Sunday, March 21, 2010

Cross country skiing provides workout

Though not as popular as ice fishing, those who get out and do cross country skiing can get a real workout and also get in touch with nature.
Madison resident Tom Farrell has been an avid cross country skier. But it has been a few years since he and his wife, Joyce, have been out on the trail.
“Cross country skiing isn’t as popular today as it might have been 15-20 years ago,” Tom Farrell said. “Skiing is fun. However, (locally) it lacks a real champion.”
Lake Herman State Park, southwest of Madison, provides cross country skiers a connecting trail that has three different loops. All a cross country skier has to do is get to the entrance of the state park and hit each one of them.
The longest is Abbott Trail, which is 1.2 miles around the pond. The Pioneer Nature Trail is 1.1 miles and then there is a .4 mile loop. In all, cross country skiers can travel more than 2.5 miles around the state park.
“There are people out there all the time,” said Vicki Seger, District Supervisor for the Game, Fish and Parks. “I wouldn’t say in large numbers. The best place to get on is the entrance near Herman Luce Cabin.”
When the Farrells started cross country skiing in the 1970s there were not many groomed trails to travel on. The duo bought their first pair of cross country skis in 1978. At that time, the Farrells could purchase boots, poles and skis for $100. However, the wooden skis required more maintenance than those purchased today.
Tom and Joyce Farrell have spent many years teaching others about cross country skiing through different education classes. Tom Farrell provided a course at Dakota State University, while Joyce Farrell showed students in the Madison School District how to move on skis. In addition, the two were also part of an adult community education cross country skiing class that ended with a moonlight ski at Lake Herman State Park.
Tom Farrell said skiing is a good physical activity. “More importantly it is an opportunity to get out in nature,” he said. “Out in the state park it was not uncommon to see pheasants and deer. Also, exciting to us from a teacher perspective, is that just about any one could learn in a short period of time and be successful.”
He considers the trails at Lake Herman State Park as beginning-level trails. “I would rate them as being very easy to ski,” he said. “They do a wonderful job of maintaining the trails. The wonderful thing about the state park being open and maintained year around, you can pick the area you want to go to.”
Seger said cross country skiers are on the trails regularly and are pretty faithful to cross country skiing.
“We have worked very hard to keep the park open so people can get to the trails,” Seger said. “You don’t see a lot of people doing it. Those who do it are dedicated to cross country skiing.”
During the summer, walkers can be seen all throughout the park. However, walking the park and cross country skiing are two different things.
“It takes a lot to cross country ski,” Seger said.
There are still people who do walk, but Seger said if they want to walk they need to walk off to the side. In addition, to enter Lake Herman State Park, cross country skiers need either an annual pass or a day pass during the winter season.

