Predators

Prairie Hills Audubon Society has campaigns to protect various predators.

Predators can be hunted/trapped as it is feared they will kill or harm livestock and/or pets – or even humans. They can also be hunted/trapped as the hunters believe they compete with hunters for prey, such as deer, elk, antelope, ducks, pheasants, etc. Hunters can want predators killed to increase the number of wildlife that the hunter/trapper can then kill. Hunters can also see them as trophy animals to hunt. Predators can also be threatened by loss of habitat, such as the black-footed ferret, which is dependent on prairie dog to eat, but the ranchers want to kill prairie dogs and plague kills the prairie dogs (and ferrets).

Mountain Lions

We have worked to protect mountain lions since the legislature removed them from the states threatened and endangered species list in 2004, having attended and testified at all but one Commission meeting where they accepted public comment on cougar hunting season rules. We have been a stakeholder at GFP stakeholder groups called when they are redoing management plans for cougars. We also follow and comment on hunting rulemaking in Wyoming and Nebraska. The Black Hills exists in two states (SD & Wyoming) and the Pine Ridge Ecosystem (which also has cougars) exists in three states – Wyoming, Nebraska, and SD and on tribal and non-tribal jurisdictions. We set up regional networking meetings for cougar advocates on mountain lions periodically. We have organized people to oppose GFP hunting plans and held meetings on the issue.

We have a web page on Moutain lions Action Alert, which is under our Events/Alerts menu drop down item.—

Mountain Lion Action Alert https://phas-wsd.org/cougar-alert/

River Otter

We opposed the delisting of the northern river otter by the SDGFP Commission. We oppose the river otter hunting seasons when they are periodically reapproved. We are working to get river otter reintroduced west River, which the SDGFP does not support in the River Otter Management Plan. We have information on river otter on our old out-of-date blog. That old link is on our beaver/otter web page.

Nest Predator Bounty Program

We have opposed the Nest Predator Bounty Program since inception and show up at all Commission meetings to approve new versions of it. We have organized people to oppose it and held meetings on this topic. We may attempt to get a bill against it passed in the legislature. The Nest Predator Bounty Program is a program that offers SD residents

$10 bounty per tail to trap beaver, red fox, stripped skunk, opossums, and badgers in the spring and early summer.

Nest Predator Bounty Program Action Alert link: https://phas-wsd.org/sd-nest-predator-bounty-program/

Wolves

We support other groups efforts in neighboring states (Wyoming/Minnesota/Wisconsin). Wolves in SD are currently protected statewide by the USFWS and the Endangered Species Act. Eastern SD is part of the Great Lakes Distinct Population Segment. Wyoming wolves are not protected by ESA and across the border they are hunted as predators. SD has a law that creates an unrestricted oapen season on wolves as soon as the USFWS releases SD wolves from protected status..

Raccoons

We fight for raccoons by opposing the nest predator bounty program and out-of-state residents being allowed to hound hunt raccoons. We have a meeting recording on raccoons from November of 2023.

See our alert on the Nest Predator Bounty Program https://phas-wsd.org/sd-nest-predator-bounty-program/ and Protect SD Raccoon Action Alert Link: https://phas-wsd.org/protect-sd-raccoons/

Raptors

We comment on behalf of raptors when reviewing various NEPA documents that or put out by land managing agencies. We have special concern for goshawks, because the old growth forest in the Black Hills has been reduced to less than one percent.

Bats

We comment on behalf of bats in various NEPA documents that are put out by land managing agencies. We have educational meetings on SD bats.

Black Footed Ferret

We hold meetings on the black footed ferret periodically – especially on Endangered Species Day Celebration, which we annuly host with other groups. We comment on NEPA documents about it. We attend meetings and sponsor meetings on the ferret and prairie dogs. We were a co-plaintiff in litigation against the Nebraska National Forest over the inadequacy of their prairie dog management plans. We comment on prairie dog management with agencies, including in the SD legislature.

Bears and Fishers

They have been extirpated from the state but may be returning and we watch over this and ask questions.

Birds

We have joined with others to petition the USFWS for the listing of the American Dipper in the Black Hills as a Distinct Population Segment. Those petitions were denied. We have a special concern for the Black Backed Woodpecker in the Black Hills which was petitioned for federal listing by the John Muir Project asking for a Distinct Population Segment designation. This was denied during the Trump Administration. It is believed that due to isolation our black backed woodpeckers and dippers are developing separate genetics from the rest of the USA population. We submit comments to NEPA documents or ule making and have educational meetings/field trips. We have special concern for the goshawk who is losing habitat in the Black Hills of SD.

For more information visit our alerts at: