Need a guide for Rosebud prarie dog hunt.

A

afisher

New member
I want go shooting prarie dogs in may or june.
After doing alot of research I have decided on shooting at Rosebud , so I need to hire a guide.
I was hoping that someone could help me with the names of some of the better guides.I don't have a problem with paying a bit more for a guide that knows the dog towns and tries hard to find good shooting.
 
Please correct me if wrong , but I dont think you need a guide to hunt PD's. A friends friend goes every year and says the guides know right where to go,and you pay them $50.00 per person and they sit and drink your beer all day.


I plan on going up there around the same time, where are you located ?
 
If you plan to shoot on the Rosebud Indian Reservation you must use a tribal member guide .The only exception to this is coyotes or when hunting the non-guide zone.

P.S. I live in IL about 70mi west of Chicago.
 
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Here are some notes on the Reservation.

1) Rosebud is not an all inclusive piece of property. It is divided up in Tribal land, Alotted land (to Indians) and private land. Hunting is allowed on most of it with the proper permissions.

2) Game laws change all the time because a new Tribal Council is elected every two years and they usually throw out the old laws. So be aware of the new rules. A couple are: No ATV's for hunting, you must have two (2) feet on the ground when shooting.

3) No hunting without an INDIAN guide. This came about because of outfitters outside the reservation bringing hunters on to it.

4) Guides cost somewhere between $40-$50 dollars a day but is negotiable depending on how many are in your group.

5) Your guide does not necessarily need to be with you when you are shooting. You just need to know where he is and how the game warden can get a hold of him.

6) Licenses cost $35 for PD’s. You cannot pay by cash you must have a MO or Cashiers check at the Game & Fish Dept. (They don't trust each other) Do not buy the "No-Guide" license for the No-Guide Zone because it is a rip-off. There are only a few small dog towns in that area and the rest has been poisoned. You do not need a SD license if shooting on the Reservation.

7) Be prepared to be hassled! Other Indians like to put the bite on you for money by claiming you are on their land, etc. Don't believe it! As the game warden told me "Don't believe anybody unless it comes from your guide or the game warden."

8) Typical of most reservations the unemployment rate runs over 70%, crime rates are some of the highest in the nation per capita. Do not pay in advance for anything. As one Indian told me, he has better things to do then work. Get a list of several guides to call because the one you have one day may not show up the next after he has money in his pocket. It is a different world there, they get free medical, dental, housing, utilities, etc.

9) Lodging is a problem with only 3 motels that I know of: 2 in Mission, the Maverick and the Antelope Inn, both leave a lot to be desired at $35-40 a night. Then you have the Rosebud Casino that is pricey at $80 plus a night and 30 miles away from the dog towns. My recommendation is the Salt Camp (http://members.tripod.com/~saltcamp/index.html) , B&B at $65 a night including breakfast and dinner. They also have housekeeping cabins at $100 a night and sleep 4 people. They can also arrange to find a guide for you.

10) Meals are a problem with only one restaurant in Mission at the Antelope Inn. The only other option is the convenient stores and a drive up that is rarely open.

Rosebud Game and Fish: http://www.rstgfp.net.
 
He said Illinios Sam. I'll agree on the Salt Camp. Charlie can set you up with licenses and a guide too. Chasing down a license on the rez can be a real pain and wastes valuable shooting time. I/we hire Mike Marshall as guide and I highly recommend him. His son was going to start guiding this year as well I think.
Valentine,Neb. is another option for lodging. And the peppermill restaurant is very good. Also has Lock,stock & barrel for resupply.
 
Sorry I missed his post on state.

I have heard Mike is the best but also the most expensive. The trouble with Valentine it is a hour drive to the good dog shooting areas that I know.
 
Yes, true on both counts. But, as always, you get what you pay for. The last two years would have probably been a bust because of weather without a good guide.
 
You can buy licenses at Lock, Stock, and Barrel in Valentine or at the Gus Stop in Mission. Lock, Stock, and Barrel (closed on Sundays) would prefer that you pay cash, but at the Gus Stop we used credit cards. The only catch is Elneen needs to be working at the Gus Stop. Evidently no one else there knows how to sell the licenses.
 
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You can buy licenses at Lock, Stock, and Barrel in Valentine or at the Gus Stop in Mission. Lock, Stock, and Barrel (closed on Sundays) would prefer that you pay cash, but at the Gus Stop we used credit cards. The only catch is Elneen needs to be working at the Gus Stop. Evidently no one else there knows how to sell the licenses.


I tried a couple of times to get the license at the Gus Stop and they looked at me like I was crazy! Incidently the Gus Stop isn't in Mission it is in Rosebud as I remember.
 
Don't want to hijack this thread but Rosebud doesn't sound all that good.


Anybody have any other places in SD to recommend, such as private land ?


Thanks
 
Quote:
Don't want to hijack this thread but Rosebud doesn't sound all that good.
Thanks


Rosebud is very good especially for the first time shooter or the guy that doesn't have a lot of time to scout around. There is a lot of dogs there also!
 
Sam, hope you don't mind if I jump in here.
OITB, plan in advance. I make tentative reservations a year in advance and start confirming in January. But we have a large group.(7) Call ahead so you maximize shooting time.
 
I lined up some guys recently for a dog hunt. While doing research I heard more than once about a few things that can go wrong on the Rosebud. They refered to problems with your guide or others. I ended up setting them up on a ranch off the reservation.

Here are some contact numbers that can help if your interested. Winner area Chamber of Commerce; 605 842-1533 www.winnersd.org and Millette co Chamber 605 259-3651. Both of these places have listings of local contacts. Not to say the Rosebud won't work, just keep an eye on things.
 


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