· Prairie Dog Distribution Report Available
· Duck, Goose Hunting Seasons Proposed
· Nonresident Trapping, Falconry Rules Proposed
· Antelope, East River Deer Seasons Finalized
· Early Fall, Youth Goose Seasons Set
· International Bison Conference Rolls into Custer State Park
· State Parks Near Yankton Host Outdoor Activities
Prairie Dog Distribution Report Available
PIERRE, S.D.—An extensive survey of prairie dogs in South Dakota shows an increase in acreage for their colonies, a factor that will help keep the animals off the threatened species list.
Using a variety of methods, the 2006 survey by the S.D. Game, Fish and Parks Department found 625,410 acres of prairie dog colonies in western South Dakota compared to 404,673 acres found in the same area in 2003.
In western South Dakota, the increase in prairie dog colony acres on tribal lands from 2003 was 49 percent and the increase in prairie dog colony acres on non-tribal lands was 60 percent. The high density area of selected counties as defined in the report contains 87 percent of the prairie dog colony acres located in western South Dakota. Of those acres, 69 percent are found on federal and tribal lands.
“The estimates are based on the interpretation of aerial photographs as well as observing a sample of colonies on the ground,” said Silka Kempema, GFP terrestrial wildlife biologist. “Conducting a survey like this every three years is part of South Dakota’s commitment to manage and protect prairie dogs.”
In 1998, the black-tailed prairie dog was petitioned to be listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. In 2000 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service designated the prairie dog as a candidate for the list, but subsequently took it off the list after a concerted effort by various governmental agencies that make up the Prairie Dog Conservation Team. South Dakota is a member of that team.
State members of the conservation team were obligated to create management plans. South Dakota’s plan was finalized in 2005. Part of the plan establishes a minimum acreage for prairie dog colonies of 199,472 acres with 166,958 of those acres to be on non-tribal land. South Dakota also committed to conducting surveys of prairie dog colony acreage every three years.
“The most recent survey shows that prairie dog colonies are thriving in South Dakota,” Kempema said.
The survey is available on the GFP Web site at http://www.sdgfp.info/Wildlife/hunting/PrairieDog.htm or a copy may be requested from
The South Dakota prairie dog management plan can be accessed at http://www.sdgfp.info/Wildlife/hunting/Prairiedogfinalplan.pdf.
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Duck, Goose Hunting Seasons Proposed
PIERRE, S.D.—Delaying the duck opener by a week will help opening day hunters identify ducks on the fly. The S.D. Game, Fish and Parks Commission approved proposals for duck and goose hunting seasons at its July meeting in Pierre.
The proposal before the commission would set opening day for duck season at Sept. 29 everywhere in the state except for the Low Plains South Zone which includes portions of Gregory, Charles Mix, Bon Homme, Yankton, Clay and Union counties along the Missouri River.
“The later opening date will allow hunters to be able to better identify ducks on the wing since the birds’ feathers will have had another week to develop their identifying colors,” according to GFP Game Program Administrator Tony Leif. “Since bag limits are specific to species and sometimes gender, it’s very important for hunters to be able to identify their ducks before they pull the trigger.”
The proposed dates for the duck hunting season are:
· High Plains Zone, Sept. 29 through Jan. 3, 2008.
· Low Plains North and Low Plains Middle zones, Sept. 29 through Dec. 11.
· Low Plains South Zone, Oct. 13 through Dec. 25.
Leif told the commission that the season dates in the proposal are tentative because the federal guidelines for the flyway won’t be determined until early in August.
Senior waterfowl biologist Spencer Vaa advised commissioners that South Dakota is in the second year of a three-year experiment with the Hunter’s Choice duck hunting regulations. That daily limit of five ducks can include no more than two scaup, two wood ducks, two redheads, and an aggregate bag of one hen mallard OR one pintail OR one canvasback.
The proposed Canada goose hunting season for 2007 would also see some changes. Under that proposal, the eight-county unit in northeastern South Dakota—formerly known as Unit 3 and consisting of Marshall, Roberts, Day, Clark, Codington, Hamlin, Grant and Deuel counties—would merge with Unit 1. Also in that area of the state, the proposal calls for lifting the bag limit reduction for portions of Grant and Roberts counties that went into effect last year on Dec. 1.
Leif said GFP staff works hard every year to ensure that hunters get the maximum number of days for goose hunting opportunities. The proposed goose hunting seasons include:
· Light geese and white-fronted geese, statewide, Sept. 29 through Dec. 23.
· Canada geese, Unit 1, Sept. 29 through Dec. 23.
