Experts Journal

South Dakota is home to more than 7 million pheasants and is consistently the best state in the country for bird counts and harvests. In 2021, the traditional season opens on October 16 and runs through January 31, 2022.

Many of you have asked which month you should go on your first elk hunt. In Western states, elk seasons can run anywhere from August to January. When you go will have a big impact on your style of hunting as tactics change from one week to the next. For instance, calling works very well during the rut, but it may not work at all once rifle seasons begin.

Sage grouse are symbols of the unique and diverse habitat of the American West. These upland birds make their home in the sagebrush, as do 350 other species and thousands of ranchers who rely on Western rangelands for their agricultural operations.

Landowners in the Western United States can benefit greatly from increased education and resources related to fire prevention and fire management. Studies show that private landowners are aware, they are concerned, and they are taking action.

As Western states contend with increasingly catastrophic wildfires, some are looking to the Southeastern U.S., where prescribed fire is widespread thanks to policies put in place decades ago. The challenge is changing the culture around fire, so that residents know that tolerating a little smoke from good prescribed fires can help stop the destructive blazes