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Long Winter Drives Camping Down, GFP Firewood Sales Up

On Friday the Game Fish and Parks Commission heard that the long, lingering winter put has put a crimp on camping:

Camping nights in April were off 16% compared to a year ago. Revenue overall was down 5% on the parks and recreation side for the year.

…Wildlife Division director Tom Kirschenmann said difficult winter weather somewhat affected parks use and license sales [Bob Mercer, “GFP: Campsite Sales Off, License Numbers Vary,” KELO-TV, 2023.05.05].

But on the bright side, the fewer campers braving the long cold are buying more firewood:

GF&P Division of Parks and Recreation, April 2023 Revenue by Item, GFP COmmission Book, 2023.05.05, p. 68.
GF&P Division of Parks and Recreation, April 2023 Revenue by Item, GFP Commission Book, 2023.05.05, p. 68.
GF&P Division of Parks and Recreation, Revenue January–April 2023 by Item, GFP COmmission Book, 2023.05.05, p. 68.
GF&P Division of Parks and Recreation, Revenue January–April 2023 by Item, GFP Commission Book, 2023.05.05, p. 68.

Maybe Tru Shrimp should abandon its shrimp factory plans and just start a tree farm near Madison to meet the increasing demand for firewood!

5 Comments

  1. sx123

    This was one of those winners I was tempted to move out of state until spring. But I stuck it out, pushed a lot of snow and drive hours on pure ice roads to take kids to events. Part of the Sourh Dakota experience I guess.

  2. Look on the bright side, South Dakota Democrats. Oh, right. Sorry.

    Yes, tornadoes, flooding, habitat destruction, wildfire potential and now another eight month winter finally ends in the chemical toilet, perpetual welfare state and permanent disaster area that is South Dakota.

    lol.

  3. sx123

    On the bright side, the grass will be very green this spring, and the rolling hills in South Dakota will be beautiful, at least for a bit.

  4. Long winters,you should have been in Aberdeen 1977.

  5. Our “winter” lasted about a month or two weeks each side of the solstice. No snow to speak of even though we’re at nearly 6000 feet in elevation. The coldest night got down to 12 above and every day got to at least 40.

    Did I mention that Democrats run everything here and cannabis is legal for all adults?

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