Comment Deadline SD Game, Fish and Parks Mt Lion Action Plan (2nd iteration)

Comment Deadline to SD Game, Fish and Parks on Draft Mt Lion Action Plan (the revised – 2nd iteration) is  Wednesday Sept 25th just before midnight CT.

The Oct 2024 revised version of the Mt Lion Action Plan can be found here: https://gfp.sd.gov/UserDocs/nav/Lion_Action_Plan_Oct2024.pdf

At September Commission meeting some Commissioners wanted population objectives lowered, so they issued a new draft version of the Action Plan.  Changes to text will be in at least two spots. The population objectives would drop from 300-200 to 250-150 cougars. People should write in opposition to this. We provide sample comments in the Oct 3rd-4th Commission meeting notice and the Mt Lion alert web page.  We object to much of GFP policy on cougars, not just the lower population objective. (see our Mt Lion Action Alert page, link is below)

The comments  must be posted to web portal – https://gfp.sd.gov/forms/positions/

Say you object to the Plan

Include your name and town of residence. You can type into the portal text block or attach documents.

THERE ARE TWO DEADLINES:

9/25/24  is the deadline for staff to read & review your comments – this gives them a week before the Commission meeting to do so.  Their review will be explained orally to the Commission on Oct 3rd or 4th at the Oct. Commission meeting. At the September meeting, their review was extremely cursory and simple i.e – they said they saw nothing in the public comments that should result in changes to the Action Plan.  It was the Commission that suggested changes, not staff

Sunday at midnight CT on Sept 29th, is the deadline for the Commission to receive and read your comments,  whereas staff’s deadline is Wednesday a few days before that.  The place you submit your comments for either, is actually on the SD GFP Commission public comment portal. From this portal they will download all the public comments received between Sept 2nd and Sunday Sept 29th at midnight CT and put them in the Commission Book for Commissioners to read.

It is the Commission not the staff that makes the decisions. Folks can try to get comments in by the 25th if possible, but if you miss it, want extra time  or want to send additional comments, use the 29th as your deadline.

People can also contact Commissioners as individuals directly at any time – we provide their e-mails on our October 3rd & 4th meeting notice & Commission web site gives their phone numbers.

RESOURCES FOR COMMENTING

If you want something simple – say you object to the draft Action Plan, object to the lowering of population objectives and  you want  the Black Hills mt lions managed as a source population and for GFP to manage for viable populations of mountain lions in some other parts of SD besides the Black Hills. Say you object to hound hunting of lions.

For more depth:

Link to PHAS Cougar alert page: https://phas-wsd.org/cougar-alert/

Link to PHAS Talking Points on Oct Version Draft Mt Lion Action Plan – https://phas-wsd.org/wp-content/uploads/TAKE-ACTION-Talking-Points-Cougars-Sept-2024.pdf

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PHAS COMMENT LETTERS FOR  COMMENT TEMPLATES:

Here is a copy of the first letter that PHAS sent in on August 16th on the draft Action Plan: https://phas-wsd.org/wp-content/uploads/PHAS-Comments-on-the-Mountain-Lion-Action-Plan-.pdf

Here is a copy of the  second letter that PHAS sent on Sept 1st on the draft Action Plan: https://phas-wsd.org/wp-content/uploads/gfp.PHAS_.2nd-Letter-Mt-Lion-Action-Plan.pdf

Here is a copy of a set of handouts that PHAS gave the Commission during public testimony on the draft Action Plans: https://phas-wsd.org/wp-content/uploads/cover-letter_ActionPlans6.pdf

OTHER LETTERS

Here are a copy of all the short letters about cougars in the Sept 5th-6th public comment file (includes both sides)

https://phas-wsd.org/wp-content/uploads/Mt.lion_.ACTION.PLAN_.PublicComment.Sept2024.MERGED.pdf

Here is a copy of all the long formal letters about cougars in the Sept 5th-6th public comment file (all pro-cougar)

https://phas-wsd.org/wp-content/uploads/LONG.LETTERS1x.PublicComment.Sept2024.SDGFPComm-2.pdf

Here is a copy of the MLF Letter (pro-cougar)):