Continuing the Crook County News Since 1884
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As of January 1, 2022, Wyoming State Parks, Historic Sites and Trails will begin collecting sales and lodging taxes to comply with Wyoming State Statutes 39-15-101 and 39-15-201. Tax rates vary by county and will be collected on fees for overnight camping, annual camping permits, reservations and overnight rental facilities such as cabins, lodges, yurts and treehouses. “Wyoming State Parks has worked closely with the Department of Revenue to determine where taxes need to be applied to our fees in order to comply with state law,” Deputy Dir...
This mature buck was spotted south of Sundance along Kara Creek on Tuesday after once again evading the hunt....
The special management program for leafy spurge was carried out somewhat as normal this year, though it was moderately impacted by the drought. This extreme weather resulted with treatments that were very slow to kill all weeds this year, including leafy spurge. However, the biggest change coming in the program is how the district will be handling hiring contractors for leafy spurge treatments. In the past, landowners could choose to hire a contract weed sprayer to treat their leafy spurge – after completion of work and payment to applicator, t...
Black Hills National Forest officials are asking for public comments on the proposed Woods Timber Stand Improvement Project, located in the western Bear Lodge Mountains. The project will include thinning of certain pine stands to improve growth of remaining trees, diversify habitat and reduce fire hazard. Pine of all sizes would be thinned. Removal of commercial timber would occur in some areas. This project supports the goals and objectives of the Black Hills National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (“Forest Plan”) by reducing com...
Every year, a group of disabled veterans heads to Crook County to experience the deer hunting this area has to offer. The Black Hills Veterans' Day White Tail Hunt has been hosted since 2016 by Hunting With Heroes, a nonprofit that gives back to disabled veterans by providing them with outdoor experiences such as hunting and fishing. As always, the event was scheduled this year for the weekend after Veterans Day – but the planning for next year is already underway. Terry Wilkerson is seeking vol...
A brand new festival burst onto the local scene in 2015, immediately attracting plenty of visitors whose idea of a fine winter day was to play around in the snow while watching their neighbors ski-jor down Main Street or tumble down a slope atop a bar stool. The hard-working organizers who first hosted the Sundance Winter Festival decided last year that it was time to pass the torch to someone else, and the Sundance Chamber of Commerce is now looking for assistance to keep the popular event running. This year’s Winterfest was hampered by ongoin...
Crook County Weed and Pest had another productive 2021 and has been successfully carrying out our programs over the course of the seasons as best as possible. The district dealt with many of the same issues all landowners and business owners dealt with in the area, especially the severe drought, which had an impact on many aspects of our programs. Wyoming statutes require the district board to hold a tour to annually evaluate programs. The board tour this year will be a mixture of an actual field tour to a prairie dog treatment site and a...
Black Hills National Forest Christmas tree permits are available for purchase either online at Recreation.gov, from your local Forest Service office or from private vendors throughout the Black Hills. Details about where to cut your tree and height restrictions may be found at Recreation.gov. To purchase a Christmas Tree permit online, visit Recreation.gov and search for Black Hills National Forest Christmas Tree Permit. It is important to carefully read the overview and need-to-know information prior to purchasing the permit. Visitors will...
According to Game Warden Chris Teter, hunting season this year will bring a mixture of opportunities and rewards across the local area, with elk most prevalent on private land, an excellent production season for turkeys but a disease-caused die-off among deer. The Wyoming Game & Fish Department is also now actively monitoring the spread of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in deer throughout the state. Deer Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) has caused a "fairly significant" die-off among deer...
Sam Simmon had a productive morning hunting just before Tuesday's blustery weather rolled in. The Carson City, MI resident, who has been a regular in the area for the last three decades, harvested his bull on the Whalen place near Aladdin....
Black Hills National Forest officials have initiated the process to revise the current Land and Resource Management plan, otherwise referred to as the Forest Plan. Forest Plans guide all resource management actions on the Forest. The Forest Service is initiating the Forest Plan revision process pursuant to the 2012 Planning Rule (36 CFR 219), and as directed by the National Forest Management Act. This process generally takes several years to complete and will result in a revised Land and Resource Management Plan that will be effective for...
A Wyoming Game and Fish Department authorized and approved Hunter Education Class is scheduled in Sundance just in time for prospective new hunters to get certified before fall wild turkey season in the Black Hills. Even if you never hunt, the class provides students of all ages valuable information about firearm and archery safety, wildlife management, habitat conservation, outdoor survival, law and regulations, respect and responsibility to wildlife, property owners and hunting companions and much more. Wyoming law requires virtually all...
