GFP News - August 30, 2012
- Landowners And Hunters Asked To Report Dead Deer
- Becoming An Outdoor Woman Event To Be Held At Lake Poinsett
- History Comes to Life at Beaver Creek Nature Area
Landowners And Hunters Asked To Report Dead Deer
PIERRE, S.D. - The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Department is asking landowners and hunters to be on the lookout for dead deer.
This is the time of the year when deer tend to succumb to hemorrhagic disease, also known as epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD), or blue tongue.
The disease is common in white-tailed deer and is typically detected in late summer or early fall.
The virus is spread by a biting midge and causes extensive internal hemorrhaging. Many deer exhibit no clinical signs and appear perfectly healthy; other deer may have symptoms such as respiratory distress, fever, and swelling of the tongue.
With highly virulent strains of the virus, deer can die in three days or less. Affected deer are often found in low-lying areas or near rivers or ponds, where they go to combat the high fever.
People who see sick deer or find several dead deer in one locale are asked to contact their local conservation officers or call the Pierre GFP office at 605-773-5913.
EHD outbreaks can be locally severe but rarely affect more than 25 percent of a local deer population. In rare cases, the disease will affect more than 50 percent.
Deer may continue dying from hemorrhagic disease until a hard freeze reduces the midge populations that carry the disease.
EHD is not infectious to humans. For more information on the EHD virus visit http://www.vet.uga.edu/scwds/pdfs/HD.pdf
-GFP-
Becoming An Outdoor Woman Event To Be Held At Lake Poinsett
PIERRE, S.D. - Ladies, have you ever wanted to learn how to shoot a muzzleloader? Field dress a deer? Catch and cook a walleye? Hunt waterfowl, deer, and turkeys? Paddle a kayak?
If so, the South Dakota Department of Game Fish and Parks "Becoming an Outdoor Woman" weekend is for you!
The workshop on Sept. 14-15 at Lake Poinsett focuses on learning outdoor skills usually associated with hunting and fishing but useful for many outdoor pursuits. Designed primarily for women, it is an opportunity for anyone 18 years of age or older to get "hands on" experience in the outdoors.
Class listing and registration information on "Becoming an Outdoor Woman" can be found at http://gfp.sd.gov/outdoor-learning/BOW.aspx
For more information, contact GFP Education Coordinator Maggie Lindsey at Maggie.lindsey@state.sd.us.
-GFP-
History Comes to Life at Beaver Creek Nature Area
BRANDON, S.D. - Fiddlers, homestead living, pioneer farming, Civil War soldiering, pioneer crafts and outdoor cooking will greet visitors to Beaver Creek Nature Area near Brandon on Sunday, Sept. 9.
From 1 to 4 p.m. CDT, the park will host the 34th Annual Homesteader Day Harvest Festival. The event attracts thousands of visitors of all ages each year who want a taste of homestead life and pioneer living history.
According to District Park Supervisor Travis Theilen, the afternoon's activities showcase what life was like when the prairies of Dakota Territory were being settled.
"At the Homesteader Day Harvest Festival, we give people a chance to experience first-hand the sights, sounds and smells of a time more than 100 years ago," said Theilen. "It's gratifying to watch young kids stare in amazement while older folks reminisce about life when they were young."
Visitors can watch teams of horses go about the tasks of plowing, cultivating, seeding and harvesting the old-fashioned way. Visitors can also take part in homestead crafts like candle and rope making, Dutch oven cooking, and butter making. Other demonstrations will include rosemaling, wood carving, chair caning and pioneer games. "We will also have a blacksmith this year," Theilen added.
The historic 1870s Samuelson homestead cabin will be open for viewing, including a display of farming tools and cabin furnishings. And all the while, the air will be filled with the sounds of the South Dakota Old Time Fiddlers, who have been a part of the event for its entire 34-year run.
Admission to the Homesteader Day Harvest Festival is free. The event is made possible by the support of Siouxland Heritage Museums, Mary Chilton DAR Foundation, South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks, and many dedicated volunteers.
Beaver Creek Nature Area is located southeast of Brandon, one-half mile west of the intersection of 484th Avenue and 264th Street. For more information, contact Palisades State Park at 605-594-3824. For more information on South Dakota State Parks, visit www.gfp.sd.gov or call 605-773-3391.