Proudly Serving the Hulet and Devils Tower Community
Proudly Serving the Hulet and Devils Tower Community
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The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has released the draft of its plans to manage public lands in northeast Wyoming and the public now has a chance to comment. The new resource management plan would replace the current, 23-year-old version now used by the Newcastle Field Office. The Draft Newcastle and Nebraska Resource Management Plan covers all the lands within the Newcastle Field Office’s boundaries in Crook, Weston and Niobrara counties, and also the entire state of Nebraska. While this may seem unbalanced, the decision was made to c...
Chronic Wasting Disease has been identified in an elk hunt area at the border of Crook County. Elk Hunt Area 126 begins at the border to the southwest of the county and travels south through much of Weston and Niobrara and west into Converse. The hunt area is bordered by seven other elk areas that are now known to be positive for CWD, including 117 and 129, both of which are partially in Crook County. CWD was also confirmed in Deer Hunt Areas 31 and 94, both towards the middle of the state in the Sheridan and Lander regions respectively. The...
Even with the unseasonably warm weather, the trees know fall is upon us and are showing off their bright colors. More photos page 12....
Crook County Weed and Pest is reaching out for input on the potential listing of cheatgrass as a noxious weed. Because this could have significant financial impacts and might affect the district’s ability to assist in treating other weeds and pests, says District Supervisor Alycia Davis, the board wants to hear from the public before casting its vote. A Call for Action The weed and pest districts for ten Wyoming counties have called for cheatgrass to be added to the State Designated Noxious Weed List, throwing their support behind prevention a...
A toxin advisory has been issued for Keyhole Reservoir due to harmful levels of cyanotoxins present in the water. A harmful cyanobacterial bloom (HCB) is described by the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) as an abundance of a substance that is always present in surface waters at low levels and play an important role in the aquatic ecosystem, but can bloom into a harmful overabundance. Cyanobacteria is able to produce toxins and other irritants that can have harmful health effects to people and animals, including pets and...
The hunt area on the western border of Crook County is among this year’s focus points for chronic wasting disease (CWD) monitoring. Wyoming Game & Fish has been working to understand the distribution and prevalence of the always-fatal disease since 1997, using focused sampling due to the limited testing capacity of the Game & Fish Wildlife Health Laboratory. Submitting a sample of a deer harvested in hunt area 18 will not be mandatory this year. However, as a focus area, Game & Fish is requesting that hunters assist through a voluntary s...
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...
The tenth annual paraglider Devils Tower Fly In was held last Thursday through Saturday. Paragliders and their families came from several surrounding states to participate. Paragliders say they love coming to the Hulett area with its beautiful scenery and conducive to great flying conditions. Over 20 paragliders took to the skies of Hulett this year. Group leader Shawn O'Shane says they appreciate the wonderful airport and hospitality shown from the community....
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...
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...
Well over 100 kids participated in this year's annual WSG Youth Field Day. Open to kids aged 0-18, the day was enjoyable with a beautiful day of fishing and attending interactive displays. This event is a free outdoor education experience. Displays this year included taxidermy, archery, a demonstration from the Hulett ambulance, panning for gold and bee keeping. Following the activities a lunch was served and kids received all sorts of great prizes, fishing poles, bb guns, rifles and outside...
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...
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...
Angling at Wyoming’s State Parks June 1 will be a good day of fishing guaranteed. Wyoming State Parks, in conjunction with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s “Free Fishing Day”, is waiving daily use fees at all parks/recreation areas that provide angling on June 1. Wyoming State Park locations offering free entrance are Boysen, Buffalo Bill, Curt Gowdy, Edness K. Wilkins, Fort Phil Kearny, Glendo, Guernsey, Keyhole, Seminoe and Hawk Springs. Does not apply to camping fees or reservations. Fishing opportunities also exist at the followi...
Sometimes, it takes a fire to prevent a fire. The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) is proposing to target areas of the Bearlodge Ranger District in Crook County with planned burns, with the aim of improving the odds of managing future wildland fires safely and effectively. Hazardous fuels have built up within the estimated 8382 acres that have been identified, such as grass, brush and fallen trees. Clearing this accumulation through a planned fire helps to provide fire managers with areas in which to manage future fires. Though it may seem...
