SDGFP Commission Meeting, Rapid City Face-to-Face

in Rapid City at Outdoor Campus West with virtual & teleconference options

More meeting details will be posted by GFP on this website just before the meeting and after the meeting:

Mountain lion hunting season will be among the rule proposals

Saturday 8/28/21 at midnight MT is the written comment deadline. Late comments go to the next month public record,  but folks can give oral testimony in person or virtually at the hearing on 9/1/21. Written comments can be submitted at https://gfp.sd.gov/forms/positions/ or at https://rules.sd.gov/Comments.aspx?Id=669

The only necessary written action on cougars that we suggest (besides filling in your contact info.)  is to check that you oppose the two proposed rules on Mountain Lion hunting in SD…But scroll down for more explanation of issues and to have some text to add if you wish.

Rule change proposals up for a vote
Terrestrial:

1. Spring Turkey- reducing area available for hunting,
2. Setting Mountain Lion Hunting Season in the state for another two years,
3. Cougar hunting restrictions eroded to allow hound hunting in the prairie unit onto more public lands ,

Aquatic:

4. Changing fish limits in Iowa/SD Boundary waters,
5. Allowing blow guns for fishing & setting limits on it,
6. Hoop Nets and Setlines: adding floatlines to rule and setting fees and various limits on floatlines,nets & traps,
7. Reducing various regulations on bait,
8. Reducing regulations on fish hatcheries.
9. Expanding ages within youth class at fish tournaments,
10. Aquatic invasive species: increasing exemptions to rules about.

To see exact text of the  proposed rule changes go to the  LRC site –  visit: https://rules.sd.gov/agency.aspx?agency=GFP%20%20Game,%20Fish%20And%20Parks

Alert On Mountain Lion Seasons Rule Changes

Prairie Hills Audubon Society will be creating a more in depth alert about the Mountain Lion Season, but it will be available on  8/28.

In the mean time, we suggest folks oppose both proposed rules for mountain lion hunting. SD Mt. lion hunting is divided into the Black Hills Fire Protection District and every where else (Prairie unit). In the Prairie Unit there is 365 day hunting with no  harvest limit and hound hunting is allowed on private land (with land owner/lessor permission) and moving from private land to BLM and State School Lands. Hound hunting is allowed in Custer State Park in two week time segments alternating with two weeks of “boot hunting” (boot = no hounds used). The first two week session is given to hound hunting and thus for many years the boot hunters are out-competed and  have not gotten any lions.

The hunting season on the Black Hills Unit is too aggressive and will result in decreasing populations, perhaps dropping below the population below the population goals that SDGFP wants. We suggest  at least lowering the female lion harvest limit in the Black Hills unit.

We suggest people object to hound hunting of lions, which occurs on Custer State Park (a sub-set of Black Hills unit) and in the Prairie unit. You can object due to 1. animal cruelty to both  dogs and lions, 2. not fair chase, 3. provides huge advantage of success for hound hunters vs boot hunters  4. creates trespass risk, 5. disturbs non-target wildlife, livestock and other human users.  However they are making a specific change to increase hound hunting..by increasing the area of public land in the Prairie Unit where hound hunters can travel from private land to hunt on public land, to  include all of public lands unless public land manager specifically objects. Previously public land hound hunting in the Prairie unit was limited to expanding onto BLM and State School lands. . You can object specifically to that proposed increase in hound hunting area on the Prairie Unit.

We suggest allowing the boot hunters the first two week session in Custer State Park, for sake of boot hunters, lions & dogs.

Written comments can be submitted at https://gfp.sd.gov/forms/positions/ or at https://rules.sd.gov/Comments.aspx?Id=669

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