South Dakota GFP Proposes Turkey Rule Changes, Finalizes Deer and Antelope Allocations

Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) Commission convened for its June meeting at Heartland Energy in Madison on June 11-12, finalizing key hunting season allocations and introducing several new wildlife management proposals.

The Commission’s finalized actions heavily prioritized herd population growth, while new proposals addressed weapon restrictions, unit boundaries, and tagging definitions.

Finalized Rule Changes

Mentored, Youth, and Apprentice Deer Hunting 

To enhance deer herd population growth and limit overall harvest, the Commission finalized the closure of nine counties in southeastern South Dakota for mentored, youth, and apprentice deer hunting.

·        The primary goal of this closure is to reduce the antlerless deer harvest in the region.

·        In 2025, the female deer harvest from these specific seasons reached 255, accounting for the majority of the total female deer harvest in those units.

·        This closure works alongside previously established firearm license reductions across 12 units. Mentored, youth, and apprentice hunters will still be permitted to hunt in other open units statewide.

Antelope Hunting Season Allocations 

The Commission approved the final license allocations for the upcoming antelope hunting season, utilizing a management approach designed to support continued herd recovery.

·        Buck-only firearm licenses will see a 1% increase.

·        While recent population surveys show a 12% rise in antelope numbers, the overall population remains below the state’s established management objectives.

·        Archery and landowner-own-land seasons remain unchanged.

·        Doe antelope licenses will remain unavailable, with the Commission noting that no doe harvest will be permitted for at least the next two hunting seasons.

Proposed Rule Changes

The following items were proposed during the June meeting and will be considered for final adoption at the July Commission meeting.

Buck Deer and Bull Elk Antler Definitions: 

The Commission proposed a language clean-up to adjust the definition of a buck and a bull. By replacing the term “polished antler” with simply “antler,” the new rule would legally allow hunters to harvest velvet-antlered deer or elk.

Spring and Fall Turkey Seasons 

Several structural and boundary changes were proposed for the state’s turkey hunting seasons:

·        Spring Season: The Commission proposed removing references to federal property closures. Additionally, the combined Day and Codington County unit would be separated into county-specific units: Day County (PST-22A) and Codington County (PST-05A). Bennett and Sanborn counties are proposed to close for spring firearm turkey hunting.

·        Fall Season: A notable weapons restriction change was proposed that would allow hunters to use rifles or shotguns for fall turkey hunting in all units, with the exception of Minnehaha County. Hughes County is proposed to open for fall hunting, while Gregory and Mellette counties would close.

·        Unit Boundaries: The proposed adjustments would align the unit boundaries for both Spring and Fall turkey seasons across the state, except within the Black Hills.

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Shooting Preserve Pheasant Transport 

The Commission accepted a petition regarding the tagging and transportation of harvested pheasants. The proposal would allow hunters to transport harvested birds from a private shooting preserve directly to a lodge or cleaning facility that is not located on permitted acres before the birds are officially tagged.

Public Comment and Next Steps

The Commission is actively accepting public feedback on all proposed changes before their final adoption.

·        How to Comment: Comments can be submitted online and must include the commenter’s full name and city of residence to be included in the public record.

·        Deadline: Submissions must be received by 11:59 p.m. CDT on July 5.

·        More Information: Full proposals can be viewed at gfp.sd.gov/commission/information. Audio from the meeting is currently available via South Dakota Public Broadcasting and will be archived on the GFP website.

The next GFP Commission meeting is scheduled to take place in Webster, S.D., on July 9-10.