South Dakota’s Firesteel Creek Lodge might be the most popular wingshooting lodge in the Midwest. Owner Mark Lindskov walks us through some of the things that help make a trip to Firesteel so desirable.
Where is your lodge located?
We are based in Isabel, South Dakota, which is in the north-central part of the state. The closest “big” airport is in Bismarck, North Dakota, which is a two-hour ride from the lodge. The best private airport in our area is in Mobridge, South Dakota, which is less than an hour away. We run pickup shuttles to both airports.
What bird species do you offer, and what is the limit?
We hunt pheasants, Hungarian partridge and sharp-tailed grouse, and if weather conditions are good, hunters often have the chance to bag all three. We have a standard five-bird daily limit, of which no more than three can be sharptails. Because numerous parts of our 200,000 acres are designated as controlled shooting areas, hunters can shoot additional pheasants and partridge for a per-bird fee.
What is your hunter-to-guide ratio?
Our hunter-to-guide ratio varies quite a bit depending on the species of birds we are targeting or what kind of habitat we are hunting. What our guests like to do factors in as well. Consequently, we can have one guide taking one guest, or we could have four guides taking 13 guests.
What are the terrain and cover like?
Our hunting area spans 300 square miles of rolling plains. We strategically plant food plots near shelter cover to achieve two goals: first, to attract and hold large numbers of birds, and second, to create shooting opportunities for hunters without them having to navigate difficult terrain.
Do you hunt with pointing or flushing dogs? Can a hunter bring and hunt with his or her dog—and if so, where will the dog stay?
We have both flushers and pointers. Both seem to work very well for the way our hunts are conducted. Guests are welcome to bring their dogs. We can house them in heated kennels with automatic waterers.
Do you welcome non-hunting spouses—and if so, what is there for them to do?
We can certainly accommodate non-hunters. They can accompany the hunters in the field or stay at the lodge, where they can roam the property, shoot clay targets, play pool, read books or watch TV in our spacious lounge.
How is your lodging managed?
We have three lodges on our property that account for a total of 26 beds in 23 bedrooms. The majority of those rooms have private baths. Most guests prefer single occupancy, so we arranged our lodging accordingly.
Learn more about Firesteel Creek Lodge as a Shooting Sportsman Endorsed Lodge.
PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF FIRESTEEL CREEK LODGE.