By Scott Shephard
After turning off of highway 1804 a few miles north of Mission Creek, I drove for several more miles on gravel roads. The gravel gave way to mostly one lane dirt roads, which went for several more miles before I got to the Koenig State Shooting Area on the east shore of Lake Oahe a few miles north of an area called Sully Flats. The dirt roads were really more dust than dirt and by the time I arrived, my truck was coated with dust. "Better dust than mud," I thought.
And it was worth it. I have sailed by this area countless times and always wondered what the lake looked like from the tree-lined bluffs above. I took several photos of the State Shooting Area but the photo you are looking at today is looking north over a bay called Mail Shack Creek. Beyond Mail Shack is Pike Haven, a well known fishing resort, though It's not really visible in this photo.
What is visible, however, if you know what you are looking for off to the upper left, is Agency Creek and beyond that the tree lined shore that leads to the entrance to Mission Creek a couple miles to the north.
I say it again and again, but I love this landscape and I doubt I'll ever get tired of it. Beyond that, I am thrilled to see this part of South Dakota as the eagles and hawks who live here might.
Phantom 4 Pro FC6310 1/400s f/6.3 ISO100 8.8mm (35mm eq:24mm)