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Last Update: November 17, 2009
*All refuge roads, including the auto tour route, are currently closed for the season.
Migration/ Wildlife:
This information is current as of Tuesday, November 17.
Snow geese continued to move into the Sand Lake area this past week. There are currently 185,000 snow geese on Sand Lake, along with 1600 Canada geese, 48,000 ducks, and 450 tundra swans. There are several hundred thousand snow geese using Putney Slough, and snow geese are also being reported on Scatterwood Lakes, southwest of Aberdeen. Some of the smaller wetlands throughout Brown County are freezing up overnight, but are thawing during the day. Some of these wetlands continue to hold many ducks.
The weather during the past week has been good for the harvest in the area. The soybean harvest is nearing completion, and the corn harvest is getting into full swing.
Be aware that many of the gravel roads in the refuge vicinity are soft, and some are closed due to water over them.
South Dakota Snow Goose Hunter Information Line 605/ 885-6401
2009 Refuge Hunter Information:
For additional
information on seasons, licensing, bag limits and hunting in general visit the South Dakota Game, Fish and
Parks website.
2009 Refuge Deer Seasons:
Archery
November 1-13
Muzzleloader November
14-18 RFD-SL1
Rifle
November 19-23 RFD-SL2
Rifle
November 24-29 RFD-SL3
Rifle
Nov. 30 - Dec. 6 RFD-SL4
Rifle
December 7-13 RFD-SL5
Archery
December 14-31
Extended Season for unfilled refuge rifle tags, converts to
antlerless only January 1-3, 2010,
2009 REFUGE DEER HUNTING REGULATIONS
Deer-Firearm: Only hunters with a Sand Lake NWR permit may hunt. Hunters are only allowed on the Refuge on the days covered by their deer license. All unfilled Refuge tags will be valid for antlerless deer January 1-3, 2010.
Deer-Archery: Hunters with a valid State archery license may hunt on the Refuge. No special permit is needed. The Refuge archery season is open November 1-13 and December 14-31.
Hunting Hours: Deer hunters may enter the Refuge one (1) hour before shooting time. No hunters may remain in the Refuge later than one (1) hour after shooting time ends. For special situations, contact Refuge personnel.
Parking: Deer hunters entering the Refuge are encouraged to park their vehicles in designated parking lots. Archery hunters hunting in the Headquarters area may not park in the Headquarters parking lot and must use other parking areas designed for hunters.
Camping: Camping is not allowed on the Refuge, in the Refuge parking lots, or on State Game Fish and Parks Game Production Areas adjacent to the Refuge.
Party Hunting: Each hunter may take only his/her permitted number of deer. After filling their tag(s), hunters may accompany members of their party in the field, but must be unarmed.
Deer Retrieval: Vehicles are allowed in the Refuge ONLY for retrieving harvested deer and ONLY during the following times: 9:30-10:00 AM; 1:30-2:00 PM; and from the end of shooting time to one (1) hour after the end of shooting time. Vehicles (snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles are NOT permitted) are allowed only on established roads & trails.
Dates To Place Deerstands:
- Hunters may place their treestands/portable blinds on the Refuge starting August 25 through October 16. The Refuge is open daylight hours only, including 1/2 hour before sunrise and 1/2 hour after sunset. It is recommended that hunters remove their treestands at the end of their licensed season. All treestands/portable blinds must be removed from the Refuge by February 15, 2010.Treestand/Portable Blind Requirements: REGULATION CHANGE - The use of nails, screws, bolts, or screw-in type steps is prohibited on National Wildlife Refuges. The name and address or the year and current deer tag number of the owner or user must be on the stand and must be legible from the ground. Other elevated platform devices, not attached to a tree, and all portable blinds must conform with the date and labeling requirements. The construction or use of permanent tree stands is prohibited.
Placement of Blinds/Stands: The placement of portable blinds and stands in unharvested row crops is not allowed until November 1. Please be aware that the Refuge has an annual fall prescribed burning program October 19-31 and will be closed to public entry during this period. The boundaries of these units will be posted.
Hunter Orange: All Refuge firearm deer hunters must wear a minimum of 400 square inches of solid flourescent orange material on the head, chest, AND back which must be visible at all times. A vest and hat meets this requirement. Camouflage orange material is not legal.
Bicycles: Bicycles are not allowed. Access is by walk in only.
Boats: Motorized and non-motorized boating is not allowed.
Trail Monitor Cameras: These devices are not allowed on the Refuge.
Ice Conditions: Ice conditions on the James River can be extremely unstable and weak. Use Extreme Caution!
2009 Refuge Upland Game Season:
December 14-31
2009 UPLAND GAME HUNTING REGULATIONS
Species: Hunting is allowed for pheasant, sharp-tailed grouse, and grey partridge only.
Season & Hours: Upland game hunters may be in the Refuge December 14-31, 2008 between the hours of 10:00 am to sunset.
Vehicles: Vehicles are not allowed in the Refuge. All hunters must walk in from the Refuge Boundary. Parking areas are available along the boundary of the Refuge.
Firearms: No firearms other than shotguns may be in possession while hunting upland game in the Refuge.
Non-toxic Shot: Upland game hunters are required to use NON-TOXIC SHOT while hunting on Sand Lake Refuge. The possession of lead shot by hunters in the field is a violation of this regulation.
Littering: Please do not litter or discard game bird entrails or plumage in parking areas!
Camping: Camping is not allowed on the Refuge, in Refuge parking areas, or on State Game, Fish and Parks Game Production Areas adjacent to the Refuge.
Hunter Orange: Hunters are encouraged to wear at minimum a hunter orange cap when hunting the tall, dense cattail cover for their own safety and to alert other hunters of their presence.
2008 Refuge Waterfowl Seasons:
Youth
September 20-21, 2008
Duck
September 27 - December 9, 2008
Canada Goose
September 6 - December 21, 2008
Light Goose Dates: September 27 -
December 21, 2008
Waterfowl
*Please note that waterfowl hunting at Sand Lake Refuge is
boundary hunting only in the road right-of-way, no interior waterfowl hunting is allowed. Water
levels fluctuate on a yearly basis and often areas open to waterfowl hunting
are dry. The best times to hunt the Refuge are windy days with a low cloud
ceiling for pass shooting. Please call ahead for additional information.
Waterfowl hunting is
not allowed on Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge; however, waterfowl
hunting is allowed in the road right-of-ways adjacent to the Refuge. Other road right-of-way
closures are marked on site or on the waterfowl map. No interior waterfowl
hunting is permitted. All State, Federal, and Refuge waterfowl hunting regulations apply. Please
consult the annual South Dakota State Hunting Handbook
for licensing, seasons, legal species, and general information or visit
www.sdgfp.info
Legally taken waterfowl may be retrieved (unarmed) from within a zone 100 yards deep, extending along the entire perimeter of the Refuge. The end of the retrieval zone is unmarked.
Roads and Parking Areas
-The following road Rights-Of-Way are CLOSED to
hunting:
a.) Brown County Highway 16 from the south boundary of the Refuge extending five (5) miles north to 114th Street, State Highway 10 across the Refuge, Brown County Highway 5 across the Refuge, and a section of 117th Street marked on the map.
Reminders
- Use of non-toxic shot only is required.
- All hunters age16 and over must have a current Federal Duck Stamp.
- When driving on Refuge interior roads, all guns must
be unloaded and cased.
South Dakota Snow Goose Hunter Information Line 605/ 885-6401
For additional information on migration, hunting, seasons, licensing, and bag limits visit the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks website.
