January 2024 Newsletter

MEMBERSHIP DUE
Pay online or send a check please
***Do NOT make us ask again
 

January 2024




Renew online at www.blackhillssportsmenclub.com OR send us a check to PO BOX 9161, Rapid City, SD 57709 

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Greetings From Your President

Happy holidays to everyone! I hope everyone had good food good drinks and good times? Did everyone get something from their Christmas list? I heard a few of you may have received a lump of coal, you know who you are.

 

I’m still getting great reports of up north pheasant hunting, but not so great south. How have the ducks and geese been? I would imagine with this fantastically warm weather the waterfowl hunting hasn’t been great. Only a few more days left of archery deer season. I have yet to fill my tag.

 

It’s everybody’s favorite time of the year when I get to start bothering you about membership renewals. Keeping our membership numbers up allows us to be involved and have a voice in sportsman’s opportunities. If you haven’t renewed, please renew via our website or by getting us a check. If you’re not aware, we also have a life membership opportunity, which gives you the privilege of ignoring my renewal rants. The life membership also gives you access to the coolest, best looking most attractive Carhartt vest in South Dakota. Check out the options on our website. Old guy discounts are available..

 

January 8 I will be attending the second deer management stakeholder group meeting in Pierre. If you have any information or comments, you’d like me to pass along, please get them to me before then.

 

Hope to see everyone at the luncheon 

 

Happy New Year’s 

Send us your hunting Pictures. We need to spice up the photos section.

~Cody Hodson~

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-SEND A NEWSLETTER PIECE/STORY & PICTURE TO US-

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Thanks for all those who visited about their hunting season last month. The general consensus is that deer numbers are low. Bird hunting was not so bad. Our January gathering will be our annual business meeting,  the discussion of potential legislation and other issues that may affect our great hunting and fishing resource in South Dakota.

One issue that will be discussed is the active pursuit of bringing new non-resident hunters to South Dakota by the current administration. There has been a Freedom of Information Act request on what pot of money the funds are coming from and how much. To date we know that at least 18K was paid for two out of state influencers to recruit non-residents to deer hunt in SD. Is this a good use of sportsmens dollars? This is most likely the tip of the iceberg, much more money has been spent on this campaign. South Dakota seems to be bucking the trend of our neighboring states. Wyoming, Montana and other states have made moves that are limiting non-resident hunters in favor of their residents. We are told that habitat and access are the primary goals of the GFP and yet we see large amounts of money being spent out of state on advertising and recruitment. I understand the power of the tourism dollar however I do not know of any cases where that dollar goes into habitat and access programs. Instead we end up with a crowded resource with limited access. Why are other states addressing this issue and South Dakota is going in the opposite direction?

It looks like the Landowner Elk bill will be brought back again this session. The rumor is that will be resident landowner only, own land and cow only tag. They must also show elk use days. In my opinion, this would not to be too hard support if this is how the bill reads. As you know, things can change fast in Pierre and we will be monitoring this closely.   

Current board up for re-election.
Pres  Cody Hodson
Vice Pres  Pete Koupal
Sec/Treas    Jeff Olson
Members at large     Leon Fenhaus, Eric Porisch, Paul Barber, Tom Krafka

We are always looking for new board members or leadership. Please let us know if you are interested. We did not have a fundraiser this year and I believe the board only met a few times. It is not much work at all but we need fresh input.  
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We have put a lot of time into the web page also. If anyone has input or would like us to add to our webpage please email us at blackhillssportsmenclub@gmail.com 

~ Jeff Olson, Treasurer ~
 

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  Upcoming Events

PLEASE NOTE THESE DATES WILL ALL BE LISTED ON THE BHSC WEBSITE UNDER "EVENTS"  

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Interested in volunteering for Outdoor Campus West?

For anyone interested in being a volunteer mentor please contact Clint Whitley. 

Clint (contact for volunteer hunting/shooting mentors - Hunting 101) 
clint.whitley@state.sd.us

For other kinds of volunteering - please visit their website linked below: 
https://www.volgistics.com/ex/portal.dll/ap?ap=1970180025

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- Quote of the Month - 
"To remain a hunter is to be too bonded to nature to ever be able to fully master the animal, or to escape its fate."
— James Martel