Monday, March 15, 2010

Trapping is 'Pete's' Life

Steve ‘Pete’ Peterson will tell you he was born a trapper.
“When I started, I figured it out on my own,” Peterson said. “I purchased Fur, Fish and Game Magazine and read it from cover to cover. A lot of what I learned about trapping came from the magazine.”
John Almquist, public relations specialist for the South Dakota Trappers Association, said Peterson is an important link in the fur business because he supplies the trapper and is an optional outlet for selling furs. “There are very few fur buyers in South Dakota,” he said. “Pete also sells trapping supplies and his trapping supplies are necessary items to have.”
Lake County Conservation Officer Brandon Gust said trapping benefits the sportsman for hunting and the private sector by eliminating nuisance animals that have caused losses to animals and land.
“There are broad benefits from trapping,” he said. “Trapping can have a huge impact on all those aspects. Our trapping and numbers of people trapping has declined because of market value decreasing. Those who are still trapping are benefiting.”
Almquist adds that a well conducted harvest of furbearers by trappers also minimizes the effect of diseases. “Diseases carried by furbearers can infect livestock, pets and humans,” he said. “Trapping is not the ultimate solution to wildlife disease outbreaks. But, trapping can reduce the threat of diseases to the health of people, domestic animals and other wildlife.”
Peterson, 48, whose business Peterson Furs is located northwest of Ramona, S. D., started trapping when he was 12 years old. He found some old traps on the family farm near Strandburg. “I found that trapping was what I really was good at,” he said.
Peterson started his fur trapping business in an old renovated grainery at the farm and it was from there the business evolved. He started adding supplies including lures, bait and traps to sell furs and then resupply. Eighteen months ago he added an addition for a trapping supply warehouse.
Once he started buying furs, Peterson joined the South Dakota Trappers Association and started attending the annual Rendezvous. “That is when it really took off,” he said. “I learned so much so fast. It really did help me become a much better trapper.”
Working full time at Gehl Company in Madison does make it difficult to trap because of the commitment it takes. “Once you set those traps you are responsible for checking them everyday,” he said.
Trapping starts in November and usually ends in April. In March, trappers are looking for muskrats and badgers. In April, it will turn to beaver.
During a two-week period in November, Peterson checks about 150 traps each day. During the winter, he also traps muskrats, coyotes and other animals.
“Trapping provides supplemental income for many people and families in South Dakota,” Almquist said. “It also provides direct economic benefits to fur buyers, fur processors, fur garment industries and small town retail businesses.”
Another part of the lure of trapping is the relaxation and the peacefulness and being in touch with nature. “I think trappers probably are all pretty good wildlife biologists,” Peterson said. “To be a good trapper you have to know a lot about the outdoors and a lot about the animals you are taking. You have to really study them.”
Trappers have also refined their methods. “The equipment we are using is much more standardized,” he said. “We developed smarter methods for taking these animals.”
For Peterson, the two weeks he does trapping is fun, but is also very challenging. “You are one on one with that animal,” he said.
Peterson uses the example of a coyote. He didn’t catch his first coyote until he was 25 years old. “They are a very wary animal. They are very intelligent,” he said. “They are not easy to take.”
While coyotes might be one of the most difficult to catch, muskrats are probably the most popular. “It is a fun animal to catch because there are a large number and easy to take,” Peterson said.

Monday, March 8, 2010

Snowmobiling is Family Affair


Justin Palmquist was eight years old when he started snowmobiling with his father. He liked it so much that now at 29, he has become an avid snowmobile rider.
“I like to be in the outdoors and the rush of driving something fast,” Palmquist said.
Palmquist, who works on the technology infrastructure at Horizon Healthcare in Howard, S. D., has ridden all different types of snowmobiles.
Palmquist said snowmobiling has changed. “Most people go west. They ride a little less at home,” he said. “There are a lot more places to ride and see in the west.”
While Palmquist has ridden snowmobiles, Todd Casper rides and also works on snowmobiles year around in his shop just outside of Lake Preston, S. D.
“There are fewer snowmobiles out there than in previous years,” he said.
The reason Casper sees more snowmobiles is because he is open when most stores aren’t. Casper estimates that he does a minor or complete overhaul on 350-400 sleds that come in from around the country each year. “It is a tough industry,” he said. “Snow this year has helped out.”
For Palmquist, snowmobiling has become a family affair. His wife, Kandy, joins him in snowmobile rides that take them to places for dinner or just for fun with the family. In addition, they go to the Black Hills and further west into the Rocky Mountains for the scenery and to ride in places that can be seen only by horse or plane.
In addition, Palmquist drives his snowmobile to work at least once a week when there is enough snow and the weather is at least 10 degrees above zero.
The challenge of riding snowmobile in the mountains is the deep snow. The challenge of riding around Miner County deals with speed and riding with friends. There is not a trail system in Miner County.
The snowmobile riding in Miner County involves riding the ditches and it is important that snowmobilers understand that at each intersection approach there could be culverts that provide obstacles for the skis. In addition, reflectors are part of the snowmobiling landscape through the ditches. When going uphill, Palmquist said it is important to go straight up the hill and carry speed.
“You can go anywhere you want where there is snow,” he said. “It is camaraderie getting together with buddies and riding sleds.”
Palmquist estimates that there are at least 25 snowmobilers that ride throughout Miner County. “We are seeing more snowmobilers because of the snow,” he said.
Casper said snowmobilers have found that there are places to ride around the country. Locally, families who had five or six sleds, now have one or two because there are not the trails to ride on.
“The only thing that impacts snowmobiling is the amount of snow,” Casper said. “This year we had a lot of snow and sleds have come out from storage; sleds that haven’t been used for as many as four seasons.”
Palmquist agrees this has been one of the better years for snowmobile rides. “On a normal year, I might get 100 miles at home and then go out west,” he said. “This year, I already have 200 miles at home.”