· Canada geese, Unit 2, Oct. 27 through Feb. 8, 2008.
· Canada geese, Unit 3, Jan. 12 through Jan. 20, 2008.
The proposed daily limits are three Canada geese, 20 light geese and one white-fronted goose.
Both seasons will be the subject of a public hearing at the commission’s next meeting planned for Aug. 9 and 10 at the Ramkota in Watertown. Copies of the proposals the commission will consider can be accessed at http://www.sdgfp.info/Commission/Proposals.htm
Citizens who would like to provide written comments may do so until 5 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 8. Those comments may be mailed to Game, Fish and Parks Commission, 523 E. Capitol Ave., Pierre, SD 57501 or e-mailed to wildinfo@state.sd.us. All comments must include the sender’s full name and address in order to become part of the official record.
Comments may also be presented in person at the GFP Commission meeting during the public hearing which is scheduled for 2 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 9.
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Nonresident Trapping, Falconry Rules Proposed
PIERRE, S.D.—The Game, Fish and Parks Commission returned to the topic of nonresident trapping with the consideration of a proposal to create rules for that activity at its July meeting in Pierre.
Action taken by the Legislature in its last session allows trapping by nonresidents. The commission tabled an earlier proposed set of rules after hearing concerns from resident trappers. As proposed, the rules for nonresident furbearer seasons would:
· Create a nonresident furbearer license and set the fee at $250.
· Prohibit nonresidents from taking mink, weasel, muskrat, beaver and raccoon until the first Saturday of December.
· Prohibit nonresidents from taking bobcats until the second Saturday of January.
· Prohibit nonresidents from using dogs to aid in the taking of raccoons.
GFP Game Program Administrator Tony Leif told the commission that GFP staff will continue to discuss alternatives to the proposed rules before the next commission meeting. “If we’re going to allow nonresident trapping, it’s important that we offer nonresidents a realistic opportunity to trap during that season,” Leif said.
Another rule proposal dealing with nonresident privileges would allow the taking or acquisition of raptors. Those rules were inspired by a visit the commission received from a Wild Raptor Take Conservancy representative in April. At that meeting commissioners learned that South Dakota was one of only nine states in the nation that doesn’t allow nonresidents falconers to take raptors.
The proposed rules establish a $200 nonresident raptor collecting permit and limit nonresidents to taking immature raptors from Sept. 31 to Jan. 31.
GFP Wildlife Biologist Doug Backlund told commissioners that red-tailed hawks and prairie falcons are popular with falconers, but that nonresidents would likely come to South Dakota to capture gyrfalcons.
The establishment of the rules and the resulting take by nonresidents is not expected to have a significant impact on the state’s raptor population because of the obscure nature of the sport. South Dakota, for example, has only 38 licensed falconers.
Both rule proposals will be the subject of a public hearing at the commission’s next meeting planned for Aug. 9 and 10 at the Ramkota in Watertown. Copies of the proposals the commission will consider can be accessed at http://www.sdgfp.info/Commission/Proposals.htm
Citizens who would like to provide written comments may do so until 5 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 8. Those comments may be mailed to Game, Fish and Parks Commission, 523 E. Capitol Ave., Pierre, SD 57501 or e-mailed to wildinfo@state.sd.us. All comments must include the sender’s full name and address in order to become part of the official record.
Comments may also be presented in person at the GFP Commission meeting during the public hearing which is scheduled for 2 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 9.
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Antelope, East River Deer Seasons Finalized
PIERRE, S.D.—Responding to concerns from West River landowners, the S.D. Game, Fish and Parks Commission significantly increased the number of antelope licenses available for the 2007 season.
With depredation by growing herds a concern for some landowners, the commission increased the number of resident tags by 2,855 over 2006 and increased the number of nonresident tags by 227.
GFP Game Program Manager Tony Leif told the commission that the increase in tag numbers was warranted due to the number of animals that were observed during the department’s annual survey.
Season dates will be Sept. 29 through Oct. 7 and Oct. 6 through Oct. 14 in units with a split season. Those areas include Harding, Perkins, Butte, Ziebach and Fall River counties, most of Meade County and a portion of Custer County. The season will run from Sept. 29 through Oct. 14 in other units that include the rest of West River as well as Walworth, Potter, Sully, Hyde and Hughes counties in East River.
The commission also approved more tags for the East River deer hunting season. The 2007 season will offer 725 more tags than were available in the 2006 season with most of the increase allocated to Minnehaha, Deuel and Moody counties, according to Leif.
A significant change for the 2007 season is the creation of a “super unit” consisting of the McPherson, Edmunds, Faulk, Spink and Brown county units. Unfilled tags in any of those units will be valid anywhere in the super unit during the January antlerless deer only season dates.
