The second area in the Fort Pierre National Grasslands I always check out is the Richland Wildlife Area. The reservoir below has shelterbelts around it which can hold some surprises, and more trees in the low and wet spot near the road. Most of the area is rolling grassland, however, and it's another spot I've had tremendous luck in finding raptors, including Gyrfalcons in winter. South of the reservoir, there's a very small gate and road which eventually leads to a large prairie dog town to the west. This is a GREAT spot for raptors. In summer, there are always Burrowing Owls here, and sometimes Short-eared Owls as well. In winter, there always seems to be a Ferruginous Hawk or two, as well as other raptors. Be careful in this area, especially on unusually warm fall days, as there are a number of rattlesnakes that make the prairie dog burrows their home.
To find the area by GPS coordinate, the geographic coordinates of the hard-to-find gate and road leading to the prairie dog town are 44° 8' 22.8" N, and 100° 24' 23.1" W.
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SOUTH DAKOTA BIRDS AND BIRDING - LOCATIONS OF WEBSITE VISITORS
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Please mail any comments/suggestions/additional links for this page to: Terry L. Sohl