On the Road Again

The Snake Den crew has been busy the last couple of weeks preparing for the upcoming barrage of guests, but we have managed to slip in a little fun here and there.  Last weekend, Cordie and Marlys traveled with Brandon, Abby and Jack to the Twin Cities to visit Johnny and Stacie.  While there they took in a Twins game on Saturday, which they won, and then watched the Vikings lose on Sunday before they headed for home.

This past weekend I was able to travel to Lincoln, NE with some friends and watch the Huskers take on our very own SDSU Jackrabbits.  We were fortunate enough to be traveling with a former Husker player and were given a tour of the football and athletic facilities by former coach Tom Osbourne.  We were also traveling with a former Jackrabbit, but he did us no good in the sea of red.

When I returned home on Sunday, Cordie, Marlys, Kellen, and I headed west to Rapid City.  Monday morning we were up bright and early headed for Custer State Park and the annual Buffalo Roundup.  It was quite the experience from the off-the-beaten-path route that I took, to waiting in line for a couple of hours just to park, to watching the herd crest the hill headed for the corrals.  A cool experience overall.  I encourage you to do a quick search and watch one of the many videos out there that capture the sights and sounds of the Roundup. 

Tuesday we made a trip to gather supplies, and the rest of the week will be spent preparing for hunters that will arrive on Friday.  We're looking forward to getting in the field again.  There should be even more birds that will be identifiable, and the weather looks pretty good for a pheasant hunt.  It's also opening weekend of the antelope season, so we'll see if we can slip out and put a little meat in the freezer.

Snake Den Firsts

Last week at the Snake Den we encountered several things that had never happened before.  On September 1st, the opener of the Preserve season we were in the field with the first group of the year.  It felt good to get out early in the morning, and have that first rooster flush underfoot and fall to the sounds of autumn.  There were actually a lot of roosters that flushed and flew away unscathed because they were still too young to identify.  Eventually, we found enough older birds that we had a dozen or so in the bag, and it was time to head in for lunch.  That concluded the first day of the season with many more to look forward to.  The boys headed to the River to meet Brandon for an afternoon of fishing.  Six walleyes in the bag, and 30 mph winds switched the plans to the next days hunt

The second day began like no other had as we headed to the Lower Brule Sioux Reservation for a buffalo hunt.  Jared was looking for a young bull, and it didn't take long to find one.  Jared's guide picked a young bull out of the herd and got Jared into position for a shot.  One shot from the rifle and bison dropped to the ground.  Jared was unsure of his shooting abilities with a borrowed rifle and the adrenaline rush that he was experiencing.  One buffalo down, a couple bites of liver (Dances with Wolves style), and a dozen pheasants to go, so off we went. 

It was a little breezy the second afternoon, so the shooting was a bit of a challenge, but we managed to bag our birds and head in for the day.  The third morning was similar to the first, and before we knew it the first group of the season was in the books, and headed down the road.  Definitely a great way to start the season.

Shipping and Handling

A few changes to discuss for the upcoming season at the Snake Den.  First we'll discuss shipping of firearms.  The information on the website will be updated soon, but until then here is the procedure to follow.

The Snake Den does have a Federal Firearms License now, so we can receive firearms from hunters prior to them arriving.  Firearms can be shipped via FedEx.  The box/case should be addressed as such:

"Firearm Owner"
c/o Snake Den Lodge
110 E. Medicine Creek Dr.
Presho, SD 57568

The FedEx carrier must be informed that you are shipping a firearm, but the box should not be labeled as such.  The gun must be unloaded and shells can not be shipped.  When you are done hunting you will ship the firearm back to yourself.

Another change we will be looking at is how we clean and ship/transport birds.  The State has changed the rules regarding what must be left on a bird for identification.  As a wildlife processing facility we are able to remove all plumage, legs, head, and wings for storage and transportation.  Hunters may take home just the breast  and legs if they desire.  The Snake Den is recommending that if hunters wish to have their birds cleaned this way that they should bring with them a collapsible cooler which would easily hold nine to 15 birds and be allowed as a carry-on bag for air travel.  This will be something new for everyone, so it may take some time to get the kinks out, but it should make it easier to get the birds home and in the frying pan.  We're looking forward to seeing everyone for another great pheasant season.