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PIERRE – South Dakotans may get a three-day pheasant hunt before the regular pheasant season begins if a special proposal is finalized by the Game, Fish and Parks Commission in September.
Game Management Specialist Ron Fowler said the Game, Fish and Parks Commission initiated a meeting Tuesday morning and adopted a proposal to open an early pheasant season for resident hunters only. The early season would be open Oct. 14, 15, and 16, one week prior to the regular pheasant season opener. Hunters would be limited to public lands only.
"This season would be open on all public lands, Walk-In Areas (unless otherwise listed as having special open dates) and on road rights-of-way adjoining lands open to hunting," Fowler said. "The three-day season would not include road rights-of-way adjoining private land."
A description of areas open to hunting includes:
All department-owned, managed, or leased property otherwise open to hunting.
Department-managed property designated as a Walk-In Area.
Property otherwise open to the hunting of upland game birds located on federal Waterfowl Production Areas, Bureau of Reclamation property, U.S. Forest Service National Grasslands property, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers property adjacent to the Missouri River.
Daily shooting hours would be noon to sunset, with a daily limit of three rooster pheasants.
Required resident licenses would include a small game, combination, junior combination and youth small game.
Additionally, modifications were made to the youth pheasant season by increasing the season from 2 to 3 days (October 14, 15 & 16) and increasing the daily limit from two to three rooster pheasants. The possession limit would be nine.
Another modification would permit both resident and nonresident youth hunters to hunt road rights-of-way that adjoin public land open during the three-day resident pheasant season.
Required youth licenses would include the resident youth small game or nonresident youth small game.
"In summary," Fowler said, "the only difference between the regular and youth pheasant seasons will be that youths (resident and nonresident) can hunt private land."
Public comment can be given at a special meeting to be held at 10 a.m., Sept. 14, at the Ramkota Inn in Pierre. Written comments can be sent to 523 East Capitol Ave., Pierre, S.D., 57501, or by e-mail to wildinfo@gfp.state.sd.us
Finalization of this proposal will occur at that meeting.
Uploaded: 8/28/2000
Uploaded: 8/28/2000