Continuing the Crook County News Since 1884
Continuing the Crook County News Since 1884
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Lightning is usually the biggest troublemaker when fire season gets underway, with human mistakes also playing their part. This year, though, an unexpected culprit has made its presence felt in Crook County. Hay swathers have caused five of the most recent fires, including one that was first reported on Saturday afternoon. “They hit rocks and it causes a spark or a bearing goes out and gets hot,” says Fire Warden Charlie Harrison. “The ones we have had this year appear to be caused by the spark from a rock.” Swather fires have so far included t...
Black Hills National Forest Supervisor Shawn Cochran has signed a Stage 1 fire restrictions order for the Black Hills National Forest in Wyoming. Special Order 180 became effective July 23 and will remain so through December 15, unless rescinded sooner. “Persistent long-term drought conditions and recent high temperatures combined with the lack of moisture have dramatically increased the fire danger, said Jason Virtue, Black Hills National Forest Fire Staff Officer. “Conditions are ripe for large fire potential, and people need to be ext...
With most of the nation now seeing significant wildland fire activity, the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) has increased its fire preparedness level to a level five – the highest on the scale. The decision has been made in response to fire activity already occurring, with a high potential for additional large fires to emerge. At level five, all fire-qualified federal employees become available for wildlife response. National resources are heavily committed and additional measures are taken to support individual areas. As of Tuesday, 6...
A doe and fawn pronghorn forage east of Sundance just off Fuller road on Tuesday. With temperatures falling closer to seasonable numbers, man and beast alike were able to enjoy a bit more time outdoors....
A fire that flared back up several days after it was first reported neared 300 acres in size before it was contained last week. Though structures in the area were threatened, none were ultimately lost. The Ridge Fire was located on Douglas Rd southwest of Sundance and was first reported at 2 p.m. on July 9. It was discovered to be a flare-up from a previous fire on July 6. On day one, according to Fire Warden Charlie Harrison, it displayed extreme fire behavior and the rate of spread was rapid,...
It won’t surprise anyone who stuck their nose out of the air conditioning over the last week that the county is heading back into drought conditions. The National Integrated Drought Information System reports that more than a quarter of the county is now in a condition of moderate drought – a 23% increase on the previous week. The drought zones, which account for 27.4% of the county, are located along the northern border and also the southern border and southeast corner. Streamflows on the Belle Fourche River at the South Dakota border are cur...
Crook County's Jeff Garman has been named the 2024 Wyoming Tree Farmer of the year by Wyoming State Forestry. Each year, the award recognizes a family-owned woodland for its outstanding sustainable forest management, honoring individuals who go above and beyond in their commitment to responsible forest management. The Garmans have spent several decades working with professionals from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Wyoming State Forestry on stewardship of their land. The goal of this...
Just under 61,000 acres of land have been treated for grasshoppers, bringing an end to this year's insecticide program through the Crook County Weed & Pest District. The district launched the program in response to predictions of a bad grasshopper season this year, planning an overhead spray of Dimilin® to combat the pests. The process began in March with outreach to gauge public interest, after which District Supervisor Alycia Conroy-Davis worked to obtain an emergency insecticide managemen...
Crook County Sheriff’s Office reports a successful search and rescue operation last week in which a young man was reunited with his father and brother at Reuter Campground. The report came in at around 9:15 p.m. on June 20 that an 18-year-old who had been camping with his brother and father had gone missing. According to the father, the male had gone mountain biking at around 5 p.m. on the trail system, but had not returned by 8 p.m. The father had gone looking for him, but was not able to locate him before dark so called 911 to report him m...
Fire restrictions are back in place on BLM land within Crook County and the agency is asking for the public’s help to prevent human-caused fires by being safe and responsible while enjoying the outdoors. “Preventable wildfires threaten lives, property, and precious resources every year,” says Craig Short, BLM High Plains District Fire Management Officer. “Firefighters are needed more than ever to keep Americans safe, so please, do your part to prevent human-caused wildfires.” A fire ban was initially put in place in March due to the abundance...
Bear sightings near populated parts of the county have been more common than usual so far this year, according to Game Warden Nate Holst. A few sightings have taken place near Sundance, as well as one in Moorcroft that Holst says was hanging around for a while near the D Road. The latest sighting near Sundance took place on Monday evening, says Holst. In this case, the spotter thought it was a grizzly due to its coloring, but it was identified as a blond phase black bear. Grizzlies are not...
Wyoming Game & Fish is asking citizens to keep their eyes peeled for dead rabbits, whether in your yard or on your property or in another outdoor area. The department is currently monitoring for Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus 2 (RHD2V), which was first detected in this state in 2020 and has already been identified in 20 rabbits across eight counties this year. The disease is highly contagious and is believed to kill between a third and half of wild rabbits that become infected. It has been detected in wild cottontails and jackrabbits but may...
Both Governor Mark Gordon and the Crook County Commissioners have expressed displeasure with how the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) has handled the process of changing how it manages old-growth forests. “The State’s concerns about the process, timeline and substance of the National Old-growth Amendment (NOGA) persist, are in fact increasing, and have become indicative of why the Forest Service should perform its effort at a forest unit level, not on a national scale,” wrote the governor last week in a letter to Tom Vilsack, U.S. Secretary of Agric...
The Black Hills National Forest will conduct its first Moon Walk of the year on Saturday, June 22 at 7 p.m. The activity will start at the Spearfish Canyon public parking area, located at the mouth of the canyon. Please join Black Hills National Forest staff for a Moon “Drive” through Spearfish Canyon to learn more about the wildlife you may see, specifically on a cliff edge or foraging along the byway. Mountain goats are charismatic creatures, photogenic and fun to watch. They are also wild animals that will protect themselves if they fee...
Winners of the Sundance Rod and Gun Club's 2004 kids' fishing derby, left to right: Bergen Hammersley –first fish 9" trout, fourth longest trout (tie) 10¼"; Wyatt Cheshier – longest sucker 9"; Livia Ellsbury – third longest trout 10-5/8"; Brynlee Bock – longest trout 11-7/16"; Ella Ellsbury – fourth longest trout (tie) 10¼"; CK McDonald – second longest trout 11". About 30 kids, from three years old to twelve, fished from 1 to 3 p.m. on June 1. Everyone had at least one hot dog...
We likely won’t be seeing much about the revised management plan for the Black Hills National Forest this year, according to Dru Palmer, consultant to the county commissioners. She said last week that the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) has pushed back publication of the notice of intent to begin developing the plan to fall or early winter. This is partly because USFS is also working on its environmental impact statement for old growth forests, she said, and some of the same personnel are involved with both projects. In the meantime, Palmer told t...
The Crook County Commissioners have signed up as a cooperating agency as the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) decides how to manage old growth forests, but will be making their thoughts clear on how the process has gone so far. Earlier this year, the commissioners called for a rethink of USFS plans to amend every national forest land management in the nation to create an overall strategy. The county criticized the one-size-fits-all approach and failure to include local governments in the planning. In a letter sent to the USFS in April, the...
Kids and their families gathered at Sundance Pond on Saturday afternoon to take part in the annual Sundance Rod & Gun Club fishing derby. The club has sponsored the event for many years, introducing new generations to the pleasures of the outdoors. Hot dogs and soda kept the young fisherfolk fueled as they competed to bring home the first and biggest fish. Above, Rod Malo demonstrates the finer points of baiting a hook....
Keyhole State Park will be offering its popular "Paddle in the Park" events again this summer, an opportunity to learn new skills relating to kayaking, paddle boarding and staying safe on the water – all while having fun! Alternatively, the events provide visitors who may already be experienced in the basics of kayaking and paddle boarding the access to hone their skills in a new location. During the Paddle in the Park events, all watercraft and life jacket supplies are provided free of c...
On a nine-day vacation in Alaska to celebrate their 17th wedding anniversary, Crook County residents Tanya and Dustin Harden booked a fishing charter in the town of Seward with Saltwater Safari Company, under Captain Noah Wamsteker. "This day of fishing, May 28, was planned for halibut fishing," says Dustin. "It was mid-afternoon when the captain instructed us to reel up so we could move to another location. The fishing had slowed up a bit, so it was time to try another spot." Or was it? Tanya...
The county burn ban is back in place after Fire Warden Charlie Harrison determined that the fire danger is higher now than it has been over recent weeks. The ban was temporarily lifted in mid-May, and remained that way until the end of the month. Harrison said at the time that he intended to review the situation at the end of May based on weather conditions and fire risk assessments. The National Weather Service (NWS) is currently predicting that temperatures have a 40 to 50% chance of being above normal until mid-June, and an up to 70% chance...
With the onset of warmer weather, the Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) is warning residents to beware of wild animals that may carry rabies, especially bats, as they become more seasonally active. “Many people do a good job of protecting their family pets from rabies, but don’t realize other animals can sometimes be a threat,” said Dr. Emily Curren, state public health veterinarian with WDH. “Rabies can infect any mammal, including humans.” Humans and pets can get infected from the bites or scratches of an animal with rabies. People ca...
The number of tests coming back positive for chronic wasting disease is holding steady, according to the latest data from the Wyoming Game & Fish Department. Crook County’s deer hunt areas were on the high priority list for testing in 2023, along with a large portion of the west of the state and several to the south and center. Hunters in high priority areas are asked to submit samples for testing to help the department monitor the spread of the always-fatal disease. From those areas, and from all across the state, a total of 5100 samples f...
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department says the recent discovery of walleye in Black Elk Pond in Newcastle is the result of illegal fish stocking and seeks to find the person responsible. Walleye have not been stocked by the department in Black Elk Pond. They are a predatory species and after they reach just a few inches in size, they feed exclusively on other fish and can have lasting impacts on a fishery if a population becomes established. “Illegal fish introductions are a serious problem and seem to be especially prevalent in northeast W...
The annual kids’ fishing derby sponsored by the Sundance Rod and Gun Club is scheduled for Sat., June 1 from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Sundance Pond. Registration will start at noon. The derby is open for all kids age 13 and under. There will be door prizes for all fishing kids and hot dogs and soda provided for all. For more information, please contact Douglas Ramsey at 307-290-2901....
