Warning for South Dakota
 

At present things are very dry and with this they have opened the CRP land to grazing and haying. This Fall cover will be hard to find and the birds will be scattered. For Fall hunting check for water as this will be the main item for a good hunt.

curt nulle

RE: Warning for South Dakota
 

Thanks for the heads up Curt.

RE: Warning for South Dakota
 

Update 06-20-02 It is now being requested to open protected wetlands in the state of South Dakota to grazing. Worst dry spell since 70's.

curt nulle

RE: Warning for South Dakota
 

That would really frost me if they did that and I know it has been done in the past. The reason it makes no sense is that since it is so dry the farmers down in my area are tasking advantage of the dry conditions to ditch and tile out any spot that might have a little moisture. Wish there was some way to see to it that those who are so quick to drain everything would have their subsidies shut off. Someday when there are no more waterfowl just remember that it was not the legitimate hunter that exterminated them, it was the backhoes etc.

RE: Warning for South Dakota
 

I don't think they are going to drain them, just letting the livesstock eat the grass in the areas.

Ya that would be a loss to drain them. I feel the same way with land owners that allow NO hunting and then want money and grain for deer depradation.

RE: Warning for South Dakota
 

Yes, you are correct on that they would not drain the WPA or GPAs but if they graze them down as they did in the 70s there is no winter cover left. The draining that is going on in my area is on private land. These same farmers {one only two miles from my place} tiled out his fields about a month ago and is now crying about how dry it is and wondering if he will get a crop at all. I also agree with you on not allowing hunting and then demanding compensation for crop depredation.

RE: Warning for South Dakota
 

Farmers in Brown County went and got permission to burn the lowland cover to plant crops in. Look for tons of dead pheasants this winter if they last that long.

curt nulle

RE: Warning for South Dakota
 

Hey Nulle, any rain out of that last storm (7/5/02-7/6/02)?

RE: Warning for South Dakota
 

I wouldn't mind hunting the Dakotas one of these days. Keep in touch on this just in case i can actually make it out there this season.

RE: Warning for South Dakota
 

Spotty = Mead county had a little, my place had quarter inch. and three miles into the town they had nothing. Not good at all and hay prices are hitting $ 110.00 a ton right now.

RE: Warning for South Dakota
 

It is true that SD is dry at the present time. However, although perhaps unintentionally, you are warding people off hunting in SD. We provided guided pheasant hunts and are haying some of our CRP. While haying some CRP and the dry conditions will greatly hurt some of the outfitters, we have plenty of dams to provide water and the little bit of haying we are doing will more than likely just move the pheasants our other CPR acres or tree groves.
Please don't be discouraging people to hunt here.
You are right however, in encouraging prospective hunters to ask the land owners about dams or means of water for the birds before they hunt there.

RE: Warning for South Dakota
 

Well we have a game bird hatchery also and it is hurting us too but my information is on the wild population not the pay to hunt programs. My information is what I have heard from folks throughout the state = some areas are ok and others are no good at all. In the western part they are dumping water into the stock dams by truck because they are dry, your area must be better and if you have information on good areas of the state please post where.
I would hate to see hunters come and run into what we have and never come back.

RE: Warning for South Dakota
 

07-15-02 Did some checking and sounds like the Mitchel and Winner areas have gotten some rain and things are not as bad there. I will check out all points in the state in Sept. and post them.

RE: Warning for South Dakota
 

A buddy and I plan on coming for the grouse opener and trying the FT. Pierre area. We will also hit SW Montana while there. I am from Kentucky and a bad trip out West, is usually better than an outstanding season here.
I am sorry to hear that the West (not just SD) is so dry.

RE: Warning for South Dakota
 

The Pierre area has gotton some rain in the last month or so. They had 3 inches and then another inch that I know about. Might not be that bad and parts of Montana are very good.

RE: Warning for South Dakota
 

August has brought rain to areas of South Dakota and has been very welcomed. Little strange as this is our dry hot month.

curt nulle

RE: Warning for South Dakota
 

Have you heard anything about grouse in the Winner and Rosebud area this year?

RE: Warning for South Dakota
 

Not yet but am getting hay for my horses out of the Winner area and will check. If what the hay is like is a indication it should be ok = good hay so most have had moisture there

[Deleted]
 

[Deleted by Admins]

RE: Warning for South Dakota
 

Grouse numbers seem good in our area (far West) Report from the Martin SD area is that with lack of cover the preditors are taking their toll.

RE: Warning for South Dakota
 

Hey everyone, i just wanted to update the rainfall conditions here
in South Dakota. Here in the SE part of the state (Sioux Falls)
we have been getting tons of rain. The avg. rainfall for the month
of August is usually 2.9" of rain, so far this month we have gotten 8.19" of rain. Most of the central and eastern parts of the state has also been getting some good rain.

RE: Warning for South Dakota
 

We have gotton some rain in the West also and although very dry in Butte County things are looking better around us. I had noticed that your area in Sioux Falls was getting tons of water and Aberdeen area also got some. How is the bird cover in the East?

RE: Warning for South Dakota
 

Cover was pretty good considering how dry it was. Now most farmers have cut the CRP and any other grass that was available so cover at this point is deteriorating around here. I am about 25 miles north of SF and from here to Waubay and west to about 40 or 50 miles it will be poor.

RE: Warning for South Dakota
 

Well they had a big grass fire in one of my better grouse hunting fields last week so back out looking again. August was rather cool and now that September is here things have gotten very hot again. Like 100 + .

RE: Warning for South Dakota
 

Grouse are showing up in the Western part and the season starts in a few weeks and should prove pretty good where water and cover is found.

RE: Warning for South Dakota
 

"Rain" It started raining last night and is still coming down. Just in time for the Grouse opener next week. This is the first rain like this in Western SD all summer. Should be helpful in having land owners let you on to hunt.