HUNTING

Pheasant brood route survey shows healthy numbers

PIERRE, S.D. – This autumn, hunters in South Dakota will enjoy pheasant numbers that continue to be some of the best in the state’s history. The 2010 brood survey count shows a small increase from the 2009 survey.

By Game, Fish, and Parks , August 26, 2010

Pheasant numbers look promising, GF&P says

Some say it’s the best time of the baseball season. Others point to oncoming football season. But for thousands of South Dakotans, fall means pheasant season is almost upon us.
South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks staffers are determining how good that season will be, according to Travis Runia, a senior upland game biologist based in Huron. An annual survey will be completed this week, and results will be released in a month.

August 10, 2010

Opinion: Daley opposes our Second Amendment

Political corruption is synonymous with Illinois. While I was a kid living my high school years in Chicago during the 1950s, Mayor Richard J. Daley’s political machine dictated every Illinois politician’s next move. It included the neighborhood alderman as well as a string of governors who spent time behind bars. Today, we have another arrogant ex-governor who will hopefully spend time behind bars.

By Roger Wiltz , July 28, 2010

Opinion: The ‘Magnificent Eight’ head to Canada

We were munching fresh, pan-fried walleye during a shore lunch when someone yelled, “Moose!” A cow and calf were frolicking in the water off an island a quarter-mile southeast of us. Some of the guys jumped into a boat and sped toward the duo for pictures. One of our boats had earlier observed woodland caribou. A boreal paradise surrounded us.

By Roger Wiltz , July 14, 2010

PowderHorn shooters compete at nationals in Idaho

IDAHO CITY, IDAHO — Four members of the PowderHorn Ranch Regulators Cowboy Fast Draw Club of Mitchell traveled to Idaho City, Idaho, on June 25-27 to compete with 112 shooters from around the country in the National Championship.

By The Daily Republic , July 08, 2010

Celebrity hockey players coming to Mitchell

Golf outings are generally a good way to raise money for organizations. For Dave Tronnes, chairman of the Mitchell Marlins’ program committee and a member of the USA Hockey board of directors, golf outings weren’t enough. This year, instead of a golf outing, Tronnes is heading a celebrity hunting outing to help raise money for the Sam Tronnes Memorial Scholarship Fund for South Dakota hockey.

By Leah Rado , July 07, 2010

Opinion: My closer-to-home ‘bucket list’

One of my favorite old T-shirts has a picture of a venerable Bass-o-reno on the back. Across the front it says, So Many Lures — So Little Time. These words seem profound. The “bucket list” concept, or things to do before it’s too late, isn’t new to this column. I’ve talked about it before, and I occasionally think about running out of time before I get to try these things. Some are within two days’ drive, and I want to talk about them today along with a few that are practically on our doorstep! International Falls and the Rainy River are an easy day’s drive. In April, large sturgeon are spawning in the river, and they love night crawlers.

By Roger Wiltz , July 07, 2010

Davison County harvests about eight pheasants per hunter in 2009

More than 7,000 hunters, both residents and nonresidents, harvested about 58,000 pheasants in Davison County in 2009, according to South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks Department research that was recently released. That gave the average hunter in the county 8.27 birds for the season, which was slightly up from 2008, when about 8,000 hunters harvested nearly 66,000 pheasants, averaging 8.25 birds per season.

By Luke Hagen , June 26, 2010

Opinion: Antlers — worth the price of the hunt?

I don’t really want to tell you about this, for I made a fool of myself the other day, and risked injury to Betsy on top of it. I was going fishing, and I asked Betsy, fresh from hip replacement surgery, to come along. She was hesitant as my little john boat didn’t have a seat with a backrest. Like always, I had a solution. We’ll take a plastic lawn chair with us, and put it in the boat for her.

By Roger Wiltz , June 23, 2010

Special take in August intended to reduce Canada goose population

In early May, the South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks Department passed a special Canada goose take in efforts to decrease the resident Canada goose population in South Dakota. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s spring survey in 2009 estimated the Canada goose population at 166,500 in the state, with a three-year average of 137,000 birds. Because the overpopulation of Canada geese cause depredation on famers’ crops in the state, the GF&P is allowing hunters a 15-day special take in August in hopes to get the population near 80,000 to 90,000, which is what the state Wildlife Division’s management plan calls for. South Dakota GF&P waterfowl biologist Spencer Vaa said the special take should help decrease Canada goose numbers, but nothing is certain.

By Luke Hagen , June 21, 2010

Just how good are you with a shotgun?

The year was 1955. President Eisenhower made the first-ever television press conference, Elvis appeared on television, McDonald’s came into being and the minimum wage went to $1 an hour. I was an eighth-grader, and I received a 10-gauge shotgun for Christmas. But that wasn’t all.

By Roger Wiltz , June 09, 2010

New law creates dilemma for GF&P

OACOMA — The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Commission decided Thursday to sharply reduce the licenses for the Black Hills deer hunting season Thursday but struggled over how to follow a new state law that provides free licenses to landowners to hunt antlerless deer.
Free landowner licenses won’t be allowed for the Black Hills season because of significant declines in deer populations. The commissioners cut Black Hills licenses by 2,300 for South Dakota hunters and by 184 for non-residents. The goal is to protect more does as a biologically necessary first step in rebuilding the overall deer populations.

By Bob Mercer , June 04, 2010

Opinion: Stay informed about wildlife diseases

Imagine crazed mule deer chewing and pulling their own hair out, leaving their hides red with sores. Close examination reveals exotic louse chewing on the skin. The misery ends during the winter when freezing temperatures and pneumonia spell the end for the tormented deer. We are talking about DHLS, or Deer Hair Loss Syndrome.

By Roger Wiltz , June 02, 2010

Opinion: We have heroes among us who care for loved ones all year long

On the afternoon of May 17, fishing partner Jerry and I towed his boat over to White Swan. A more perfect afternoon I haven’t witnessed. Warm but not hot, with modest wrinkles on the surface of a blue expanse that stretched to the hazy green hills of Gregory County. And we had it all to ourselves.

By Roger Wiltz , May 26, 2010

South Dakota West River, Black Hills deer seasons proposed

PIERRE — People who hunt in the West River deer season in South Dakota can take to the field beginning Nov. 13 if a Game Fish and Parks Commission proposal is adopted in June.

May 26, 2010