Proudly Serving the Hulet and Devils Tower Community
Proudly Serving the Hulet and Devils Tower Community
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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....
Crook County is calling for the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) to rethink its plans to amend every national forest land management in the nation to create one overall strategy for managing old-growth forests. In a comment letter signed by the county commissioners last week, the county criticizes the one-size-fits-all approach and the USFS’s failure to include local governments in the process. “Upon reading through it, it will affect all the National Forests in Wyoming, which includes the Black Hills; it will also include Thunder Basin National Gras...
Site Name Elevation (ft.) Current Snow Depth (in.) Current Snow Water Equivalent (in.) 30-yr Median SWE Last Year’s SWE Current Percent of 30-Year Median SWE Bear Lodge Divide 4680 1.0 0.2 1.8 3.4 11 Blind Park Snotel 6870 11.0 2.1 4.7 5.3 45 Cole Canyon Snotel 5870 8.0 2.1 3.2 4.5 66 Ditch Creek 6880 8.5 1.5 2.4 2.9 63 Little Bear Run 6240 3.7 0.6 2.7 3.3 22 Mallo 6420 10.6 2.0 4.7 5.9 43 Mount Tom 5560 9.0 1.0 3.3 4.4 30 North Rapid Creek Snotel 6250 13.0 3.8 4.7 4.6 81 Reuter Canyon 6280 4.4 0.9 6.0 7.3 15 Upper Spearfish 6500 9.7 1.5 4.0 5...
DEVILS TOWER-When the cyclic population of deer near Ogden Driskill's Crook County ranch peaks, sometimes he'll count as many as 800 whitetails grazing away in a single meadow. That circle-shaped pasture draws in the deer because of its irrigated, nutritious grasses, and it doubles as a venue for nightly 6 p.m. hayrides targeted at tourists. The throngs visiting Northeast Wyoming pack onto a trailer towed by a tractor to enjoy views of the 5,112-foot-high spire that towers over Driskill's property. During the fall of 2021, staff at Driskill's...
The University of Wyoming Extension will offer eight private pesticide applicator education programs at various locations in northeast Wyoming Jan. 25 through March 14, 2024. Private applicator licenses are required for anyone who applies or supervises the application of Restricted Use Pesticides (RUPs). The four-hour private applicator education programs provide an overview of certification requirements, pertinent regulations, pesticide safety and handling, proper disposal practices and more....
Devils Tower with a blanket of snow on Monday. More snow pictures page 12....
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 Blind Park Snotel 6870 8 1.3 3.2 * 41 Cole Canyon Snotel 5870 5 1.3 2.5 * 52 Ditch Creek 6880 5.5 0.6 1.9 * 32 Little Bear Run 6240 1.7 0.2 1.7 * 12 Mallo 6240 8.8 1.1 3 * 37 Mount Tom 5560 6.8 0.6 2.3 * 26 North Rapid Creek Snotel 6250 11 2.9 3.2 * 91 * No data collected....
Devils Tower National Monument is pleased to announce an addition to the leadership team with the selection of John Hinrichs as the new Facility Manager. Superintendent Doug Crossen said, "We are happy to welcome John to the Tower's leadership team. John's knowledge and expertise are a great fit for this position. He will be an integral part of leading Devils Tower National Monument into the future." Hinrichs will supervise the Tower's facility management division, supporting several permanent...
A WYDOT plaw heads down Main Street. Hulett was turned into a winter wonderland with this week's storm....
Wyoming State Parks has announced the launch of a new reservation and permit sales system that it says will offer a more streamlined experience for recreationists looking to enjoy the state’s outdoor opportunities. The new website allows you to refine your needs when staying in a state park, from the type of camping or lodging you’d prefer through to the type of camping equipment you will bring. Once you select from the available options, you can view maps detailing exactly where each available site is located and additional information, suc...
Seasonal gates and recreation sites that are not open through the winter on the Black Hills National Forest were closed on Friday, December 15. Gates are closed to provide seasonal refuge for wildlife, protect natural resources and provide for public safety as some roads are converted to snowmobile trails. Seasonally closed roads and trails are identified on the current Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM). Snowmobile trails are open from December 15 to March 31 annually. Wheeled vehicles are not allowed on the snowmobile trails during that time...
To guide how climbing opportunities are managed in national forests, grasslands and parks, public input is requested on new guidance for U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and National Park Service (NPS) personnel. The public comment period is open until January 16. The guidance covers all climbing types, including rock climbing, snow and ice climbing, mountaineering, canyoneering and caving. It affirms that this is an appropriate use of public lands, including wilderness, and that it should be managed in a way that protects cultural and natural resour...
This is the time of year to celebrate old and new traditions with family and friends, like venturing into your favorite national forest to harvest your own Christmas tree. Black Hills National Forest Christmas tree permits are now available for purchase either online at Recreation.gov, from your local Forest Service office or from private vendors throughout the Black Hills. To purchase a permit online, visit Recreation.gov and search for Black Hills National Forest Christmas Tree Permit. It is important to carefully read the overview and...
