South Dakota 2013 Mountain Lion Season Proposed
OutdoorHub 08.12.13
The 2014 South Dakota mountain lion hunting season will have a lower harvest limit for the Black Hills under a proposal by the Game, Fish and Parks Commission.
Under the proposal, all of the state outside the Black Hills Fire Protection District would again be open for mountain lion hunting for the entire year. The season dates within the Black Hills Fire Protection District would also remain unchanged from last year, running Dec. 26, 2013 through March 31, 2014.
The 2014 harvest limit for the Black Hills as proposed by the Commission would be decreased from 2013. Last year the limit was 100 total mountain lions or 70 females. The 2014 proposal is for a harvest limit of 75 total mountain lions or 50 females. If either harvest limit is reached before March 31, the season would immediately close within the Black Hills.
Custer State Park, part of the Black Hills season structure, also has a proposed change increasing the number of hunting intervals when hunting with dogs is allowed from three to four, and decreasing the number of hunting intervals when hunting with dogs is not allowed from five to four. Four access permits will be issued for each of the four intervals when hunting with dogs is allowed and 30 access permits will be issued for each of the four intervals when no dog hunting is allowed.
The mountain lion hunting season proposals will be finalized at the Oct. 3 – 4 GFP Commission meeting at the Holiday Inn Express in Spearfish. To view the full proposals on those seasons, visit www.gfp.sd.gov/agency/commission/default.aspx and look under the “rule proposals” heading.
To comment on any of the proposals, send a letter to South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Commission, 523 E. Capitol Ave., Pierre, SD 57501; or email wildinfo@state.sd.us. Comments on proposal will be taken until 5 p.m. CDT on Oct. 2. To be included in the public record, please include your full name and city of residence.
To comment in person on these proposed rule changes, the GFP Commission will host a public hearing beginning at 2 p.m. MDT as part of their meeting on Thursday, Oct. 3.
