South Dakota is a state of great hunting adventure, from the Badlands to the Black Hills to the open prairie, and I visit each spring and fall. Although I often carry an archery tag, my friends hunt with firearms for turkeys and deer, making my challenge extra interesting. One year, I posted in the middle of a muzzleloading drive and arrowed a mature buck at 10 yards with my crossbow. Most states and Indian Reservations allow the use of archery gear during firearm seasons as long as you wear the required orange and obey other firearm regulations.
Alter Your Tactics
Most shotgun hunters plan on 30-40 yard shots, and that’s a long distance for a bowhunter. Before you set out, talk with your buddies about tactics and strategies to get close-range shots. Since bows don’t make a loud noise like a shotgun, it’s reasonable to ask for the first shot if birds are in close because other birds in the flock will often stand erect or walk away, providing an easy opportunity for a shotgun. If your buddies want to run-and-gun, have them drop you off at a likely spot, pop up a blind, and use decoys. By the time they get back, you may have your tag filled.
A Perfect Example
Here’s a video from last spring. Hunting with three shotgun hunters, we found a flock of turkeys in the bottom of a draw and planned to call them to us. The toms gobbled voraciously, so there was little doubt they would approach. I sat up on the right side of the ridge while the shotgun hunters posted on top. Here’s how the action played out. I’m always the oldest hunter in the camp and was tagged “Uncle Joe” many years ago, a nickname that stuck.
