Backcountry Outfitters, South Dakota Reviewed by UltimatePheasantHunting.com
What does it take to start a new pheasant hunting operation in the middle of the melting pot of pheasant hunting in South Dakota? Like anything else, you start with quality materials. In this case, quality land developed for prime pheasant habitat, a supportive family willing to provide sweat, guidance and support, and above all, quality character. Dan and Lindsey Fiebelkorn are the owners/operators of Backcountry Outfitters located at the base of Buffalo Butte in south central South Dakota, approximately 10 miles from the town of Gregory. Lindsey is not new to the pheasant hunting industry as her parents, Marshall and Colleen Springer, are the owners of Buffalo Butte Lodge. They helped Dan and Lindsey research and prepare for building their own business, and this family affair has developed into a great outfitting experience. The first thing they identified as a need was to purchase enough prime hunting land to support a first class operation. Besides land they already owned, they purchased neighboring acreage that was available to them. Now they have 6,000 acres of prime pheasant land available to their guests.
The next step was to identify lodging solutions. This dilemma presented an opportunity for both Backcountry Outfitters and Buffalo Butte to take advantage of. On a parcel of land next to the existing Buffalo Butte lodge, they decided to construct a pair of log-style chalets. These chalets addressed the Springer's need for smaller accommodations for smaller groups, and also filled the Fiebelkorn's needs for comfortable and inviting lodging. We arrived at night and were welcomed personally by Dan and Lindsey at the chalet. We walked in to the aroma of an unbelievable roast in the oven, complete with all the fixings waiting for us. To say the food was outstanding is an understatement. There is nothing like traveling for hours only to get treated to a traditional home-cooked meal with all the fixings. The next day we arose to a simply gorgeous early November morning. Temperatures were unseasonably warm in the mid seventies, with a light breeze blowing out of the north, which managed to keep the air temperature down a little bit. This will really help not only the hunters but the dogs are able to remain active without overheating. We loaded up the vehicles and approached our first destination-a field with cane stripped out for easy walking yet providing great cover for the birds. After a brief discussion on their gun safety and hunting policies, we were ready to go. We walked four across with one dog and Dan as our guide, slowly working the field to ensure we didn't walk past any birds hunched and hiding as they waited patiently for us to pass.
In only a matter of minutes, the dog began getting very birdie, and several good points with no birds led us to believe they were running down the rows. Suddenly, in a flash of iridescent colors and a loud retort of cackling a pair of roosters exploded out the edge of the rows. Four shots led to two downed birds, and we were on our way. We pushed quite a few hens up (which is very good to see for determining future brood opportunities), and a few more roosters who were spooked up early and out of range. As we got closer to the end of the field we were in, and nearer to our hunting partner who was posting, the birds held longer and provided some closer shots.
Over the next hour we walked two more cane strips and the net total was nine roosters out of a legal limit of twelve for us. We took about 45 minutes to refresh and enjoy a prepared field lunch of fresh sandwiches, chips, vegetables, fruit and water. We sat back and enjoyed the food, the scenery and revisited the morning's events. After we finished lunch, we packed up and headed to the next field, which consisted of a large area of CRP grasses surrounding a stock dam. The dog's got on scent right away, and after about ten minutes of chasing running birds, we were able to get them to flush. A brief flurry of hens was followed by intermittent roosters cackling as they took flight. In a matter of moments, the days limit was met. After sitting around for awhile and admiring the color of these beautiful birds, we packed up and headed back to the chalet, cleaned up and got prepared for dinner. We were treated to a fantastic dinner consisting of famous South Dakota sirloin steaks, fresh vegetables and potatoes, and home made cherry and apple pies for desert. To sum it up, our experience at Backcountry Outfitters hosted by Dan and Lindsey Fiebelkorn was outstanding. The lodging, hospitality and hunting were above our expectations. A special thank you goes out to them from the UPH staff for all they provided to us!
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2007 Ultimate Pheasant Hunts |
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