The 2007 East River deer season will run from Nov. 17 through Dec. 2 with licensed hunters able to take antlerless deer only on Dec. 3-9 and Jan. 1-9, 2008.
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Early Fall, Youth Goose Seasons Set
PIERRE, S.D.—Most of South Dakota will be open for early September goose hunting under the terms of an early fall Canada goose hunting season finalized by the S.D. Game, Fish and Parks Commission at its July meeting in Pierre.
The 2007 season will merge all of last year’s units and add much of western South Dakota not included in last year’s season. Excluded from the early fall season will be Unit 2 of the regular Canada goose hunting season including most counties on either side of the Missouri River and portions of Fall River and Custer counties and Unit 4 consisting of Bennett County.
GFP Game Program Administrator Tony Leif told the commission that barring hunting along the Missouri River during the early season is necessary to preserve the opportunity for late season goose hunting.
The early fall Canada goose hunting season will run from Sept. 8 through Sept. 28 with a daily limit of five Canada geese and a possession limit of 10.
The commission also finalized the statewide youth waterfowl hunting season which will be held on Sept. 22 and Sept. 23.
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International Bison Conference Rolls into Custer State Park
CUSTER, S.D. – The International Bison Conference 2007 kicks off tomorrow with the “Plains, Trains and Tatanka Wagon Train and Horseback Ride,” a three -day wagon train through Custer State Park.
The wagon train will take participants through parts of the park not accessible by modern day vehicles. The adventure starts the evening of July 20 and goes through the morning of July 24.
“We are geared up for an exciting three days,” said Chad Kremer, buffalo herd manager for Custer State Park. “This is an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for participants to see parts of the back country of Custer State Park most visitors never see.”
After the wagon train concludes on July 24, the conference will begin at the Ramkota Hotel in Rapid City, S.D. and will continue through July 28. Attendees will participate in discussions and share information on topics such as agri-tourism, animal health, food industry chefs and bison production.
The last day of the conference invites participants back to Custer State Park for “Ranch Day,” a fun-filled, family day at the park. “The park staff has many activities planned for the day,” said Bradley Block, chief of interpretation for Custer State Park. “From hands-on activities, to tours and picnics, participants will have fun as they learn about the park.”
The International Bison Conference is held every seven years, alternating between the United States and Canada. It draws participants from around the world. This year’s conference is co-sponsored by the National Bison Association, the Canadian Bison Association and the Dakota Territory Bison Association.
For additional information on the International Bison Conference, visit www.IBC2007.com. For additional information on Custer State Park, please contact the park at (605) 255-4515 or visit www.CusterStatePark.info.
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State Parks Near Yankton Host Outdoor Activities
PIERRE, S.D. – Visitors to Chief White Crane and Lewis and Clark Recreation Areas on July 27 and 28 can learn as they explore the parks. Both parks will be hosting Walk in the Park events to encourage visitors to be active, get outside and learn along the way.
· Chief White Crane Walk in the Park, Chief White Crane Recreation Area near Yankton. Friday, July 27 at 7:30 p.m. Visitors are invited to walk a South Dakota mile with the Lewis and Clark naturalists. Along the way participants will learn about American Indian games and uses of natural resources. Those interested in the walk should meet at the west bike trailhead just past Cabin C10 in the Chief White Crane campground. Participants will receive a 2007 South Dakota mile pin. Info: (605) 668-2985
· Fossils at Your Feet Walk in the Park, Lewis and Clark Recreation Area near Yankton. Saturday, July 28 at 9:30 a.m. Tom Vollmer, a local science teacher, will be at the park to share his private collection and knowledge of fossils. He will also lead visitors on a hike along the shoreline of Lewis and Clark Lake looking for fossils. This is an educational program about preserving and protecting fossils. (Please note, it is against state and federal law to remove fossils from state or federal land.) Participants should meet at the Gavins Point Nature Trail parking lot. Info: (605) 668-2985
These programs are in addition to the regular programming hosted by individual parks throughout the summer.
The programs are open to all ages. There is no cost to participate in any of these programs, although a park entrance license is required. Participants are encouraged to wear comfortable walking shoes and dress for the weather.
The Walk in the Park program is part of a series of educational, guided hikes held throughout the year in South Dakota state parks, recreation areas and nature preserves. Parks staff and volunteers lead the programs, which are co-sponsored by the S.D. Department of Health.
For more information on activities in S.D. state parks, visit www.SDparks.info, contact the individual park office or call (605) 773-3391.
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