D&E Outfitters
High Quality Hunting  
Nebraska and South Dakota
Deer and Merriam Turkey Hunts
 
P. O. Box 26074
Colorado Springs,  CO 80936
Phone: (719) 591-8934
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South Dakota Hunting
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South Dakota Merriam Turkey Hunts
Email    (719) 591-8934



South Dakota Merriam's Turkey Hunting is Outstanding
!

Merriam turkey hunting in the springtime is an incredible experience and a super time to be in the outdoors!

D&E Outfitters
only takes at one time a limited number of South Dakota Merriam turkey hunters that we can comfortably handle and ensure without a doubt that they will feel like they are being treated as a person and not a number. "Come a Stranger and leave a Friend".

Many of our out of state quests are using our South Dakota Merriam's turkey hunts to fulfill their Turkey Grand Slam, Royal Slam or World Slam. We take their trust in us as a Premier South Dakota Merriam Turkey Hunting Outfitter to be part of their dream very serious.

Our guests, who many are seasoned long time turkey hunters across the United States with many turkey's to their credit: say they have never seen merriam turkey hunting so good with so many tukrey's and mature Gobblers.

We practice and enforce "No Shooting Jakes".


South Dakota Merriam Turkey Hunt Details

 South Dakota Turkey Hunting Dates and Prices
 
 South Dakota Turkey Hunting Permits
 
 Lodging - Meals
 
 Merriam Turkey Hunt Terrain
 
 Merriam Turkey Hunting Equipment
 
 Getting to South Dakota
 
 Taxidermy and Meat - Turkey
 
 Merriam Turkey Hunting Trip Travel Insurance
 
 Contact us Form
 
 
South Dakota Turkey Hunting Dates and Prices

DATES:
Spring Archery Turkey: April 7 thru May 8, 2018
Spring Turkey Prairie (Shotgun): April 14 thru May 8, 2018


PRICE:
3-day unguided Turkey hunts with no food or lodging for 1 Turkey...$650 per-person


3-day self-guided turkey hunts with Food & Lodging for 1 Turkey...$1000 per-person

3-day self-guided turkey hunt with Food & Lodging for 2 Turkeys...$1,300 per-person
 

3-day 2x1 fully guided merriam turkey hunts for 1 Turkey...$1,300  per-person (we guarantee a shot on the first bird on fully guided hunts)

3-day 2x1 fully guided merriam turkey hunt for 2 Turkeys...$1,650 per-person (we guarantee a shot on the first bird on fully guided hunts)

If you do not get a shot opportunity on our fully guided spring turkey hunts you can come back the following year and hunt "free" on a 1 turkey fully guided turkey hunt.

  • Non-Hunters are welcome to come. The fee is $400 per individual (with a maximum of 1 per paid hunter).

  • Contact us today to book your hunt South Dakota merriam turkey hunting adventure.

Un-guided turkey hunts: We show you the properties boundaries, confirmed roosts, strut zones, travel corridors, and feeding areas.
  • Not included: food , lodging, guide, hunting permits, licenses, guide, field transportation, blinds, decoys, chairs, any hunting gear, trophy field care, bird cleaning, meat processing, taxidermy, or gratuities. (Need to bring SUV, AWD, or 4-wheel drive type vehicle)
Self-guided turkey hunts with Food and Lodging include: 3 days hunting, up to 4 nights lodging, meals, snacks, freezing, and limited guide help. Pre-season scouting, confirmed roosts, strut zones, travel corridors, and feeding areas. 
  • Not included: hunting permits, licenses, guide, field transportation, blinds, decoys, chairs, any hunting gear, trophy field care, bird cleaning, meat processing, taxidermy, or gratuities. (Need to bring SUV, AWD, or 4-wheel drive type vehicle)

Fully Guided South Dakota Turkey Hunts include: 3 days hunting, up to 4 nights lodging, meals and snacks, guiding, transportation, field bird processing, freezing, decoys, and blinds.

  • Not included: hunting permits, licenses, personnel hunting gear, taxidermy, or gratuities. (Any turkey peppered or wounded and not recovered is a harvested bird and fills a permit.)

*Tipping is a way of saying thank you to those who made your turkey hunting trip enjoyable. The industry standard for a hunting trip Tip is 10-20%.  



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South Dakota Turkey Hunting Permits

All Merriam Turkey licenses in South Dakota must be applied for. We will assist you in the applying process or obtaining the South Dakota Merriam Turkey shotgun or archery permits.

Archery tags are available with no quota and no deadline.

Non-resident Permit price


- 1 turkey permit is $100 each

*Licenses can be applied for at the South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks website, www.gfp.sd.gov/hunting/

*Between all drawings for South Dakota turkey hunts in the units we hunt, draw success is normally 100% between draws

*Non-Residents must be at least 12 years of ageHunters under age of 16 must be accompanied in field at all times by a parent, guardian or responsible adult who is at least 18 years of age.


HUNTER SAFETY REQUIREMENTS
:
- All hunters under age of 16 need a hunter's safety card in South Dakota.


BOWHUNTER EDUCATION REQUIREMENT
:
- All big game archery licensees under the age of 16 (11-15) must possess a National Bowhunter Education Foundation (NBEF) certificate or certification of completion from a bowhunter education course approved by any state or provincial government.
Residents and nonresidents under age 16 must also successfully complete a hunter safety education course to obtain an archery license.

- All first-time archery big game licensees regardless of age must possess a National Bowhunter Education Foundation (NBEF) certificate or certificate of completion from a bowhunter education course approved by any state or provincial government.

- Applicants who have held a big game archery license in the past may apply for deer and without completing an NBEF course. If they indicate on the application the year, state or province that a former archery license was obtained or help.


APPLICATION DEADLINES:

First Deadline -  Apply online by 8 a.m. CST Wednesday, Feb. 16. Results available online by Feb. 21. One application may be submitted per applicant. (both residents and nonresidents)

Second Deadline - Apply online by 8 a.m. CDT Wednesday, Mar. 2. Results available online by Mar. 7. Those who do not already have a license may submit one application. (Resident only Draw)

Third Deadline - After the second deadline drawing, licenses remaining are pooled and available to both residents and nonresidents. Apply online by 8 a.m. CDT Wednesday, Mar. 16. Results available online by Mar. 21. Residents and nonresidents may apply for additional licenses (5 maximum for this season, including any license received in the first or second draw).

Leftover Licenses - An individual may have an unlimited number of licenses for this season in any unit or any combination of units. They will be issued first-come, first-served either online or by mailing in an application. This process will begin on Mar. 23.



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Lodging - Meals

Lodging (Hunts that included lodging & meals) with us at the Farmhouse is very clean and comfortable with all the conveniences of home. A maximum of six hunters in camp at any time allows for a home-style atmosphere and individual attention for everyone.

Breakfasts are light and quick consisting of dry cereals, instant oatmeal, pastries, toast, and fruit. There will also be assorted juices and coffee.

Lunch, you will pack your own lunch of cold-cut sandwiches the night before. Also, along with sandwiches there will be fruit, chips, crackers, sweets, and water. There are plenty of choices to pick from. We recommend you pack a hearty lunch then you are use to this is to
maximize hunting time.  We have found the South Dakota fresh air always increases the appetite.  

Dinner, meals will consist of salad, casserole dishes, meat dishes, or crock-pot meals, vegetables, rolls and dessert.  Meals are home-made and very delicious! 

If you have meal concerns or special meal needs please bring it to our attention when booking your hunt. Also you are more than welcome to provide your own snacks and soft drinks of your liking to take on the hunt.

  • Food and water are always available to you. No one goes hungry. The biggest complaint we get is a person weighs more at the end of their hunt than upon arriving.
  • If you enjoyed our meals, please keep the cook in when mind when you consider gratuities, this is very much appreciated.
  • Alcohol is not provided, but is allowed after hunting is done for the day. Intoxication will not be tolerated.


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Merriam Turkey Hunt Terrain
South Dakota turkey hunting terrain we hunt is vast, diverse, varying from creek, river, woodlots, to cultivated fields, and vast open range rolling hills.  We hunt across many ranches and tracks of land by doing this, and lightly hunting each one, allows us to manage for old mature gobblers.  We use ground blinds with some run and gun hunting methods. 
  • Our Shotgun, and archery turkey hunters don't hunt over feeders or in high fences.  These are Free Ranging Wild Turkey Fair Chase Hunts.


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Merriam Turkey Hunting Equipment

We are known as one of top Outfitter and Guide Services in South Dakota for South Dakota archery turkey hunts and crossbow turkey hunting. 

Many believe archery turkey hunting is one of the toughest hunts a hunter can do.  

On our merriam turkey bow hunts.  W
e have found over the years Primos Double Bull Blinds works well.  

critical factor, turkey bow hunter shoot a fast shooting bow such as a Hoyt, BowTech, PSE or Mathews bows or use TenPoint and Stryker 380 crossbow.  On crossbows, overall weight, speed, and having a light crisp trigger pull are critical.  Bows need to fit you and be a
t daily normal draw weight.


Note:
  Do not reduce your bow poundage for archery turkey hunting.  

Pin point accuracy, and broadhead performance are critical.

Turkeys have an extremely small vital kill zone, so we recommend using 3D targets before your hunt that mark the body kill zone to practice with daily before your hunt. 

  • We want our archery and crossbow turkey hunters to use one of the best "Turkey Buster Broadheads".  The NAP Spitfire Gobbler-Getter, Rage 3-Blade Turkey Broadheads.  These are some of the best on the market at this time proven for turkey bow hunting and crossbow turkey hunts! 

    • Heavier broadhead the better for maximum kinetic energy. 

    •  Bring a spare release.   

*Other archery turkey hunting gear items you might want to consider for your archery turkey hunt is a Primos Bow Sling, GoPro, or Roscoby Riser Cam



Our shotgun South Dakota Merriam turkey hunts are considered as one of the best that South Dakota Turkey Outfitters and Guides have to offer


We recommend shooting a fitted semiautomatic camo 12 gauge 3 1/2" magnum shotgun with a premium turkey choke that we recommend, shooting hard hitting Hevi-Shot turkey loads.  

  • We have seen many successes with the following semiautomatic turkey shotguns.  The Benelli Super Vinci, Benelli Super Black Eagle, Browning A5, and Remington VersaMax.  These turkey shotguns are the best turkey jelly head makers that I have seen. They set a standard for those distance long beard shots.  

  • Others proven Merriam Turkey shotguns: Remington 870 Express Super Magnum Turkey, Winchester Super X3, and Benelli Super Nova.

  • Turkey Choke tube is a must!
     
    • We only recommend the NWTF Still Target World Record holder: the 15 time Indian Creek Black Diamond Strike Choke Tube, or the HEVI-Shot HEVI-Choke Tube for Turkey. 

  • We recommend fitting your shotgun with these items: for sights, look at a Truglo Strut 'N Rut Shotgun Scope, Gobble-Stopper, Tru-Brite Open Red-Dot sight, or a Nikon Turkey Pro BTR Scope or open Fiber-optic type sights.  Also, a good Sling and LimbSaver Recoil Pad are must haves.  This makes for a great Gobbler-Getter. 
      
  • Magnum Turkey Loads have to be used on our South Dakota Merriam turkey hunts. 

    • We only recommend that you use HEVI-Shot Magnum Blend or HEVI-Shot Turkey Loads in #5 shot.  HEVI-shot is the best we have seen to date that will flatten gobblers out...period! 

      Note: If you must use Winchester Long Beard XR #5, you need to use the Carlson's Long Beard XR Choke Tube that was specifically designed to be used with it!    

      Note: Your turkey load and choke must "Pattern" in your shotgun with a turkey's head and neck target:  "No Body Shots" Head and Neck Only!

  • We recommend pattern your shotgun at 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 yards using a turkey head and neck pattern target.  You are looking for 14-20 pellets in the head and neck area; more the better! 
     
      • It is a must the same turkey loads you will be using to turkey hunt with are used to pattern your shotgun.  

      • Getting a fitted Turkey Shotgun, Turkey Load and turkey Choke Tube combination is key to having a tight pattern to get your gobbler.

      • Concerning choke tubes, getting your shotgun to pattern well with turkey loads is the proper constriction of your choke tube.  Please do some research in this area.

  • Other shotgun turkey hunting gear items you might want to considering is a Primos Trigger Stick or some type of Turkey Shooting Sticks now on the market.   
     
Farmhouse MerriamFarmhouse Merriam

Farmhouse Merriam



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Getting to South Dakota

We hunt near the town of Gregory South Dakota. 

Note: Our cell phone reception is minimal in these areas.

We expect you to drive to us:

For driving directions to Gregory South Dakota click on the city name in blue, then put in your zip code.

If flying and hunting near Gregory South Dakota you will fly into:

  • Sioux Falls then rent a vehicle and drive  hours

  • Pierre South Dakota then rent a vehicle and drive  hours

When flying with the airlines you will need to follow regulations for guns and ammunition, ask the airlines for information if unsure.

You will need to call Don on his Cell phone 2 hours prior to arrival, he will discuss with you where to meet.

You need to plan to arrive into camp after 12:00 pm during the daylight the day before your hunt start. After arriving you will get your gear unpacked, and ready, shoot your gun for zero as needed, hunt orientation, and safety brief. 



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Taxidermy and Meat - Turkey

A problem that faces a turkey hunter who has just driven, or flown across the country to go on a turkey hunt is how to get there turkey/meat safely home.  Please read below on what we have learned and know:

  • Ensure you know South Dakota, states traveling thru, and state you live in big game transportation and importation laws and any other legal requirements in this area. This is your responsibility.

