Drought in the Dakota's

[Mosby]

Planning on taking my young GSP up into South Dakota in September for some training on wild birds. I was reading about the drought in both North and South Dakota last night and realized I might need to change my plans, go to a different area etc., Bad all over but some areas are seemingly worse than others. I read that farmers are cutting everything for hay including medians and ditches to feed cattle in some areas. Assuming wheat and corn didn't come in.

I am going to get my maps out and probably start making some phone calls. I am worried that a lot of areas have been cut for hay but it is what it is. I will probably end up doing a big loop and check out a large area for myself. Right now I am planning on staying east of the Missouri and go from there. Anyone know of areas that have been hit especially hard this year?

 

[KurtR]

The whole state is dry here but there still is plenty of cover and I have seen lots of birds. With the easy winter they at least came into spring very healthy. We have corn that is knee high but two miles down the road it is 6 feet . Rain has been really spotty. I personally would wait till at least mid September. I know it’s not legal to train on public land so if any ones asks your just out for a “walk”. Also you could chase sharpies mid September and there are a lot this year. Watch out for any water blue green algae is really bad. We had to move our hunt test because of it. My brother in law has been hauling water for cows since beginning of July.

 

[Mosby]

The whole state is dry here but there still is plenty of cover and I have seen lots of birds. With the easy winter they at least came into spring very healthy. We have corn that is knee high but two miles down the road it is 6 feet . Rain has been really spotty. I personally would wait till at least mid September. I know it’s not legal to train on public land so if any ones asks your just out for a “walk”. Also you could chase sharpies mid September and there are a lot this year. Watch out for any water blue green algae is really bad. We had to move our hunt test because of it. My brother in law has been hauling water for cows since beginning of July.

That is extremely helpful information. Hadn't thought about the algae. I thought it was legal for an individual to train his own dog on public land from Aug 1 to the third Saturday in September but I could be misunderstanding what I am reading below and the restrictions. Thanks for the heads up. I will call tomorrow and make sure I understand the regs.

41:09:13:01.02. Restrictions on training dogs on public lands and public road rights-of-way -- Time and ownership. No person may train a dog for the purpose of locating, pursuing, pointing, or retrieving wild game birds on any publicly owned land or on any public road right-of-way from August 1 to the Friday preceding the third Saturday of September, inclusive, unless the dog is owned by that person and not offered for sale. The owner of the dog may be assisted in the training provided the owner is also present during the training.

Source: 26 SDR 21, effective August 23, 1999; 32 SDR 203, effective June 5, 2006.
General Authority: SDCL 41-2-18(1), 41-6-78, 41-17-1.1(1)(4).
Law Implemented: SDCL 41-2-18(1), 41-6-78, 41-17-1.1(1)(4).

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41:09:13:01.03. Restrictions on training dogs on public lands and public road rights-of-way -- Time -- Number of dogs and firearm restrictions. No person may train more than four dogs in any one day for the purpose of locating, pursuing, pointing, or retrieving wild game birds on any publicly owned land or on any public road right-of-way from August 1 to the Friday preceding the third Saturday of September, inclusive. No person training a dog on wild game birds on public lands may possess a shotgun or rifle during the training during this time frame.

 

[KurtR]

That is extremely helpful information. Hadn't thought about the algae. I thought it was legal for an individual to train his own dog on public land from Aug 1 to the third Saturday in September but I could be misunderstanding what I am reading below and the restrictions. Thanks for the heads up. I will call tomorrow and make sure I understand the regs.

41:09:13:01.02. Restrictions on training dogs on public lands and public road rights-of-way -- Time and ownership. No person may train a dog for the purpose of locating, pursuing, pointing, or retrieving wild game birds on any publicly owned land or on any public road right-of-way from August 1 to the Friday preceding the third Saturday of September, inclusive, unless the dog is owned by that person and not offered for sale. The owner of the dog may be assisted in the training provided the owner is also present during the training.

Source: 26 SDR 21, effective August 23, 1999; 32 SDR 203, effective June 5, 2006.
General Authority: SDCL 41-2-18(1), 41-6-78, 41-17-1.1(1)(4).
Law Implemented: SDCL 41-2-18(1), 41-6-78, 41-17-1.1(1)(4).

