blackhillssportsmenclub@gmail.com | PO BOX 9161, Rapid City, SD 57709

March 2026 Newsletter

BLACK HILLS SPORTSMEN CLUB
The Newsletter of the Black Hills Sportsmen and Sportswomen
Mission Statement: To promote the conservation, sound management, and sustainable use of wildlife and wildlife habitat and to protect the privilege of sportsmen to hunt and fish through advocacy and education.

 

April 2026
 Memberships Due!!

Please pay online!
We are up to 26 renewals so far.  We, the sportsmen of SD, need your support!

Greetings From Your President
Hey Everyone,

Looks like spring is finally starting to show up around the Black Hills. We’ve had a little bit of everything lately — a few warm days, some lingering cold, and very little moisture. Things are getting pretty dry out there, so let’s hope we get some good spring rain soon to green things up.

With spring here, more folks are getting back outside. Turkey season is right around the corner, and it’s always one of the best times of year to be out in the woods.

Here are the turkey season dates to keep in mind:

Prairie Units: April 12 – May 31
Black Hills: April 26 – May 31
Custer State Park: April 26 – May 18

It’s also getting close to that time of year for everyone’s favorite — elk and sheep application season… also known as annual elk donation season.

Elk (Black Hills, Prairie, Custer State Park) and Bighorn Sheep applications are expected to open in April and close May 20

Maybe this is the year your “donation” finally pays off.

I’d also love to hear what everyone’s been up to. Anyone getting out fishing yet? Seeing any turkeys? My Flock just showed up last week to their roosting tree. Always good to hear what’s happening around the Hills.

If you haven’t renewed your membership yet, now’s a great time. It only takes a minute at https://blackhillssportsmenclub.com, and it helps keep our club active and involved in the issues that matter. Bring a friend along too — the more members we have, the stronger our voice.

That’s all for now. Hopefully we see some moisture soon. We’ll see you at the next luncheon.

~Cody Hodson~

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


Tom Krafka and Jeff Olson in Texas - shot some big boars!

At our meeting this month we will get the chance to meet our newest director. KayCee Smith is a Naturalist with the Game Fish and Park who wears lots of hats for the department.
She is helping us with social media and membership and any areas that we may need help with.  We need help! She is bringing come cool new ideas forward and I am excited to final find spot for this void we have been trying to fill for some time.  Please come to this meeting and help brainstorm some new ideas for our club to gain in membership. We have lots of events and fun things planned for this summer and fall, which are great opportunities to bring new members into our organization.

~ Jeff Olson, Treasurer ~

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 
 

 
Meeting Schedule

April 7: BHSC Luncheon - come meet our new hire, KayCee Smith, and discuss new ideas for the club
May 5: SDWF Update - hear about future and past legislation and commission issues
June 2: SD Sportsmen Against Hunger Update - many changes since the start of this program 24 years ago
July 7: Fisheries update from GFP
 August 4: TBA
September 1: Big Game report from GFP
October 6: TBA
November 3: GFP Secretary Kevin Robling 
December 1: TBA

* Upcoming Events 
April 22: Earth Day Celebration at Lost Cabin with BHFF after work (Drift Boat Raffle Tickets for sale!)
May 2: The South Dakota Youth Hunting Adventures big auction
June 13: Stream clean up and one fly fishing tournament (Donuts and coffee in the morning, hot dogs and chips for lunch - provided by BHSC for free - drawing of the classic wood drift boat winner and beer at Lost Cabin at the end of day)
July 30: BHSC BBQ (membership drive and elk burgers at the Olson garden)
August 29: The Greater Dacotah Chapter of Safari Club International auction



Future Events

October 14th - Hunt Film Tour


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






 
- Quote of the Month - 
"Without hunting there would be no conservation, without conservation there would be no wildlife." - Rob Keck, Past CEO NWTF

 
DAVID HANNA 

JEFF OLSON 

TIM BJORK 

 TOM GRASLIE 

 JIM SCULL 

 JAKOB RIEMENSCHNEIDER

 ERIC PORISCH 

 LEON FENHAUS 

 TOM KRAFKA 

 PAUL VINATIERI 

 JERRY SHAGLA 

 MICHAEL FINNEGAN 

 DOUG TRAUB 

 DAVID STROH 

 BILL HEARNE 
TERRY MAYES

RICHARD ALLEN 
EV HOYT
PAUL BARBER

AVERY OLSON
CODY HODSON
VANCE NEWMAN
PAUL THORSTENSON
URSULA STROH
 BILLY CANNON
 BOB SCULL
 JEFF HOHLE
BARBARA ANNAN
PETE KOUPAL
DANA ROGERS