The Absaroka District of WyoParks (including Keyhole State Park, Fort Phil Kearny State Historic Site, and Trail End State Historic Site) will be hosting over 60 public events throughout the remainder of the 2024 year. In-house interpretive and site staff, friends groups and partnering agencies and organizations will facilitate these events. Keyhole State Park will proudly be hosting a series of hikes throughout the summer to promote its recent and continuing trail expansion and development. Visitors are encouraged to attend the Kickoff to... Full story
With tick season quickly approaching, the Wyoming Department of Health says simple steps can help state residents protect themselves and their family members from potentially serious tick-borne illnesses. Courtney Tillman, an epidemiologist with WDH, said past records show people typically start seeking medical help due to tick bites in May. Diseases sometimes spread by infected ticks in Wyoming include tularemia, Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) and Colorado tick fever (CTF). Tularemia symptoms include fever, swollen and painful lymph...
Site Name Elevation (ft) Current Snow Depth (in) Current Snow Water Equivalent (in) 30-yr Median SWE (in) Last Year’s SWE (in) Current Percent of 30 Year Median SWE Bear Lodge Divide 4680 2.6 0.4 1.1 4.8 36 Blind Park Snotel 6870 0.0 0.0 7.0 8.7 0 Cole Canyon Snotel 5870 10.0 2.3 5.2 8.1 44 Ditch Creek 6880 1.5 0.4 3.6 6.0 11 Little Bear Run 6240 0.0 0.0 2.5 5.2 0 Mallo 6420 0.0 0.0 5.9 9.5 0 Mount Tom 5560 0.0 0.0 2.9 5.8 0 North Rapid Creek Snotel 6250 13.0 4.9 6.6 7.6 74 Reuter Canyon 6280 0.8 0.1 7.0 10.1 1 Upper Spearfish 6500 5.0 1.2 5...
The annual enrollment period is open for Wyoming Game and Fish’s Access Yes Program. The program facilitates public hunting and fishing access on private lands or land-locked public lands while building the relationship between hunters, anglers and private landowners. Growing the Access Yes program is especially important in the Sheridan Region, as the region is primarily composed of private land. Through the program, a participating landowner and department personnel develop the terms of an agreement to allow hunting or fishing access on t...
The Old West Invitational Turkey Shoot is announcing this year’s youth contest. To enter, you must submit any type of creative work related to turkeys. Examples may be a type of writing or music, fabric project, culinary art, drawing, painting, sculpting, metal work, woodworking or any other visual art. The contest is open to Hulett School Youth grades 6 through 12 (ages 12-18). Participants must have a valid Hunter Safety Course card. Winners will participate in the 14th Annual Old West Turkey Hunt in Hulett and must be available the e...
Site Name Elevation (ft.) Current Snow Depth (in.) Current Snow Water Equivalent (in.) 30-year Median SWE Last Year’s SWE Current Percent of 30-year Median SWE Bear Lodge Divide 4680 0.5 0.1 2.1 4.8 5 Blind Park Snotel 6870 11.0 2.8 6.6 7.5 42 Cole Canyon Snotel 5870 7.0 1.9 4.7 7.4 40 Ditch Creek 6880 11.1 2.6 3.5 3.8 74 Little Bear Run 6240 0.0 0.0 3.6 4.0 0 Mallo 6420 9.4 2.0 6.5 6.1 31 Mount Tom 5560 4.5 1.0 4.3 4.9 23 North Rapid Creek Snotel 6250 16.0 4.5 5.8 6.5 78 Reuter Canyon 6280 0.0 0.0 8.2 9.1 0 Upper Spearfish 6500 9.2 2.3 6.2 8...
The University of Wyoming Extension’s private pesticide applicator education programs in Crook and Weston Counties have been rescheduled for Friday, March 1, and Saturday, March 2. Times and locations are listed below. Crook County: March 2, noon-4 p.m., Sundance Community Room, Crook County Courthouse, 309 E. Cleveland St., Sundance. Contact: Micah Most, (307) 684-7522 or [email protected] Weston County: March 1, noon-4 p.m., Weston County Fairgrounds Event Center, 24 Fairgrounds Rd., Newcastle. Contact: Micah Most, (307) 684-7522 or m...
The Black Hills National Forest is proposing to reduce fire hazard on seven isolated parcels of National Forest System (NFS) lands adjacent to the Bear Lodge Mountains in Crook County. High fuel loading on these lands poses a risk to surrounding lands and communities. The proposed project area consists of 403 acres accessible only from non-NFS lands at the north end of the Bear Lodge Mountains and adjacent isolated parcels. There is no legal public or Forest Service access to these parcels. For this reason, the project would be implemented...
An unseasonal view of the Tower demonstrates just how little snow has fallen in the area so far this winter. Heading into February, very little precipitation has pushed the county back into drought conditions. The U.S. Drought Monitor currently lists most of the county as abnormally dry, with a patch of moderate drought in the southeast corner. The coming weeks may not bring much change, with lower-than-average precipitation predicted....
