Winter thaw
Contributors to this thread:South Dakota
From: grizzly
20-Mar-19
Man did I see a lot of deer yesterday. Couple hundred in roughly an eight square mile area. Looked like they were all following the edge of the melting snow looking for freshly exposed food. Look like shaggy grey ghost out there. I was just helping a friend move a truck around. Didn't have glass with me. I'm afraid of what I might see if I look to close. Hope this heat has come in time to save some of them. Now if they can avoid the flooding. On a separate subject, I got to use the new public rifle range at Watertown. That's a pretty nice range. Hope the dingleberries don't ruin it for the rest of us. Enjoy that place.
From: Dakota
22-Mar-19
The water sure is running and the snow is melting in the northwest corner of the state. The animals sure are enjoying the sun. It looks like we came through fairly decent.
From: leftee
23-Mar-19
I've got 10ft drifts,yet running water and snow geese all over as of yesterday.Roads a mess.
From: Deerplotter
25-Mar-19
What’s happening on the NE part of the state? Snow still around in the hills?
From: leftee
25-Mar-19
Yes,lotsa snow yet.South and west facing slopes and windswept fields opening but still very deep snow in ravines and elsewhere.Had hoped to access remote areas this AM to call coyotes but many roads still blocked by drifts.
From: Griz34
26-Mar-19
Here are a few pics of some deer herds and snow in NE South Dakota taken yesterday.
From: leftee
26-Mar-19
Nice Griz!Yeh they are dispersing fast now.Had about 25 bust off and head west down the road from my place Sunday nite.Was on a training walk with pack and dog yesterday and sadly found a vehicle had hit and killed a buck about a mile west.They don't want to leave the road in some places.Sad he made it through the winter then hit. Good news is most will make it.
From: Brotsky
26-Mar-19
The flooding down south here has pushed them all out of the river bottoms. Lots of road kills unfortunately in the past few days as they head for higher ground. Good to see the deer up north made it through. Planning on heading up to look for horns in a couple weeks once the snow is gone and things dry out a bit.
From: Deerplotter
05-Apr-19
Any news on the snow melt in the gulches and creek bottoms. Shed hunting possible yet?
From: leftee
06-Apr-19
Lotsa snow went yesterday and shed hunting possible in most places,in fact near all snow gone in open areas,but many woods areas and ravines still have snow.Some too much to hunt for a few more days and some near treacherous with running water.Most MM and remote roads in those areas horrible if not impassable. Bad enuf I'm passing turkey opener today and running to Ks a few days for their opener monday.A first.
From: Deerplotter
06-Apr-19
Thanks for the update
From: SD BuckBuster
15-Apr-19
And what does it look like NOW!??
From: grizzly
15-Apr-19
Well, it was a poop sandwich for awhile. Hope the critters got a chance to replenish some lost nutrition before this last round hit us hard. It is all melting fairly rapidly. Probably start flooding again. No travel is recommended on any gravel roads as they are in terrible shape. If you don't need to be there, don't go.
From: leftee
16-Apr-19
Ditto. Just walked out and took these 2 pics from my deck. One view shows the 10-12 foot drift completely covering our 1000 gall propane tank again and the other across the road showing the melt going well. Roads bad.
From: leftee
16-Apr-19
Oops. Sorry about that and here is number 2.
From: leftee
16-Apr-19
Minor flooding here/there likely around me as melt progresses.Just took a 20 minute drive before the frost leaves and found one rd under a bit of water from yesterdays melt.50s a couple days then 60s-snow will go fast and hopefully we will be approaching a normal Spring by mid next week.
From: SD BuckBuster
16-Apr-19
Where are you at Leftee
From: leftee
16-Apr-19
North of Webster,near Roslyn.
From: leftee
16-Apr-19
Ouch,just checked the new forecast.Nat Weather Bureau saying we may get 1/4 to 1/2 inch of rain tomorrow.THAT would not be good for the roads or the flooding situation.
From: SoDakSooner
16-Apr-19
leftee, I know a few folks up there, but just south of Webster. Used to hunt there a lot but family dynamics took hold (divorce). Now I just look at all the bucks killed by the family on facebook...lol.
From: SD BuckBuster
16-Apr-19
Leftee.. With the warm temps coming... you should take that picture off your deck facing the road each day and post it here as a sort of time lapse thing.
From: leftee
16-Apr-19
Sooner,betting on the Rietz's????Great land,great hunters. Buckbuster will try to do that.Rain tomorrow and gone most of the day so may miss wednesday.
From: leftee
16-Apr-19
In case I miss tomorrow just took these. Lotta melting today. 52 degrees or so but hot sun all day. Noticeable.
