By Aberdeen Insider - March 13, 2025 in DEPARTMENT OF GAME, FISH AND PARKS
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
A Public Hearing will be held at the Matthews Training Center, 523 East Capitol Avenue, Pierre, SD, 57501 on April 3, 2025, at 2:00 (CDT) to consider adoption, amendment and repeal of Rules pertaining to:
- ARSD 41:04:05:02.01. Personal flotation device use required.
Effect: Provides greater clarity for users and law enforcement officers in regard to personal flotation devices that must be worn.
Reason: This was a recommendation made to the Department by the US Coast Guard upon completion of its audit of the Department’s use of Federal funds.
- ARSD 41:04:05:03. Fire extinguishers required — Exception.
Effect: Provides clarifying language ensuring that required fire extinguishers be in serviceable condition and not expired.
Reason: This was a recommendation made to the Department by the US Coast Guard upon completion of its audit of the Department’s use of Federal funds.
- ARSD 41:06:01:07.03. Landowner own land license types.
Effect: Includes PRE-09A and PRE-27A in Prairie Elk Hunting Season units
eligible for a landowner-own-land resident only antlerless elk license.
Reason: There is a desire from landowners to make landowner-own-land antlerless
elk licenses available in PRE-09A and PRE-27A.
- ARSD 41:06:03:01. Tagging required.
Effect: Removes the reference to a locking seal requirement for Canada geese.
Reason: The Special Canada Goose Hunting Season is being repealed.
- ARSD 41:06:16:03. Daily bag limit.
Effect: Increases the daily limit of pintail and reduces the bonus blue-winged teal season to nine days.
Reason: These changes are reflected in the Federal Register.
- ARSD 41:06:16:07. Goose hunting season, Conservation Order, and August Management Take established — Shooting hours — Exceptions — Open units — Closed areas.
Effect: Modifies the season dates in Unit 3 to match the season dates in Unit 2 for Canada geese.
Reason: Allow for an extra 31 days of Canada Goose Hunting in this area.
- ARSD 41:06:16:08. Special Canada goose hunting unit established — Limited permits — Application.
Effect: Allows hunting in this area with an appropriate waterfowl license without the requirement to obtain a permit specific to Bennett County.
Reason: The Special Canada Goose Hunting Season is being repealed.
- ARSD 41:06:16:09. Bag and possession limits on geese.
Effect: Removes language describing bag limits, permit requirements, and the application process for CGW-11A Special Canada Goose.
Reason: The Special Canada Goose Hunting Season is being repealed.
- ARSD 41:06:16:11. Maximum number of nonresident waterfowl licenses — Open units — Dates — License restrictions.
Effect: Moves 25 nonresident licenses from NRW-11A to NRW-00B.
Reason: This accommodates the repealing of the Special Canada Goose Hunting Season.
- ARSD 41:06:50:02. Open unit and season dates.
Effect: Precludes the rule from referencing Unit 3.
Reason: By aligning the Canada geese season dates in Unit 3 with Unit 2 is
proposed, Unit 3 would no longer need to be described in rule.
- ARSD 41:06:56:02. Open units.
Effect: Expands the unit boundary for BHS-BH4 and cleans-up unit descriptions.
Reason: To ensure adequate adult ram survival in the herd at this unit.
- ARSD 41:06:59:01. Prairie elk hunting season established — Number and type of licenses available — Season dates.
Effect: Expands PRE-09A and PRE-27A season dates.
Reason: There is a desire from landowners to allow elk hunting during September and November in PRE-09A and PRE-27A.
- ARSD 41:06:59:02. Open units.
Effect: Expands PRE-WRA.
Reason: There are increasing depredation concerns and complaints from landowners.
- ARSD 41:06:61:06. Application requirements — License and season restrictions — Special conditions — Carcass check-in procedures.
Effect: Allows the initiation of the pursuit of a mountain lion with dogs outside the
Black Hills Fire Protection District to occur anywhere.
Reason: To increase the harvest of mountain lions on the prairie of South Dakota.
Interested persons will be given reasonable opportunity to submit amendments, data, opinions, arguments, and their views, either orally or in writing (or both) at the hearing. Persons unable to attend the hearing may mail amendments, data, opinions, arguments, and their views 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 Game, Fish and Parks 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.
The above rule proposals 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. Notice is further given to individuals with disabilities that this hearing is being held in a physically accessible place. Any individuals with disabilities who will require a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in the hearing should submit a request to the undersigned at 605.773.3718 or 605.223.7684 (Telecommunication Device for the Deaf).
Published once on March 13, 2025, at the total approximate cost of $61.32 and may be viewed free of charge at www.sdpublicnotices.com and www.aberdeeninsider.com