Fall colors have begun to appear in the Bearlodge, heralding the end of a long, hot summer in this region....
Full campsites, busy roads and record visitation at some of Wyoming’s most popular spectacles, including Yellowstone – it’s been quite the summer for tourism. The latest figures from the National Park Service show that Devils Tower National Monument is following the trend with record-breaking numbers in August and an overall increase of 41.35% over last year’s visitation. By the end of August, the national park had welcomed a total of 440,839 people to enjoy the unique geological spectacle – an increase from 311,869 at the same time in 2020....
In celebration of National Public Lands Day on Saturday, September 25, the National Park Service (NPS) and Devils Tower Natural History Association will host a bat festival. The festival will include educational activities about these rarely seen nighttime animals. The northern long-eared bat, Myotis septentrionalis, is among 11 bat species that have been identified at the monument. The northern long-eared bat was listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. “Here at Devils Tower we hope that the festival gives visitors the...
ase (EHD) in white-tailed deer and pronghorn has seen cases identified across the east of Wyoming, including in Crook County. The Wyoming Game & Fish Department last week announced that it was actively tracking the outbreak of EHD, which is confirmed in the Arvada area as well as near Douglas, Laramie and Cheyenne. The disease was confirmed in Crook County near Moorcroft on September 6. EHD is not unusual in Wyoming; in fact, wildlife managers say they see it in big game every year. However, 2021 could be one of those years when the disease...
The Crook County Natural Resource District (CCNRD) is excited to announce the hopeful return of our Tree Program. With the assistance of local volunteers, we will aim to provide Crook County with Conservation-Grade seedlings and potted trees. Orders will also be taken for weed barrier and other materials needed to protect your trees as they become established. This program is offered by the CCNRD to provide everyone with trees at a nominal cost, thereby promoting resource conservation and the resiliency of landowner’s properties through the m...
The thirty-one climbing routes on the east face of the Tower at Devils Tower National Monument are now open to climbing after three Peregrine Falcon chicks successfully fledged from their nest. Each year some climbing routes are temporarily closed during the spring and summer to protect falcon nesting sites, and to protect climbers from adult falcons who will defensively dive to protect their young. Protected nesting locations, such as Devils Tower, have been crucial in the recovery of Peregrine Falcons. Falcons experienced sharp declines in...
The Black Hills National Forest will conduct its third Moon Walk of the year on Sat., Aug. 21 at 7 p.m. The activity will take place at the Sundance Horse Camp, located about five miles from Sundance. Participants will learn how to identify some common constellations and hear stories about various star clusters. Speakers will also share some of the science related to star brightness, distances and other night sky observations. If you are looking for ways to engage your family on future campouts, especially after dark, this public event might in...
Major improvements to the accessibility of trails, exhibits, parking and restrooms were completed in July at Devils Tower National Monument. It is the first major upgrade to the park's infrastructure since the mid-1950s, when annual visitation was about 130,000 compared to about 500,000 now. The project enhanced accessibility for visitors with disabilities and brought the park into compliance with federal accessibility laws and regulations. Superintendent Amnesty Kochanowski said, "We want all...
Crook County Fair champions...
At the suggestion of a concerned resident, the City of Sundance is looking into the possibility of putting together a group of volunteers to clear out the creek as it flows towards Sundance Pond. The creek is in need of attention because the water is running slow due to the trash and debris caught in the channel, Joann Safford told the council last week. Safford suggested that three or four work groups could be put together, consisting of volunteers from the community. These groups could then go out and recon the creek to see what needs to be...
The City of Sundance has granted permission for the bike trail through Sundance White Ranch Park to be extended across city property. The trail, which was created by the Sundance Chain Gang, is currently limited to the acreage of the park memorializing Betty and George White, but the group has requested council support to extend it through the adjacent pasture. Calling it “prudent” to provide as many recreation options as possible for citizens, Mayor Paul Brooks According to Clerk Treasurer Kat...
By Jeremy Dedic Wyoming State Forestry Division and Ed Mignery Wyoming Tree Farm, landowner County assessors and realtors in Crook and Weston counties report that residences in rural properties have been in high demand in recent years. We offer this edition of “The Forestry Corner” to assist existing and new rural residents with wildfire hazardous fuel mitigation recommendations to consider for their property. If done properly, fuel mitigation measures will greatly enhance the chances that your home survives a wildfire by giving our fir...
Steele Fencing works on the new tie rail to allow animals to remain at the fairgrounds overnight. A tent loaned by Pinnacle Bank will also be going up for livestock shelter prior to fair week's opening, says Facilities Manager Larry Schommer....