GFP News for June 9, 2020
GFP Commission Denies Nonresident Walleye/Sauger Fishing Season
PIERRE, S.D. – The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Commission denied a petition that would have created a season for walleye/sauger, for nonresidents, for certain areas of the Missouri River. As described in the petition, nonresidents would only be able to harvest walleye from these areas when the season was open.
The petition proposed a nonresident walleye/sauger fishing season from May 1 through December 31. Areas on the Missouri River where the season would have been in effect included:
From Fort Randall Dam to the Spillway LUA boat ramp
Lake Francis Case from Big Bend Dam through the point two miles downstream
Lake Sharpe from Oahe Dam to the Highway 14 Bridge.
During the petition’s suggested closed season period of January 1 through April 30, nonresident anglers could have still fished the specified areas but could not harvest walleye/sauger.
GFP Commission Denies Petition to Change License Allocation for Elk
PIERRE, S.D. – The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Commission denied a petition that would have guaranteed a license or created a stand-alone drawing for a big game license to those with more than 20 years of preference in a big game lottery.
“We’ve had multiple discussions on this topic,” Wildlife Division Director Tom Kirschenmann told the commission. “It’s no surprise that this comes up this time of year, when elk drawings have just been completed. Especially when it comes to elk in South Dakota, we have extremely high demand for these licenses, but a limited resource.”
Kirschenmann noted that there are 450 bull tags available for the Black Hills firearm elk hunting season and approximately 12,000 applicants for this opportunity each year.
In recent years, GFP and the commission have taken steps to ensure more licenses go to applicants who have a higher number of preference points, while maintaining opportunity for all applicants. Efforts include the concept of cubing preference points, which helps ensure applicants with more preference points have greater chances of drawing a preferred license.
GFP Commission Proposes Fees for Nonresident Landowner Deer and Antelope Licenses
PIERRE, S.D. – During the 2020 South Dakota Legislative Session, the legislature created a provision to allow for nonresident landowners to be eligible for west river deer and firearm antelope licenses for their own land. In response to this action, the Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) Commission proposed license fees for these licenses at their June meeting.
The proposal would set these licenses at half the fee of the deer or antelope license which has been applied for. Under the proposed fee structure of one half, that price would be $140 for an “any deer” license, $140 for an “any antelope” license, and $165 for an “any antelope + doe/kid” license.
Individuals can comment online at gfp.sd.gov/forms/positions or mail comments to 523 E. Capitol Ave., Pierre, SD 57501.
To be included in the public record and to be considered by the commission, comments must include a full name and city of residence and meet the submission deadline of 72 hours before the public hearing (not including the day of the public hearing).
GFP Commission Proposes Local Fees Exemption for Yankton Sioux Tribal Members, Families
PIERRE, S.D. – At their June meeting, the Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) Commission, proposed a park entrance fee exemption in collaboration with the Yankton Sioux Tribe. Under the proposal, Yankton Sioux Tribal members and their families would be able to access four park areas local to the Yankton Sioux Reservation without purchasing a park entrance license (PEL) from the state.
These areas include North Point Recreation Area, South Shore Lakeside Use Area, Randall Creek Recreation Area and the Spillway Lakeside Use Area.
“We’re excited to work with the tribe in this way,” said Scott Simpson, Parks Division Director for GFP. “This exemption would provide members of the Yankton Sioux Tribe (YST) and their immediate families greater access to local outdoor recreational opportunities and the educational programs that parks provide.”
GFP has traditionally waived the PEL requirement for tribal members who use the state parks for religious purposes. This larger opportunity for free entrance would offer more privacy in those situations. A sticker or pass will be developed for Yankton Sioux tribal members, as the exemption would not extend to every state park and recreation area.
This exemption does not apply to other fees such as camping, lodging, picnic shelter reservations, or equipment rentals.
Individuals can comment online at gfp.sd.gov/forms/positions or mail comments to 523 E. Capitol Ave., Pierre, SD 57501.
To be included in the public record and to be considered by the commission, comments must include a full name and city of residence and meet the submission deadline of 72 hours before the public hearing (not including the day of the public hearing).