  • Check with your airline or ground carrier about any restrictions about transporting a frozen turkey and meat.
     
    • Keeping the same airline on connecting flights will help avoid luggage issues.

       
  • Award Winning Local Taxidermist is available to mount or expedite your trophy.  They are very knowledgeable, and highly skilled on all species we hunt.  This is an easy and efficient way to handle your taxidermy needs.  Most often they will often do a better job than someone who has seen few of the particular animals from our areas. 

    We highly recommend Tall Tails Taxidermy, LLC in Burton, NE. They are a "small Full-Time Taxidermy Studio" focused on providing high quality taxidermy within a reasonable time period, averaging six to nine months. They do everything they can to meet your expectations.  Ann and Aimee are very methodical, meticulous, and driven that never settle for second best or "just good enough".  I would trust them with my finest trophy. 

    Studio: 402-497-3360
    Ann's Cell: 1-402-376-6379
    Aimee's Cell: 1-402-382-8696

    Web Site: www.talltailstaxidermystudio.com

    • Note: They use a highly reputable Concierge Shipping Service that ships from there door to your door that is insured, and bonded.


  • Transporting your trophy turkey home to taxidermist.  On fully Guided hunts we help you with the below steps and on Self-guided it is up to you. We recommend the following before freezing for transport: 

    • Most taxidermist's prefer the turkey not gutted.  Check with yours before the trip. You can get the meat after you take it to the Taxidermist being it is frozen.

    • Treat the turkey very carefully to keep the turkey feathers from getting damaged, only lay on turkey's stomach/breast, and keep all blood off of feathers. 

    • To help with blood, put paper towel or cotton balls in turkeys mouth, next wrap turkey head with paper towels and tape or rubber band in place, next tuck wrapped head under the wing. 

    • Next, put your turkey head first in the leg of a pair of queen size panty hose.  Then pull up around entire turkey to include the turkey tail, then tie the open end of the panty hose in a knot, then freeze.  This will protect the turkey feathers holding them securely in place. 

    • After it is frozen, take out of freezer, then wrap entire bird completely in Aluminum Foil, then wrap entire bird in bubble wrap, then put head first in a large plastic bag and roll gently squeezing the air out of the bag and securely tape bag in place before putting it in the cooler for transport. 

    • This is the best method we have found to date to get your trophy home to mount.

  • You should use coolers for transporting your meat and turkey.

    • Flying: duct tape the coolers shut after you get to the airport in case they need to open and pack them as tightly as possible. 

    • Driving: use duct tape to hold the lids tightly shut. This keeps out air, even when the truck is on rough roads, and hits bumps.

  • If you fly, once meat and turkey is processed and frozen, it can be boxed and checked as excess baggage.  Meat/trophy bird should be frozen as dry ice is not allowed on airplanes.  


US Mail, UPS, or FedEx, we have had hunters use all with good success.  To make this work best with perishable items. They need to be shipped out at a office by the main airport you fly into. Reason, where we are located in Nebraska we are far away from the interstates and major airports so everything is Ground shipment first, then overnight so "overnight" actually turns into 2-3 days. Note: if shipping nonperishable where time isn't a factor. We have a Post office's and drop boxes for UPS and FedEx in our local areas.

Note:
Our hunters are telling us it is best "to drive when you can".  They say with a partner and rotating driving, you can get anywhere within the states in a days travel, which is what you are burning up flying anyway, along with renting a car and driving to us.  This way you get to bring all your gear and take everything back and use a meat processor close to home.


Most important it is a must to plan ahead in this area
 and determine before the hunt how you want to handle your meat and trophy turkey.
 

        • If you fail to plan for this and put it on us to get it to you there will be a $400 handling fee on top of whatever charges there are to getting the bird to you. This will need to be paid prior to us shipping this to you.


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Merriam Turkey Hunting Trip Travel Insurance

Hunting out of state is expensive, with life being unpredictable and the unexpected does happen to everyone and for this reason D & E Outfitters highly recommends buying Travel Guard's Sportsman's Travel Protection Plan Insurance.

  • You need to make sure it includes cancellation coverage.

  • The Sportsman Travel Protection Plan is one of Travel Guard's most customized packages and is idea for traveling hunters. 

  • This is your responsibility to ensure you and your hunting investment are covered and protected.


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Contact us Form
If you want a great merriams turkey hunt!

Please contact us to discuss our South Dakota Merriam Turkey hunts.  Call D & E Outfitters to book your south dakota merriam turkey outfitters hunting adventure at Phone: 719-591-8934 or the contact us form.


Thank you for visiting
Contact us to book your hunt.

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