From: leftee
16-Apr-19
Number 2
From: SoDakSooner
17-Apr-19
Yep, Good folks for sure. Even though we aren't technically family any more we stay in touch and they take good care of my nephews. My oldest nephew dates a girl from Webster(has for a long time). Working in Milbank now.
From: leftee
18-Apr-19
Rain yesterday,sprinkling again right now. Major melting and with 60s and 70s this weekend snow should be gone except perhaps in the deepest woods and ravines. However we have some flooding issues here/there and the roads around me are a total mess and some truly impossible to travel even in 4 wd. Don’t travel them!!!! Dropped off the plateau yesterday to west and almost all the snow out there on the ‘flats’ was gone but lotsa flooded fields and areas making non tar rds a mess. The James river west of Aberdeen is not just out of it’s banks but in the area where H 12 crosses it is perhaps a mile wide vs 40yds. In that valley could see many deer stands,with 8-10 ft high platforms, nearly underwater. Travel carefully.
From: leftee
18-Apr-19
Can see the top of my propane behind the brush. Major melting.
From: leftee
18-Apr-19
oops,James river 'EAST' of Aberdeen,not west. I'll quit the pics-end now in sight.:-)
From: Brotsky
18-Apr-19
I'd love to get up there shed hunting with my dog leftee but I know what the roads must be like in the area I need to get to. I'll be waiting a few more weeks, maybe even until Memorial Day weekend.
From: leftee
18-Apr-19
Brotsky I sure agree with that.Found a few Toms about 12 miles away and as bad as I want to go,just won't til the roads dry out a bit.Don't even want to go to town for chow today-despite batching it for a few days and hating to cook.
From: leftee
18-Apr-19
The boss is in Mpls power shopping and visiting friends a few days. When I told her the propane tank was visible(she hates snow)she doubted me. So one more pic which I took for her. Gives perspective on the snow we had here perhaps. Good traveling and hunting to all!
From: Brotsky
18-Apr-19
What amazes me leftee is that after all of that snow and before we really understand the impact the state wants to open up antlerless harvest in those counties. They have been amazingly clueless the past 12 months or so.
From: leftee
18-Apr-19
Brotsky didn’t know that and agree 100%. Wish they hadn’t abolished the ‘Citizens Advisory Boards’ which I served on for many years,could have and would have raised heck about that. Foolish!!!!
From: leftee
18-Apr-19
Well didn’t want to travel today on these roads but a neighbor who is calving needed a hand for a few minutes so ran to his place. The township rds were horrible but the county gravel wasn’t bad. Few greasy spots but.... Anyway took the opportunity to snap a couple pics(all of my land) showing a better view of snow conditions here ‘in the hills’. My grass areas,which had been pretty much matted down with snow are bouncing back and most snow is gone from even wooded areas. Melt going fast now. Shameless,probably against the rules, plug here but my hard developed farm of the last 16 yrs likely being listed for sale this summer. This winter has been about the final straw for the boss and at our ages it’s getting tough to keep the place up. If anyone is interested in a ‘retirement’ dream farm(deer,waterfowl,upland birds)pm me before we list it. Sad for me but time marches on.
From: SD BuckBuster
18-Apr-19
WOW! Good for you guys and the melting.. That wind and temp on Saturday should help out with a little bit of the drying process too.
From: leftee
18-Apr-19
From: leftee
18-Apr-19
Buckbuster yes for sure. Last pic.
From: Brotsky
18-Apr-19
Leftee, proposal is to increase any deer tags by 100 per county in Day, Marshall, and Roberts counties. Proposal will also open those three counties to antlerless harvest via archery and muzzleloader.
From: SD BuckBuster
18-Apr-19
Leftee, I know a guy that has been looking for something in your area. Can you send the details on the property to me in a private message?
thanks
From: leftee
18-Apr-19
The proposal strikes me as unsound- and premature at best.We have no idea,NONE,as to this severe winters effect on fawn recruitment for one thing.There clearly will be an adverse affect.
Buckbuster will do.
From: Brotsky
18-Apr-19
It reminds me of when they tried to exterminate the antelope herd after that tough winter about 10 years ago. Left the tag numbers sky high when there were no animals to support the harvest.
From: Griz34
18-Apr-19
Yeah, that was stupid. I had a triple antelope doe tag that year I believe during deer season. I didn't kill one, once we saw the numbers we decided to concentrate on deer. I hunt the three counties listed, that seems crazy considering the winter they just had. I'm also a rural mail carrier so I get to drive 105 miles on those roads every day. I'm ready for some dry weather!
From: leftee
19-Apr-19
Griz I bet you are ready for decent roads.:-)Today and particularly tomorrow should be great for drying but see a chance of rain for Sunday.Our township really has a few serious trouble spots and have actually closed one rd.
