Category: gallery-outdoors

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Autumn Arrives at Shadehill

Sioux Falls photographer Christian Begeman was in the midst of a West River trip when he alerted us to the quickly changing landscape around the Shadehill Reservoir in Perkins County.”It was pretty colorful out there yesterday,” he reported as September turned to October.”Hugh Glass would have wept.”

Glass, of course, is the mountain man who was mauled by a grizzly bear near the Grand River in 1823. Left for dead by the members of his party, Glass crawled 200 miles across the West River prairies to Fort Kiowa. Any tears he may have shed would probably have been in rage toward his friends or pain for his badly broken leg rather than the foliage. Fortunately, we have no such worries, and can simply enjoy the yellows and oranges of autumn descending upon the Shadehill country.

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A Heavenly Visitor

South Dakota stargazers have turned their attention to a new addition in the night sky: Comet NEOWISE, first discovered on March 27 and now streaking across the heavens. It’s the brightest visible comet since Hale-Bopp in 1997 and should remain visible through July. In the morning, the comet appears low on the northeastern horizon and shifts to the northwestern horizon in the evening.”Find the big dipper, line up the two stars that make the bottom of the dipper and let them point you to the comet,” says photographer Christian Begeman, who traveled the state and recorded NEOWISE from several rural locations.

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Spring Warbler Roundup

Spring is a great time for birding. Dozens of species make appearances in South Dakota during their northern migration, including warblers. These tiny songbirds are sometimes called the jewels of the spring migration because they don’t typically show up at backyard feeders. You have to seek them out. Christian Begeman hit the warbler jackpot while strolling through Palisades State Park May 16 and 17. He found several varieties, along with plenty of other more commonly seen birds.

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More Winter by the River

Almost every morning, you’ll find retired Yankton High School teacher and debate coach Paul Harens along the Missouri, scouting for fresh views of our old river town. We shared a few of his cold-weather shots in “Winter by the River,” a story in our January/February 2020 issue, but here are a few more for your enjoyment. Look for more of Harens’ work on Instagram.

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Snowy Mountain Winter

Photographer John Mitchell shared these photos of the snowy season in Spearfish and the surrounding Black Hills. See more of his work at SoDakMoments.com.

Photos from Spearfish and the surrounding Black Hills, taken January 2019 by John Mitchell.
Photos from Spearfish and the surrounding Black Hills, taken January 2019 by John Mitchell.
Photos from Spearfish and the surrounding Black Hills, taken January 2019 by John Mitchell.
Photos from Spearfish and the surrounding Black Hills, taken January 2019 by John Mitchell.
Photos from Spearfish and the surrounding Black Hills, taken January 2019 by John Mitchell.
Photos from Spearfish and the surrounding Black Hills, taken January 2019 by John Mitchell.
Photos from Spearfish and the surrounding Black Hills, taken January 2019 by John Mitchell.
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Oh Deer

Photographer Christian Begeman avoided the big deals Thanksgiving weekend and went for big game instead. His travels took him to Walworth County, Custer State Park and the Badlands, where he found deer and other wildlife engaged in romantic pursuits.”I came across a mule buck that had added a crown of thistle to his rack. It must’ve worked, as I watched him court a doe and take care of business,” Begeman says.”The bighorn sheep were active and I heard the crack of horns echo through the valleys more than once. I did not witness any of those hostilities, but the big rams were on the move.”

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Bookin’ It Through the Badlands

Photographer Scott Korsten and his wife Marilyn recently discovered that it pays to take it easy when traveling across South Dakota. “My wife and I were on a quick business-related trip to the Black Hills area,” Korsten says. “Although we were driving with purpose, trying to make good time, we decided to take the quick detour through the Badlands…a place we hadn’t actually driven through for several years. We were reminded of just how vast and beautiful this area of the state’s interior really is — well worth the extra time it took for our trip.”