By Aberdeen Insider - April 17, 2025 in DEPARTMENT OF GAME, FISH AND PARKS
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
A Public Hearing will be held at the Custer State Park – Event Barn, 13438 U.S. Highway 16A, Custer, SD 57730 at 2:00 pm (Mountain Time) on Thursday, May 8, 2025, to consider adoption, amendment, and repeal of Administrative Rules of South Dakota numbered:
- ARSD 41:06:00.01:02– Possession, Processing and Transportation of Game
Effect: Establish a definition for “Tagged/Tagging.”
Reason: Following passage of HB1035 in 2011 legislative session, the objective is to ensure big game populations are conserved, our conservation officers have the continued ability to enforce the tagging requirements, and hunters can understand and adhere to these rules.
- ARSD 41:06:01:12- Mentored youth big game license — Restrictions.
Effect: Modify the requirement of the mentored hunting program.
Reason: Desire to increase hunter participation and recruitment by optimizing hunting opportunities for mentored individuals and simplifying regulations for all youth hunters.
- ARSD 41:06:02:03 – Hunting license fees.
Effect: Modify license types to include mentored hunter licenses.
Reason: Desire to increase hunter participation and recruitment by optimizing hunting opportunities for mentored individuals and simplifying regulations for all youth hunters.
- ARSD 41:06:03:01.01 – Electronic license validation required.
Effect: This proposal would allow the option to switch to an electronic tagging option in the future.
Reason: The goal is to transition into full implementation of an e-tag system with all big game and tundra swan seasons.
- ARSD 41:06:16:09.01- Tundra swan season established — Open units — Shooting hours.
Effect: Modify to provide the option for a physical locking seal tag or an electronic tag for Tundra Swans.
Reason: The goal is to transition into full implementation of an e-tag system.
- ARSD 41:06:01:12.01 – Mentored youth hunting seasons – Restrictions.
Effect: Senate Bill 41 in the 2025 Legislature amended SDCL to modify the requirement of the mentored hunting program to allow the GFP Commission to establish mentored youth hunting seasons.
Reason: Remove barriers to participation in the mentored hunting program.
- ARSD 41:06:16:11 – Maximum number of nonresident waterfowl licenses — Open units — Dates — License restrictions.
Effect: Senate Bill 41 in the 2025 Legislature allow changes to mentor requirements in SDCL.
Reason: Flexibility to administrative rule would allow current opportunities to be expanded or reduced, depending on game availability.
- ARSD 41:06:19:02 – Open Unit (Black Hills Deer).
Effect: Modify to clean-up boundary description and correct county road references.
Reason: The changes will clean-up and standardize boundary descriptions for Black Hills Deer hunting unit descriptions and clarify user groups eligible for licenses.
- ARSD 41:06:19:04 – Special deer licenses.
Effect: Modify to specify licenses available to residents and nonresidents and clean-up boundary description
Reason: The changes will clean-up and standardize boundary descriptions for Black Hills Deer hunting unit descriptions and clarify user groups eligible for licenses.
- ARSD 41:06:22:01 – Archery deer hunting season established — Number and type of licenses — Access permits.
Effect: Modify antlerless hunting unit boundary criteria as well as specifications to license types.
Reason: The recommendation to remove license types and unit specification from administrative rule will allow the Commission discretion to alter license types and antlerless-only units for the Archery Deer season.
- ARSD 41:06:22:01.01 – Archery deer open units.
Effect: Clarify that antlerless whitetail license may be available in units that offer firearm antlerless licenses to allow some limited firearm hunting opportunity without creating an unlimited archery opportunity.
Reason: The recommendation to remove unit specification from administrative rule will allow the Commission discretion to alter antlerless-only units for the Archery Deer season.
- ARSD 41:06:22:03.01. – License purchase restrictions (Archery Deer).
Effect: Modify specifications to license types within rule and more directly specify the limits to the number of licenses an individual may purchase.
Reason: License type recommendations would follow a similar process to other license types.
- ARSD 41:06:44:02 – Number and type of licenses available (Apprentice Deer).
Effect: Modify “YOD” to “APD”
Reason: The unit description inadvertently referenced areas not included when it should have referenced otherwise.
- ARSD 41:06:45:01 – General muzzleloading deer hunting season established — Open unit — Number and type of licenses.
Effect: Modify to allow for specifications to license types within rule.
Reason: The recommendation to modify license types from administrative rule will allow the Commission discretion to alter license types for the Muzzleloading Deer season.
- ARSD 41:06:45:02 – Open units (General muzzleloading deer hunting season established).
Effect: Clarify that antlerless whitetail license may be available in units that offer firearm antlerless licenses to allow some limited firearm hunting opportunity without creating an unlimited muzzleloading deer hunting opportunity.
Reason: The recommendation to modify unit specification from administrative rule will allow the Commission discretion to alter antlerless-only units for the Muzzloading Deer season.
- ARSD 41:06:45:04 – Application requirements and restrictions (General muzzleloading deer hunting season established).
Effect: Modify § 41:06:45:01, § 41:06:45:02, and § 41:06:45:04 to remove specifications to license types within rule.
Reason: The recommendation to modify license types from administrative rule will allow the Commission discretion to alter license types for the Muzzleloading Deer season.
- ARSD 41:06:49:01 Youth waterfowl hunting season established.
Effect: Modify youth waterfowl hunting season to include mentored hunter season.
Reason: Desire to increase hunter participation and recruitment by optimizing hunting opportunities for mentored individuals and simplifying regulations for all youth hunters.
- ARSD 41:06:49:04 – Eligibility requirements and restrictions (Youth waterfowl).
Effect: Modify mentee requirements.
Reason: Flexibility to administrative rule would allow current opportunities.
Persons interested in presenting amendments, data, opinions, and arguments for or against the proposed rules may appear in-person at the hearing, or mail or e-mail them to the office of the Secretary of the Department of Game, Fish, and Parks, Foss Building, 523 East Capitol, Pierre, South Dakota 57501, or by going to the GFP website at http://gfp.sd.gov/forms/positions. All persons who desire to submit written amendments, data, opinions, arguments, and their views by mail or email are encouraged to mail or transmit the same in sufficient time so that it is received by and in the office of the Secretary of the Department of Game, Fish, and Parks 72 hours prior to the date of the hearing. All written and email comments must include the name, hometown/city, and state of the person submitting the comments.
After the written comment period, the Commission will consider all written and oral comments it receives on the proposed rules. The Commission may modify or amend a proposed rule at that time to include or exclude matters that are described in this notice.
For Persons with Disabilities: This hearing will be located at a physically accessible place. Please contact the Department of Game, Fish & Parks at least 48 hours before the public hearing if you have special needs for which arrangements can be made by calling 605-773-3718.
Copies of the proposed rules are available for review on the internet by going to https://rules.sd.gov/ and copies of the proposed rules may be requested from the office of the Secretary of the Department of Game, Fish, and Parks, Foss Building, 523 East Capitol, Pierre, South Dakota 57501 by calling 605-773-3718.
Published once on April 17, 2025, at the total approximate cost of $80.92 and may be viewed free of charge at www.sdpublicnotices.com and www.aberdeeninsider.com