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41:09:13:01.03. Restrictions on training dogs on public lands and public road rights-of-way -- Time -- Number of dogs and firearm restrictions. No person may train more than four dogs in any one day for the purpose of locating, pursuing, pointing, or retrieving wild game birds on any publicly owned land or on any public road right-of-way from August 1 to the Friday preceding the third Saturday of September, inclusive. No person training a dog on wild game birds on public lands may possess a shotgun or rifle during the training during this time frame.

reading that I would say your good to go.

 

[Mosby]

reading that I would say your good to go.

I am going to call and double check but I appreciate it.

 

[bosands]

Planning on taking my young GSP up into South Dakota in September for some training on wild birds. I was reading about the drought in both North and South Dakota last night and realized I might need to change my plans, go to a different area etc., Bad all over but some areas are seemingly worse than others. I read that farmers are cutting everything for hay including medians and ditches to feed cattle in some areas. Assuming wheat and corn didn't come in.

I am going to get my maps out and probably start making some phone calls. I am worried that a lot of areas have been cut for hay but it is what it is. I will probably end up doing a big loop and check out a large area for myself. Right now I am planning on staying east of the Missouri and go from there. Anyone know of areas that have been hit especially hard this year?

Its spotty here in ND as well, use NOAA observed precip mapper, look at areas that got rain in May, June. Another little piece of advice up here depending on pups age and experience on birds, I call it road training, I keep a check cord ready and when driving from place to place and if I see birds crossing or flying or near road and mark them well, I will stop and get dog out, don't even grab gun. Big mistake people make is running a young dog for hours with no bird contact.

good luck

 

[KurtR]

The last week and a half we have got 5 to 8 inches in some places in Sodak. The Mobridge area is green for the first time. Rain last night and all day today. Driving to Aberdeen lots of standing water grass has grown a lot in the last week. Seems to be shaping up for a wet fall I hope it keeps coming don’t mind hunting some flooded corn for mallards

 

[bosands]

we

The last week and a half we have got 5 to 8 inches in some places in Sodak. The Mobridge area is green for the first time. Rain last night and all day today. Driving to Aberdeen lots of standing water grass has grown a lot in the last week. Seems to be shaping up for a wet fall I hope it keeps coming don’t mind hunting some flooded corn for mallards

we been getting some , more than few inches is pretty spotty though. The damage is done on upland, been running dogs on sharpies last few weeks, yet to see a brood. flooded field hunting would be fun this fall, but our mid to large wetlands are still way to high, so i am fine with an extended drought to drain them further to provide life in them again.

 

[Mosby]

Its spotty here in ND as well, use NOAA observed precip mapper, look at areas that got rain in May, June. Another little piece of advice up here depending on pups age and experience on birds, I call it road training, I keep a check cord ready and when driving from place to place and if I see birds crossing or flying or near road and mark them well, I will stop and get dog out, don't even grab gun. Big mistake people make is running a young dog for hours with no bird contact.

good luck

Great idea on the check cord and road training. My GSP is started but has only trained on quail and pidgins. This will be her first year on pheasant and my focus is getting her on birds and out in the field as much as possible. Thanks.

 

[KurtR]

we

we been getting some , more than few inches is pretty spotty though. The damage is done on upland, been running dogs on sharpies last few weeks, yet to see a brood. flooded field hunting would be fun this fall, but our mid to large wetlands are still way to high, so i am fine with an extended drought to drain them further to provide life in them again.

The sharpies had a hell of a hatch here seen a lot of broods starting to see a bunch of pheasants also.

 

[bosands]

The sharpies had a hell of a hatch here seen a lot of broods starting to see a bunch of pheasants also.

thats great, we were looking really good for both in spring, had great holdover. Right in my immediate area received 7 inch of rain and hail in one night first week of June, havent seen a pheasant brood all summer West of me it progressively gets dryer and that's where the sharpies are. Going to have to travel this fall

 

[bosands]

Great idea on the check cord and road training. My GSP is started but has only trained on quail and pidgins. This will be her first year on pheasant and my focus is getting her on birds and out in the field as much as possible. Thanks.

Hardest part is not pulling the trigger on birds she doesn't point!! lol but it will pay dividends in the long run.