2026 South Dakota Pheasant Hunting Season Forecast
July 12, 2026 by UGUIDE South Dakota Pheasant Hunting
If you can stack good post season numbers from the previous year, along with a mild winter and some moisture and warm spring temps you are staged for a good pheasant hatch in South Dakota.
Based on all reports from local neighbors and farmer friends, this is what we believe has happened. Once you get to the mid-point of summer the bulk of your hatch will be complete and well on their way to maturity.
I encountered good flyer chicks in the first week of June so that means they hatched in mid May. It's not unusual to see newly hatched chicks around May 20th each year.
Brood sizes have been reported as large in the 10-12 range at various UGUIDE Pheasant Camps. Early morning drives on dewy mornings and the amount of road kill pheasants also supports strong pheasant numbers abroad.
The current heat wave has sent corn skyrocketing to maturity and it would not surprise me to enjoy an early corn harvest. Possibly ahead of beans which usually lends itself to better early season pheasant hunting.
We currently have 3 open camps available for booking in 2026. Week 5 & 6 at Meadow Creek and Week 6 at West River Adventures. These can be hunts of a lifetime. We have had hunters at our camps in the same week for up to 20 years and our average repeat customer group is 7.7 years across all UGUIDE Pheasant Camps.
Check 2026 Availability of all UGUIDE South Dakota Pheasant Hunting Camps
Meadow Creek - Note: This camp also offers opportunities at Sharptail Grouse and Hungarian partridge.
West River Adventures - Note: This camp also offers opportunities at Sharptail Grouse and Hungarian partridge.
