Drought and Dry ...

[BRITTMAN]

The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) would like to remind you of a few things before you take to the fields.

• Think about where you will park prior to heading out for your hunt;
• Never park a vehicle over dry vegetation;
• Park respectfully, considering the potential for grass fires where there may not be gravel parking;
• Bring a shovel and a large jug of water to help put out any small fires quickly;
• Fire dangers exist when parking on sides of roads as well, which can also be hazardous for others getting down the same roadways;
• Extinguish cigarettes with water or dirt or use an ashtray inside your vehicle;
• Walk rather than drive and limit all vehicle travel to designated roads and trails; and
• Know your location from a nearest town in case you need to report a fire.

 

[Munster927]

The "never park a vehicle over dry vegetation" is gonna be downright impossible this year

 

[A5 Sweet 16]

Especially don't park a '73 Charger SE over dry vegetation, particularly if you pulled the right tires just a wee bit too far into the ditch, getting stuck & putting the exhaust right down ON said vegetation. But if you do, & things get a little hairy, remember that case of Old Mil longnecks in the trunk & the church key on your key ring.
Then:
Now:

 

[Golden Hour]

Especially don't park a '73 Charger SE over dry vegetation, particularly if you pulled the right tires partially into the ditch, putting the exhaust right down ON said vegetation. But if you do, & things get a little hairy, remember that case of Old Mil longnecks in the trunk & the church key on your key ring.
Then:
Now:

In my mind, I'm seeing a young man taking a big swig off of each bottle before using the rest of the contents to douse the flame. Maybe I'm wrong, but I doubt it.

 

[A5 Sweet 16]

In my mind, I'm seeing a young man taking a big swig off of each bottle before using the rest of the contents to douse the flame. Maybe I'm wrong, but I doubt it.

 

[gettinbirdie]

Good reminder Brittman!

 

[Labs]

Be mindful to keep yourselves and your dogs well hydrated while hunting ND and SD this year. Also, with the drought conditions this year anticipate blue-green algae in about any slough or stock dam you find in the field this fall.

Some of the guys who have been around awhile will likely recall 20 or so years back in SD, the opening weekend with similar drought & heat conditions that resulted in numerous dogs dying. Many thought it was dehydration alone, but as I recall it turned out to be a combination of the heat and dogs getting into water that had blue-green algae in it.

Dehydration can hit fast. Two weekends back I shot the Badlands Classic archery tournament west of Medora ND. This event is held in mid-August and has a well earned rep as the most physically challenging 3D shoot in ND. The conditions are usually tough, but that weekend temps were hitting 90 degrees by 0900 or so with no wind.

I shot the less physically challenging "standard" 25 target course on Sat morning. I chugged a bottle of water before going out and drank 4 more bottles of water over the 2.5 mile course. That wasn't nearly enough...

Went back the next day to shoot the "extreme" course, 25 targets over 3.5 miles in some of the roughest country the Badlands has to offer. That morning it was even hotter. This time I drank 2 bottles of water before starting plus 5 through the course. Even with that much water intake I was dangerously dehydrated by target 15 and it was all I could do to shoot the last 10 targets and walk off the course under my own power.

I attached one of the hydration charts we at work. I was a 6 when I finished on Sat and a 7 pushing 8 when I completed the course on Sun...