Atlas Questions

S

slidellkid

Member
I have a SD Atlas that I am looking at but I am not sure of some of the acronyms used for the various properties. What is CREP, CHAP and LOWAA.

Are the school properties normally crops or pasture?

When they reference game production areas (GPA) does that mean that there has been a concerted effort to provide cover and/or food sources for wildlife in those areas?

Thank you for your help.

Dan
 
slidellkid said:
I have a SD Atlas that I am looking at but I am not sure of some of the acronyms used for the various properties. What is CREP, CHAP and LOWAA.

Are the school properties normally crops or pasture?

When they reference game production areas (GPA) does that mean that there has been a concerted effort to provide cover and/or food sources for wildlife in those areas?

Thank you for your help.

Dan
Click to expand...

On pages 2 & 3 are descriptions of the acronyms you asked about, except LOWAA. LOWAA stands for Lower Oahe Waterfowl Access Area.

Most School & Public Land areas that I have come across are pasture. I'm sure some are huntable but I haven't seen many.

You would think that on the GPA's they would make a concerted effort to provide cover & food sources but this isn't always the case. I've pulled up to a GPA to find it had been grazed down the summer before. Kind of frustrating.
 
Dakotazeb said:
On pages 2 & 3 are descriptions of the acronyms you asked about, except LOWAA. LOWAA stands for Lower Oahe Waterfowl Access Area.

Most School & Public Land areas that I have come across are pasture. I'm sure some are huntable but I haven't seen many.

You would think that on the GPA's they would make a concerted effort to provide cover & food sources but this isn't always the case. I've pulled up to a GPA to find it had been grazed down the summer before. Kind of frustrating.
Click to expand...

I found this article. It may answer a few questions why they graze but yea its not great for pheasants during hunting season. It pertains more to WPA's than GPA's but I bet its similar.

http://www.theoutdoorforum.net/feat...cle_a1de91a7-8018-5235-b20c-12527f67d61f.html
 
In my opinion the red areas are the best. Brown is CREP usually high grass or cattails, however some is cut corn fields. ( not sure how that is classified CREP). Yellow is iffy, some is good others barren. WPA 'S are mostly pasture. Not too technical but should help a little.
 
CREP (Brown) is land that was once in production. Very few cattails if any, mostly grass (CRP). These are basically Walk-In-Areas just a different program.

WIA (yellow Walk-In-Area) The majority of these areas are in CRP but you will find some crop land, etc. Here you will find grass, cattails and about anything else.

GPA land can be most anything from grassland to cattails and sloughs. The state has planted food plots on some of them.

WPA's tend to have water on them but also grass and cattails.

All these public hunting areas may vary by location. Don't ignore any of them. It's best to spend some time in the morning prior to the 10:00 AM opening to do some driving around and scouting out the public lands in the area you plan to hunt. I always make sure there are harvested crop field adjacent to or close by as a food source for the birds. No food source close by then there is less chance you will find birds.
 
Atlas

Late on the post but make sure you pay attention to what kind of shot to use on each type of program land. I messed up on that for a while and I think if you get caught, they don't take real kindly to that, like take your gun or large fine, or both. Just a heads up. Clearly stated in the front of the atlas. My dog read it to me.
 
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