. Our group of birds are starting to get into smaller groups. first 3 days they were grouped up at over 200 birds. By Wednesday they were down to 60. Most groups were in flocks of 20 to 30. Should be great for people heading down in the next few days.

Now I just have to do some laundry and re-pack and head to SD next Tuesday.

[bustumup]

Nice work! For Nebraska, I wait until later when more hens have been bred and are on nests-just too many birds down there. It just got too frustrating when you have huge flocks around but none will come to your call or decoys because they have 30 live hens in front of them. It's fun to see all the birds, but it seems like it usually gets down to just pass shooting them coming or going to roost when I used to go early. I'll be heading down in a few weeks to zip a few with my bow. Congrats!

[birdswacker]

Nice Bird and it looks like the weather was decent also.

[Borch]

Sounds like a fun trip!

Congrats on the nice tom!

[Powerstroke]

Congrats on your double!!!

I'm heading down there monday after I leave SoDak. Would you mind sharing any info with me? If not here you can email me at [email protected]

I'm in SoDak right now trying to fill a tag.

[sticknstring]

Way to go Hoyt! We'll be heading back down Thursday for another round. Should be broke up pretty good and greened up since we were down on opener.

Good luck 'stroke - hope you can put a few on the ground!

[bustumup]

Powerstroke, Sent you a tip, hope it helps you out.

[Hoyt4]

Good luck SNS

Bustumup- we have been going for about 8yrs now same time and do good for so early. We will get a few to play the game and some you have to make a move on run and gun with the bow. Love doing this in SD and NE with the cedars makes for some fun hunts.

Head out to SD Wednesday night going take the pipe bomb out and put another merriam on the ground.

[bustumup]

Go get em! Post up some pics of your trip when you return. Tip em over!

[bustumup]

Powerstroke, How did it go? Just wondering if you got my email?

[Powerstroke]

I did get your email although it was too late. I didn't have any internet contact while I was out there. I may try to head out for a do-over this spring.

As far as a recap, I was grossly humbled while out there. I did not see a single turkey while out in the field and I only spotted two while driving around and trying to scout. I was able to roost some birds and get some to gobble, but once they flew off the roost, they were completely silent. I clearly have no idea how to hunt turkeys in the pine ridge terrain. Being out there alone, didn't exactly help me either. Unfortunately it wasn't much of a learning experience because I never had the opportunity to learn. I just did lots of hiking with a blind and a bow.

[bustumup]

If you do go back, you should check into it. Sorry you didn't have a better trip, but you gotta start somewhere.

[sticknstring]

Our first trip to the black hills was much of the same. Had no idea what we were doing in that type of terrain. Saw some birds but never connected. We did much better in the adjoining prairing units. I haven't been out to Pine Ridge. What's it like?

We had a pretty good hunt our 2nd trip down to NE considering the weather we had. The locals hate us, everytime we come down it snows! Rained all night Thursday then switched to snow Friday mid-morning and snowed all day. 5" worth. Never saw/heard a bird from the blind. Saturday it cleared and it was beautiful out. The birds were a little more cooperative. The first trip, BIL # 1 took his 1st bird. This time, BIL #2 was the shooter and we had a group of 30 or so birds come in with 3 toms. I had my bow too but the birds weren't playing very nice yet. I put the bow down and ran the call while the 3rd guy was running the camera. The footage was through the mesh so it's not real clear but they sure put on show. After awhile, the gig was up and the shot was made.

We took some hero shots and went and had lunch and came back in the afternoon and had birds around us for the rest of the night. Two jakes came in to check us out but I opted to pass for now. As it usually happens, I regretted that decision! Eventually the entire group of 30 or so passed by at 50-60 yds headed for roost. So close. Opted back there for Sun morning but we could hunt until 10am and a shot never materialized. Plenty of birds around - just ran out of time. This is BIL #2's first bird. They're both hooked! Can't wait to get back down next year - hopefully with much better weather!

[DonBo]

Sometimes it's hard to catch a break Stick. How ya gonna do that tag soup?

[Borch]

The Black Hills is a different than anything we do here. We lucked out our first trip and went 2 for 3 but have had a couple trips where it was tag soup for all. I sure enjoy that trip though.

[sticknstring]

Quote:

Sometimes it's hard to catch a break Stick. How ya gonna do that tag soup?

I plan on wrapping that darn turkey tag around a fish arrow and shooting a paddlefish with it! We got invited down in July - just need to draw the tag. Getting those birds in tight this year was tough. The weather has been crud - the trees aren't even leafed out down there yet. If we ever get some good consistent weather, the hunting could get really good. I think I used up all my luck last fall. Hopefully the birds will be fired up for MN E season!

[Archerysniper]

Stick's remember everything is better wrapped in bacon . I'm guessing D&E are going to be really good, I'm holding off till D to get the 15 year old neighbor girl her first bird.

[kevfish1]

If you are planning on going to Santee and dont have a license yet you can forget it. They are all out of licenses and will not be selling anymore. Turning alot of hunters away after traveling hours to get there.

[mnhunter2]

You are right the tags are gone, [PoorWordUsage]!!!!

[Hoyt4]

I know we were in SD a week ago and some guys showed up without looking into the tags and all mad. SD tribal is lottery and they thought they could just show up and by one. Long ways to go without looking into the hunt.

[Borch]

Ouch!

[sticknstring]

There's other areas to hunt besides tribal land! Do your homework and if all fails, knock on some doors. We were 3/3 for gaining permission on private farms this year. Turkeys are just a nuisance down there.

[bustumup]

There are very few turkeys in Nebraska as a result of terrible nesting in the spring over the last decade or more. Check into Canada, heard that's the place to be for turkeys and you could even turn it into a combo trip. Hunt in the morning and fish in the afternoon! Ya picking up what I'm laying down?

[sticknstring]

Yeah, I hear what you're saying - way tooo many coyotes down there too. For every poult that hatches, less than 5% survive the four-legged and avian predators. And the snow! All it does is snow down there in the spring - who would want to put up with that?!? I'm surprised they haven't closed the season yet!