GFP Commission Continues River Otter Trapping Season Discussion
Following last month’s final action to remove the river otter from South Dakota’s threatened and endangered species list, the Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) Commission continued the discussion on a proposal to create a limited take trapping season for river otters with the following proposed rules:
1. Establish a trapping season that is open from sunrise on November 1 to sunset on December 31 in all counties of the state.
2. Limit of one river otter per trapper per season.
3. Statewide harvest limit of 15 river otters. Season will end prior to December 31 if the harvest limit is reached.
4. Trapping season open to residents only, with a furbearer license.
5. A river otter shall be reported to the Department within 24 hours of harvest. At time of reporting, arrangements will be made to check in the carcass and detached pelt at a GFP office or designated location for registration and tagging of the pelt within 5 days of harvest. Additionally, once the season has closed (last day of season or harvest limit reached), a person has 24 hours to notify the Department of a harvested river otter.
6. The pelt shall be removed from the carcass and the carcass shall be surrendered to the Department. After the pelt has been tagged, it shall be returned to the trapper. Upon request, the carcass may be returned to the trapper after the carcass has been inspected and biological data collected.
7. Any river otter harvested after the 24-hour period following the close of the season, will be considered incidental take and shall be surrendered to the Department.
8. A person may only possess, purchase or sell raw river otter pelts that are tagged through the eyeholes with the tag provided by the Department or if the river otter was harvested on tribal or trust land of an Indian reservation or another state and is properly and securely tagged with a tag supplied by the governmental entity issuing the license.
Individuals can comment online at gfp.sd.gov/forms/positions or mail comments to 523 E. Capitol Ave., Pierre, SD 57501. To be included in the public record and to be considered by the commission, comments must include a full name and city of residence and meet the submission deadline of 72 hours before the public hearing (not including the day of the public hearing).
The Commission will take final action on this proposal at their July 16-17 meeting in Pierre.
Fall Turkey Season Proposal Discussed
PIERRE, S.D. – The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) Commission discussed their proposal to slightly decrease the number of licenses available for the 2020 and 2021 fall turkey hunting seasons.
The proposal would include 200 resident and 16 nonresident, single-tag “any turkey” licenses for the Black Hills season. The prairie units would have 400 single-tag and 35 double-tag “any turkey” licenses for residents and 28 single and 3 double tag “any turkey” licenses available for nonresidents.
The proposal would also close Gregory (Unit 30A), Mellette (50A), and Tripp (60A) counties to the fall turkey hunting season, as well as establish and open Bon Homme County (Unit 12A) for the season.
The proposed seasons would run Nov. 1, 2020 – Jan. 31, 2021 and Nov. 1, 2021 – Jan 31, 2022.
Individuals can comment online at gfp.sd.gov/forms/positions or mail comments to 523 E. Capitol Ave., Pierre, SD 57501. To be included in the public record and to be considered by the commission, comments must include a full name and city of residence and meet the submission deadline of 72 hours before the public hearing (not including the day of the public hearing).
The commission will finalize this proposal at their July 16-17 meeting in Pierre.
Proposal to Remove the Lost License Fee Discussed
PIERRE, S.D. – The Game, Fish and Parks Commission continued their discussion to remove the $20 administrative fee for lost or destroyed licenses, permits or game tags. However, the license agent’s fee established by SDCL 41-6-66.1 would still be charged by license agents and the department.
The purpose of requesting this change is a direct action to provide enhanced customer service. The replacement cost was inadvertently creating a barrier to participation in certain circumstances.
Authorized license agents and the department, as per SDCL 41-6-66.1, will charge a license agent’s fee of $4 for resident and $8 for nonresident licenses.
Individuals can comment online at gfp.sd.gov/forms/positions or mail comments to 523 E. Capitol Ave., Pierre, SD 57501.
To be included in the public record and to be considered by the commission, comments must include a full name and city of residence and meet the submission deadline of 72 hours before the public hearing (not including the day of the public hearing).
The Commission will take final action on this proposal at their July 16-17 meeting in Pierre.
