12/7 - 2009 South Dakota Pheasant Hunting Field Crops Conditions Report

December 07, 2009 by Chris Hitzeman

Most all of the crop in the state of South Dakota is out of the fields now except for 28% of the remaining corn crop which is coming down fast.  A winter storm is blowing across the state today and that may slow things down but within 2 weeks the rest of the corn crop will be out making the last 2-3 weeks of the pheasant hunting season spectacular.

WEATHER INFORMATION The first week of December brought another shift in conditions across the state, according to the State Climate Office of South Dakota. Cooler temperatures overspread the state bringing temperatures closer to average for this time of year and bringing some light snow over most of the state. Temperatures averaged mainly in the 20's F for the week. These numbers ranged from slightly above average from north central to southeast to a few degrees below average in the west. Custer came in much colder at 11 degrees F below average for the week. Pickstown had the highest daily temperature at 61 degrees F; Timber Lake had the lowest at -5 degrees F. Some light snow did occur during the week with some places receiving up to a few inches. Sisseton and Webster reported the largest weekly total at 0.11 inch of liquid. Twelve of the reporting stations listed here reported no precipitation. Snow cover ranged from a trace to several inches over most of the state.

FIELD CROPS REPORT Corn harvested advanced 15 percentage points in the past week, now estimated at 73 percent complete. This year's corn harvest remains behind last year's pace of 92 percent harvested and 98 percent for the five-year average. The sorghum and sunflower harvest are both near completion. Ninety-eight percent of the sorghum for grain has been harvested, compared to 97 percent last year and 99 percent for the five-year average. The sunflower harvest is 96 percent complete, compared to 89 percent last year and 97 percent for the five-year average.