Relief to Coteau View Hunts Kennels-Hail Storm

In the early morning hours of August 28, 2021, the skies of South Dakota spawned a massive super cell thunderstorm, that produced wind driven baseball sized hail. The destruction was so severe, that the storm's path could be seen from satellite imagery.

 

Nothing in the storm's path was spared, and at the center of the destruction, and in the center of the storm's fury, was Coteau View Hunts and Kennels, owned and operated by Bryce and Bryan Sombke. (field behind sign was standing corn prior to storm)

 

Let me tell you a bit about Bryce and Bryan. They have built a family owned business raising world class Labrador Retrievers, enjoyed by families and sportsman nation-wide. In the past 10 years, Bryce and Bryan have restored hundreds of acres of land in North-East South Dakota which was once cropland, back to diverse native grass and flower communities that benefit hundreds of species of native wildlife and pollinator species. The wildlife noticed. Populations soared. Then came the morning of August 28, 2021.

Baseball sized hail tore through every acre of their farms habitat, sparing nothing.

 

Where 5 foot high native grass fields once stood, lied the bludgeoned bodies of deer, pheasants, rabbits, songbirds, waterfowl, and others, for as far as the eye could see.

 

 

 

The only silver lining to this storm was that no person or pet was hurt or killed during the storm.

BUT...Here is the deal folks. Yes, the above pictures of the vehicles and buildings are insured, but insurance only goes so far. Bryce and Bryan have lost 100% of their habitat and wild bird populations, which provides a vital source of income in the winter months, which their entire business depends on.

 

For landowners like Bryce and Bryan, who choose to break the mold of modern agriculture, and decide to instead "farm for wildlife"... there is no safety net of lucrative crop insurance. Extremely rare and devastating events like this storm, can make operations like Coteau View Hunts and Kennel's futures... uncertain.

 

Perhaps you live down the road from Bryce or Bryan. Perhaps one of their puppies (now grown), is lying at your feet as you read this. Perhaps you have shared a sundown or two hunting wild pheasants on their restored prairie on a crisp autumn evening... or perhaps you have never met them or been to South Dakota, but would enjoy the opportunity to in the future... I encourage everyone reading this to consider making Bryce and Bryan's recovery from this storm... just a little bit easier. Any sized donation will help their business recover from, and ensure that the hundreds of acres of wildlife habitat that they have restored, are protected.

Please consider sharing this fundraiser widely.  

 

Thank You,

 

Caleb Caton

Aberdeen, SD