Outdoor Report for week of December 2, 2019
Aberdeen Area
Fishing Report
Very little fishing activity observed in the county. Ice conditions are unsafe. The James River will remain open for a while, because of the water flow.
Hunting Report
Geese: A few concentrations of geese remain in the area.
Ducks: There are still some mallards in the area. Scouting is the key to success.
Pheasants: Hunters have been struggling to find pheasants with all the standing crops. With all the snow there was little to no pheasant hunting observed this weekend.
Deer: Deer hunting has been a struggle with the standing corn. Hunters hunting from stands or blinds are having the best success. It’s a great time to get out of the truck and take a walk or sit and wait for the deer to show up.
Good luck and be safe.
Clark County
Fishing Report
Very little fishing activity observed in the county. Ice is very unsafe at this point in time and it’s not recommended.
Hunting Report
Waterfowl: With the last storm, most of the waterfowl has left the county and headed south for the winter.
Deer: Deer season ends Sunday, December 8. Antlerless season will pick up December 14-22. With recent snow, it is a great time to get out and take a walk to look for deer. Reminder to ask permission before hunting on private land. Please call in if you see something illegal occur.
Pheasants: The last storm has really bunched up the pheasants. Seeing decent numbers of birds utilizing the wintering cover.
Codington County
Fishing Report
With the water freezing up, there has been no fishing activity observed across the county.
Hunting Report
Deer: With last week’s snow storm, deer activity should increase. Hunting success should also go up.
Waterfowl: Most waterfowl has moved south. There’s still a few pockets of ducks and geese in the area.
Pheasant: Success has increased some, but hunting remains difficult as there are still quite a few standing crops.
Day County
Fishing Report
The ice on the area lakes is inconsistent in some spots. One day an area is frozen solid and the next day its open and then froze the following day and now the snow adds a whole new dynamic to the ice. Use caution if you are deciding to fish early ice. There have been a few people fishing in small portables.
Hunting Report
Deer: Lots of deer still moving, with the recent weather many deer have retreated to heavily covered areas
Geese: A few concentrations of geese remain in the area mostly on the western part of the county.
Ducks: A few ducks remain in the area, saw one good sized group in the NW part of the county.
Pheasant: After the snowfall pheasants have been using the gravel roads more for picking gravel. Seem to have good numbers in the area and are easier to see with the white back drop of snow.
Hamlin County
Fishing Report
Poinsett: Currently iced over and conditions are not good enough for fishing.
Hunting Report
Waterfowl: Continuing to see several Canada and light geese in the area.
Deer: Busy weekend for deer hunters. Seen some nice deer harvested. Many people hunting public land struggled to see any deer.
Marshall County
Fishing Report
Very little fishing activity observed in the county. Ice conditions are unsafe.
Hunting Report
Pheasant: Hunters found good success near cattail sloughs and grass cover next to harvested fields are holding birds.
Waterfowl: No birds observed in the last week.
Deer: The rut is in full swing; some nice bucks have been observed in the middle of the afternoon. It’s a great time to get out of the truck and take a walk or sit and wait for the deer to show up. Good luck and be safe.
Park Report:
Don’t let the colder weather deter you from getting out and enjoying our State Parks! As always, our parks are open year-round so take some time during the holidays to get out and enjoy South Dakota’s State Parks! The electricity is on year-round and the camping cabins and lodges have heat. Reservations can be made at campsd.com or 1-800-710-2267.
The 2020 Park Entrance License is currently for sale and makes a great stocking stuffer. Pick yours up today at any of our participating vendors in Watertown, Aberdeen and surrounding areas. These include Hy-Vee, Little River City, Gas n Goodies and the Cowboy Country Stores in Watertown. Aberdeen vendors include Ken’s Superfair Foods, Runnings, Kessler’s, and any GFP regional or district office.
Fort Sisseton State Park: Christmas Tea and Traditions – Get into the mood for Christmas by joining us for a Christmas Tea as we talk about some of the Traditions of Christmas and where they come from. Tea and traditional Christmas food will be served. Join us on December 8, 2019 at 2pm in the Schoolhouse/Library.
Frontier Christmas at Fort Sisseton: Saturday, December 14 from 10am until 4pm. Celebrate the season in classic frontier fashion with Christmas crafts, homemade bread, hands-on activities, sleigh rides, and caroling. This year we are bringing roasted chestnuts to the Frontier! Lunch will be served from 11am-2pm or until gone Cost for lunch is $5 per person. This event is a fun time for the whole family!
