Reprise: Local expert's tips on South Dakota pheasant hunting and public access

In this reprise episode of the Upland Nation podcast, host Scott Linden welcomes Casey Wisemantle, executive director of the Aberdeen Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, as an in-house expert on South Dakota pheasant hunting. Casey shares insider knowledge on public access, habitat, and hunting strategies, emphasizing the importance of the Aberdeen Pheasant Coalition—a model program that incentivizes landowners to open their land for public hunting, adding 5,000 acres of accessible land. He details the best times to hunt (mid-November onward), the benefits of self-guided and preserve hunts, and the value of local intel from farmers, drivers, and outfitters. Casey also debunks myths about bird counts and offers practical advice on cattail hunting, drive strategies, and the critical 'blue sky rule' for safety. The episode concludes with a 'Fix It' segment on checking dogs for 'mean seeds'—dangerous awns that can embed in a dog’s mouth and cause serious harm if not caught early.