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By: South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks - Updated: 1 day ago

SIOUX FALLS – The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) Commission held its meeting at Good Earth State Park on Aug. 31 - Sept. 1.

The commission voted to finalize several proposals from previous meetings. To view them in their entirety, visit gfp.sd.gov/commission/information/. 

The commission modified the language in the rule listing importation requirements of fish to better describe current definitions of pathogens or diseases of regulatory concern.

General fish provisions and limits

The commission made four changes to fishing limits and provisions. These changes are:

• Removed restrictions on when ice fishing shelters can be left overnight on inland waters. Additionally, shelters on SD/MN border waters will have to be removed daily after March 5.

•  Removed language referencing gear specifications for the noncommercial take of smelt.

•  Removed the 15-inch minimum length limit for largemouth and smallmouth bass on Burke Lake in Gregory County

•  Placed a 15-inch minimum length limit for largemouth and smallmouth bass on Lake Mitchell in Davison County.

Hoop nets, traps, setlines and floatlines

The commission made two changes to the hoop nets, traps, setlines and floatlines rules. They are:

• Changed the check times for hoop nets, traps, and setlines from 72 hours to 24 hours.

•  Modified the language to allow someone besides the licensee to run hoop nets, traps, setlines and floatlines if the licensee is present.

The commission made two changes to the paddlefish snagging and archery seasons. They are:

•  Administrative rule clean up related to paddlefish preference points. Preference points will still be available for purchase from Sept. 15-Dec. 15 for all paddlefish seasons.

•  Added crossbows as a legal method of take for paddlefish during archery seasons. For the archery season below Gavins Point Dam, crossbows may be used downstream of the Highway 81 bridge.

The commission created a permit to allow an individual to assist a disabled angler with lawful fishing activities.

The commission voted to down-list the peregrine falcon from endangered to threatened on the state list of threatened and endangered bird species. 

The commission made several changes to its current proposal for the spring wild turkey seasons. Following are the proposed changes for the spring turkey season:

•  Changed the proposed season start date from the third Saturday in April to the second Saturday in April for the prairie spring turkey season. This would be a no change from the 2022 season.

•  Changed the proposed season start date from the third Saturday in April to the fourth Saturday in April for the Black Hills spring turkey season.

•  For archery and mentored spring turkey licenses, season start dates would align with the prairie and Black Hills season, respectively.

•  For the Fall River hunting unit, removed the allowance to hunt within one mile of the Cheyenne River in the Black Hills hunting unit. 

Custer State Park  turkey

The commission modified their current proposal for the Custer State Park Spring turkey season to begin on the fourth Saturday in April.

Public comment  being accepted 

If you would like to comment on any of these proposals, visit gfp.sd.gov/forms/positions. Comments can also be mailed to 523 E. Capitol Ave Pierre, SD.

To hear the discussion on these proposals, audio from the meeting is available through South Dakota Public Broadcasting and will soon be available on the GFP website as part of the meeting archive. 

To see these proposals in their entirety, visit gfp.sd.gov/commission/information.

To be included in the public record and to be considered by the commission, comments must include a full name and city of residence and be submitted by 11:59 p.m. CST on Oct. 4.

The next GFP Commission meeting will be held in Rapid City on Oct. 6-7.

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