Traps Must Be Removed from Public Land by May 12
The South Dakota Department of Game Fish and Parks has announced that all previously allowed nesting predator traps must be removed from public land by May 12, 2019.
This announcement comes after the South Dakota Legislative Interim Rules Review Committee overturned a new rule passed by the GFP Commission to allow trapping on public land and rights of way after the normal deadline of May 1. That deadline was previously set to August 31.
Trapping can still be done on private land with landowner permission as long as the trapping season is still in effect.
The proposal was passed unanimously back in April to start the Nest Predator Bounty Program in spite of a large opposition to the program. This was one part of Governor Kristi Noem's "Second Century" initiative to preserve and grow habitat suitable primarily for pheasants, the most popular game animal for out of state hunters to pursue.