People from all across the United States were out in South Dakota fields Saturday afternoon.  12:00 PM Saturday marked the official start to the state's pheasant hunting season.  We caught up with some out-of-state hunters who say the tradition of opening weekend keeps them coming back year after year.

This is Denver resident Geoff Barker's third consecutive opening weekend in South Dakota, and he's not the only one flocking to the Rushmore State.

"Opening weekend in South Dakota is the best opening weekend for pheasant hunting anywhere in the country," Barker said.  "In fact, we flew into the Mitchell airport and the place was packed with other planes that had come in from all over the country, so it's a big deal."

Barker and his friends from Colorado have made this an annual event. And they say South Dakota's hospitality keeps them coming back.

"The people are great," Barker said.  "They are very welcoming to hunters and the bird population here is second to none to anywhere else in this country. So, if you combine a lot of birds with some great hosts, it makes for a good opening weekend." 

Although the weather may not be ideal and the fields may still be a little wet, hunters say it's the experience that matters the most.

"You don't know what the weather's going to be, but you book opening weekend a year in advance, so you just deal with what you get," Barker said.  "It's just a great bonding exercise. It's guys and dogs and you're with your friends and you're outside and if you love being outdoors, it doesn't get much better than this."

"You've been waiting all summer for the opportunity to get out," added Ben Rainey from Bloomfield, Colorado.  "The opportunity to shoot some things, to bond with the boys and the camaraderie of everything, so opening weekend is exciting and fun."

And it's a South Dakota tradition that's caught on, nationwide.

The group from Colorado is hunting at a resort in Alexandria.  Barker has stayed there each time he's come to South Dakota for pheasant season.