spectr17
12-16-2002, 03:16 AM
UPLAND GAME HUNTING TO CLOSE IN SHEEHAN WATERFOWL UNIT
SD GFP
11/22/02
PIERRE – With more geese arriving each day, upland game hunting will end at sunset on Friday, Nov. 22 in the Sheehan waterfowl unit of the Lower Oahe Waterfowl Hunting Access Program.
Game, Fish and Parks Public Hunting Access Coordinator Bill Smith said that in order to provide quality goose hunting on decoy fields, the geese must have some access to those fields when hunters are not there.
"Due to the skittish nature of feeding geese, even pheasant hunters in adjacent fields can have negative impacts on feeding geese and thus reduce the opportunity for public goose hunting," Smith noted. "For that reason, Game, Fish and Parks has decided that the best course of action is to close small game hunting when the geese are in the area. This way, the area could be utilized for small game when the geese were not there and utilized for waterfowl when the geese are there. We also realize that we will never be able to satisfy both goose and pheasant hunters all of the time. We feel this compromise is the best way to ensure that pheasant hunters will have some opportunity but that resident goose hunters can also get a quality experience."
If the geese leave the area, the "goose hunter check-in" portion of the hunt is curtailed, or if it is determined that pheasant hunting would not impact the goose hunting (and it is still prior to the end of the small game season), small game hunting would again be opened.
Hunters can check on the status of the area online at http://www.state.sd.us/gfp/hunting/Waterfo...Oahereports.htm (http://www.state.sd.us/gfp/hunting/Waterfowl/Counts/Oahereports.htm), the bulletin board outside of the registration trailer or on the trailer’s outgoing phone line at (605) 264-5380).
SD GFP
11/22/02
PIERRE – With more geese arriving each day, upland game hunting will end at sunset on Friday, Nov. 22 in the Sheehan waterfowl unit of the Lower Oahe Waterfowl Hunting Access Program.
Game, Fish and Parks Public Hunting Access Coordinator Bill Smith said that in order to provide quality goose hunting on decoy fields, the geese must have some access to those fields when hunters are not there.
"Due to the skittish nature of feeding geese, even pheasant hunters in adjacent fields can have negative impacts on feeding geese and thus reduce the opportunity for public goose hunting," Smith noted. "For that reason, Game, Fish and Parks has decided that the best course of action is to close small game hunting when the geese are in the area. This way, the area could be utilized for small game when the geese were not there and utilized for waterfowl when the geese are there. We also realize that we will never be able to satisfy both goose and pheasant hunters all of the time. We feel this compromise is the best way to ensure that pheasant hunters will have some opportunity but that resident goose hunters can also get a quality experience."
If the geese leave the area, the "goose hunter check-in" portion of the hunt is curtailed, or if it is determined that pheasant hunting would not impact the goose hunting (and it is still prior to the end of the small game season), small game hunting would again be opened.
Hunters can check on the status of the area online at http://www.state.sd.us/gfp/hunting/Waterfo...Oahereports.htm (http://www.state.sd.us/gfp/hunting/Waterfowl/Counts/Oahereports.htm), the bulletin board outside of the registration trailer or on the trailer’s outgoing phone line at (605) 264-5380).