If you live in Hulett or have driven through the town lately you will surely have seen the nearly 100 turkeys that have taken up residency in the town. Hulett has always had a couple of flocks that hung around, but this year it feels like they are claiming Hulett as their own. Each flock has upwards of 30 birds that strut around Hulett. So far, they haven't been too pesky and residents seem to enjoy them walking around town and gobbling up the streets. Every street in Hulett could have a turkey...
Old Man Winter paid a visit to the Hulett area last Friday with the first significant snowfall of the season. About an inch and a half of snow accumulated with temperatures dipping to single digits and 20° weather during the day, allowing the snow to stay for several days....
There is still time to enjoy the fall colors in the area. Whether you're traveling from Hulett to Belle Fourche or up Spearfish Canyon, the colors are exquisite this year. The contrast of the fall colors with the still green pastures provides a great pop of yellows and reds....
Individuals wearing orange vests will be out and about in the Black Hills National Forest over the next year collecting input on traffic within the forest. Contract employees will be stationed in developed and dispersed recreation sites and along forest service roads and will be out in all types of weather conditions near signs that say “Traffic Survey Ahead.” The National Visitor Use Monitoring (NVUM) survey began on October 1 and will go through September 30, 2024. The information gathered is useful for forest planning as well as local com...
U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis and all members of the Senate Western Caucus on which she serves as chairman, as well as U.S. Senator John Barrasso, voted to override President Joe Biden’s veto of the resolution that questioned the listing of the northern long-eared bat as an endangered species. In total, 47 senators voted for and 45 against, failing to meet the two-thirds majority required to overturn the veto. “The Biden administration’s heavy-handed interpretations and ongoing abuse of the ESA continues to punish private property owners rathe...
Hunting seasons this fall may be negatively affected by poor deer numbers, according to Sundance Game Warden Nate Holst, but elk and turkeys are doing just fine and should make for plentiful harvest opportunities. Deer The deer population in this county was hit by an outbreak of epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) a couple of years ago, which affected both white-tailed deer and pronghorn antelope. Cases were identified across the east of the state, including in Crook County, in 2021. EHD is not unusual in Wyoming; in fact, wildlife managers...
With human cases in nearby states and a higher-than-usual number of mosquito pools within Wyoming testing positive for West Nile virus, the Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) wants people to remember to protect themselves from mosquito bites. “Wyoming’s reported human West Nile virus case numbers have been quite low the past several years,” Courtney Tillman, epidemiologist with WDH, said. “But with more positive mosquito pools being reported this summer than we have seen in nearly 10 years and cases popping up in neighbor states, a reminde...
The Bureau of Land Management on Tuesday opened a 45-day public scoping period to gather comments to inform an environmental impact statement for planned revisions to the resource management plans for the Newcastle Field Office and Nebraska planning area. The proposed revision would replace the existing 23-year-old Newcastle RMP that guides the management of approximately 287,900 acres of public lands and 1.7 million acres of federal mineral estate managed by the BLM in Crook, Weston and Niobrara counties in Wyoming. Through this process, BLM...
On Sat., July 22, the National Park Service and Devils Tower Natural History Association will host the Annual Bat Festival in the picnic area of the monument from 12 to 10 p.m. This festival will include presentations and fun educational activities all about the amazing nighttime resident of Devils Tower/Bear Lodge – The Bat! There will be an interactive inflatable cave, movie screenings, demonstrations on building bat roosts, information booths, costume contests, crafts, games, activities for kids and special guest presenters. There will a...
Celebrate National Forest Week (NFW), July 10 – 16, 2023 on the Black Hills National Forest. NFW highlights the incredible 193-million-acre National Forest System across the country and all the benefits it provides to the public. Several free Forest events, including a guided hike, a forest photography workshop, educational programs at the Pactola Visitor Center and a campground sing-along will be taking place next week to showcase some of the amazing outdoor opportunities that can be found within the Black Hills National Forest. Upcoming P...
The eighth annual Hulett Youth Field Day presented by the Wyoming Sportsman group, and many other sponsors, was held last Saturday at the ranch of Chip Neiman. The yearly event is an outdoor educational experience for youth 0-17. Events included a fishing derby, which Paxton Pravecek won again this year, archery, wildlife demonstrations, panning for gold, the art of bee keeping and making honey, ice cream making and a visit from Black Hill Raptor Center, who brought some very special guests....
The month of June holds spiritual and cultural significance for the tribes closely associated with Mato Tipila – Bear Lodge (Devils Tower). The 1995 Devils Tower National Monument Climbing Management Plan established a voluntary closure for all climbing routes on the Tower out of respect for the cultural activities of Native Americans. The voluntary climbing closure has been implemented each June since 1996. As a result, the average number of climbers that choose not to climb during June has led to an 85% reduction. The National Park Service a...
