The State says the overall pheasant numbers have declined this year by 26%, yet are still 13% higher than the 10-year average. The 2009 count was still the fourth highest count in the last 45 years. In Lyman County the numbers are up with this areas brood surveys increasing by 8%, with an even larger increase in the area where we hunt the most. We are included in the Chamberlain, Winner, and Pierre area counts, which boast the most pheasants per mile during the annual brood surveys. In the past four years hunters have harvested nearly 2 million birds per year, and this year should be no different. At the Snake Den our harvest has increased along with the number of hunters hosted and this year looks to be no different.
There's also been a changing of the guard as far as Game Wardens go. Bob Karlen our local warden for nearly 20 years resigned this summer, and there's a new kid town. Dan Altman was recently placed in Presho, and will be working Lyman County for many years to come, we hope. We were sad to see Bob leave because he's been so good to us over the years. Dan was a CO intern prior to me leaving the Game and Fish, so I did get to spend a few days in the boat with him. Nice guy, we look forward to working with him, and hopefully he won't have to make too many "work" trips to the lodge. You can read an article on him in the Lyman County Herald by clicking the "Presho News" link.
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