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PIERRE – With the recent onset of winter weather conditions in South Dakota, Game, Fish, and Parks officials are urging farmers and ranchers to be proactive in reducing local damage caused by deer.
"Producers across the state need to remember the importance of the hunter’s role in wildlife damage management," said Andy Lindbloom, coordinator of the Wildlife Damage Management Program. "Hunting is by far the most effective tool the department has to reduce wildlife damage."
Adequate deer harvest, however, cannot occur without adequate access for hunters. "People hunting on private land need to respect the landowner and the land," Lindbloom said. "Landowners also need to realize that hunters can be used as a tool to reduce the local deer herd, which in turn, can reduce deer depredation problems."
In the minds of most people, South Dakota has been blessed with open, mild winters the last few years, but this will not last forever.
"We hope it’s a long time before another severe winter like 1996-97 strikes again," Lindbloom noted. "However, we do need to take anticipatory steps at reducing damage caused by wildlife when the opportunity presents itself--allowing hunter harvest is just one such opportunity".
Lindbloom added that producers in all parts of state experienced wildlife damage during the winter of 1996-97.
"The department responded to over 1,000 wildlife complaints that winter, primarily from deer damage to unharvested crops, hay stacks and silage pits," he said. "Most complaints averaged 50-100 deer, but some had concentrations as high as 400 deer! We hope this winter is nothing comparable to that of 96-97, but just in case, we are working to help prevent deer damage. The first step in the process is to encourage adequate deer harvest this hunting season."
Uploaded: 11/16/2000
Uploaded: 11/16/2000