Monday, March 1, 2010

Ice Fishing popular social activity

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Brandon Gust (left) Andy Schmahl (right)
During the winter season, there is snowmobiling, cross country skiing and trapping, but maybe the most popular winter outdoor sport is ice fishing.
Lake County Conservation Officer Brandon Gust said ice fishing has gained popularity because of the ease of getting into the sport. ‘You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars for a boat,” he said. “For a thousand dollars you can be set up for ice fishing. We have a lot of lakes you can fish in this part of state. It is easier to take your family out and do that activity. You can get everywhere you want to go and get to spots easily.”
Andy Schmahl, who is the McCook County Conservation Officer, said ice fishing around this area is much different than the northern part of the state where there is better ice and better shacks.
“Around here we have portable shack fisherman. They go fishing when they have the time,” he said. “It is another opportunity to spend time outside.
“You don’t see guys go fishing by themselves,” he added. “There’s a larger portion that hang out with a friend. It is more a social opportunity. The die hard ice fisherman will go out even if fish aren’t biting.”
In Lake County, there are three main lakes that ice fishermen go to – Lake Herman, Lake Madison and Brant Lake.
Gust said that although ice fishing is extremely popular, this year has been the exception because of the tough winter because of the extreme amount of snow on the lake making access difficult.
“For ice fishing, you need to be mobile to be able to move around and locate your fish,” Gust said. “Fishing pressure has been really slow this year on the lakes.”
Perch and walleye are the most popular fish on the Lake County lakes for ice fishermen.
On a good year, Gust said it is not unlikely to see 100 vehicles on Lake Madison and 30-40 vehicles off Johnson’s Point (Lake Madison). “Typically, most winters we have pressure every weekend,” he said.
All permanent shacks must be off all South Dakota lakes by Feb. 25. However, after that they can be removed on a daily basis.
Larger vehicles are able to access the lake with at least 12-15 inches of ice, while ATVs can access the lakes with 6-8 inches of ice and foot traffic is good for 3-4 inches of ice.
In McCook County, there are two main ice fishing areas – Lake Vermillion and Island Lake along the McCook County and Minnehaha County line.
Like other lakes in South Dakota, Lake Vermillion has been poor for ice fishing this year. However, Schmahl said that someone did catch an 11 ½ pound walleye.
“When it is good, it is as good as anywhere else,” he said. “There are a lot of walleye in there. The future forecast is fantastic.”
Schmahl said there is the potential to see fish between six and 12 inches and up to 14 inches. “It is a well-balanced lake,” he said.
While walleye and catfish are the main targets, Schmahl said there are also northern pike, croppy, blue gill and perch.
Island Lake has been more consistent for walleye and perch, Schmahl said.
Another thing about Island Lake is that it is difficult to get to the northern side of the lake. “You have to be able to get on the lake,” Schmahl said. “The guys that do know about it go out there.”
Schmahl said when the fishing is good on Island Lake, there will be 50 people out there. When Lake Vermillion is good, there will be 100 people out there.
“Ice fishing is difficult to gauge,” Schmahl said. “The impact is there. The better the fishing, the more the impact on the county.”
In Kingsbury County, there are two primary bodies of water for ice fishing: Lake Thompson and the Twin Lakes along Highway 81. And like the lakes in Lake and McCook counties, the ice fishing has been slow because of the limited mobility due to the snow.
“When ice fishing is good there are hundreds and hundreds of shacks on the lakes,” said Shane Van Bockern, Kingsbury County Conservation Officer. “There are a fair percentage of ice fishermen that don’t fish in the summer time. It seems to be a pretty popular sport, almost like a social event.”
Van Bockern said ice fishermen enjoy the outdoors and just like to unwind and relax. “People like to catch fish too,” he said.
In Kingsbury County, walleye is the targeted species, but there are also northern pike, yellow perch and croppies, Van Bockern said.
“On a weekend you could see several hundred shacks when there is a good bite going on. Weather is a factor,” Van Bockern said. “People are pretty conscious on where they are biting. With computers and cell phones, if there is a hot bite somewhere it seems like they can locate it quick.”