01-28-2004, 11:10 PM
PIERRE – A proposed change to restrictions on aerial hunting for predators over public lands is up for consideration by the Game, Fish and Parks Commission.
The proposed change would enable permitted pilots to hunt depredating predators over selected public lands. Current rule prevents any aerial depredation hunts by private permitted pilots over all public lands.
"This change in the aerial hunting restrictions was initially requested by ranchers and landowners who were concerned about the inability to aerially hunt depredating coyotes and fox over public lands," said Wildlife Damage Management Program Administrator Art Smith of Pierre. "There are many areas in western South Dakota where public lands are leased for grazing, and those leased lands are intermingled with private lands. Often it is impossible, either from the ground or air, to determine the boundaries between public and private lands."
The Federal Airborne hunting Act prevents anyone from hunting for sport or recreation out of an airplane, but retains the ability for producers to protect their livestock by aerial predator hunting.
"Any pilots flying depredation hunts must be permitted through Game, Fish and Parks," Smith said. "The rule changes proposed entirely reflect the inputs received by the public lands management agencies in South Dakota. No changes would have been proposed if the agencies were not comfortable with privately-permitted pilots flying depredation hunts over their lands."
The proposed rule change would allow permitted pilots to fly depredation hunts over lands leased to them that are owned or managed by the Office of School and Public Lands, Bureau of Land Management, and the U.S. Forest Service’s Buffalo Gap National Grasslands, Fort Pierre National Grasslands and Custer National Forest. Aerial hunting on the US Forest Service lands would be permitted only with prior approval of the respective Area Manager coordinated through the Game, Fish and Parks Trapper for each predator control request. Aerial hunting on Bureau of Land Management and Office of School and Public Lands would not require prior approval or coordination through a department representative.
"A little more than one-million acres will be affected by this change, the majority of which are in Harding, Butte, Perkins, and Meade counties," Smith said. "Most, if not all, of the producers that lease public lands also own private lands. Currently, they already fly depredation hunts on their own lands themselves or with the help of neighbors. Therefore, the overall impact on the total numbers of permitted pilots flying these areas should not increase very much." He added that any new permitted pilots would be required to follow all federal and state laws, statutes and regulations covering aerial predator control.
Persons wishing to comment on the proposal may attend the public hearing at 2 p.m., Thursday, March 4, at the Holiday Inn Express in Ft. Pierre. Written comments may be sent to Game, Fish and Parks, 523 E. Capitol, Pierre, S.D. 57501, or e-mail to [url "mailto:wildinfo@state.sd.us"][font "Arial"][#0000ff]wildinfo@state.sd.us[/#0000ff][/font][/url][font "Arial"]. Comments must include the person’s full name and address.[/font]
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The proposed change would enable permitted pilots to hunt depredating predators over selected public lands. Current rule prevents any aerial depredation hunts by private permitted pilots over all public lands.
"This change in the aerial hunting restrictions was initially requested by ranchers and landowners who were concerned about the inability to aerially hunt depredating coyotes and fox over public lands," said Wildlife Damage Management Program Administrator Art Smith of Pierre. "There are many areas in western South Dakota where public lands are leased for grazing, and those leased lands are intermingled with private lands. Often it is impossible, either from the ground or air, to determine the boundaries between public and private lands."
The Federal Airborne hunting Act prevents anyone from hunting for sport or recreation out of an airplane, but retains the ability for producers to protect their livestock by aerial predator hunting.
"Any pilots flying depredation hunts must be permitted through Game, Fish and Parks," Smith said. "The rule changes proposed entirely reflect the inputs received by the public lands management agencies in South Dakota. No changes would have been proposed if the agencies were not comfortable with privately-permitted pilots flying depredation hunts over their lands."
The proposed rule change would allow permitted pilots to fly depredation hunts over lands leased to them that are owned or managed by the Office of School and Public Lands, Bureau of Land Management, and the U.S. Forest Service’s Buffalo Gap National Grasslands, Fort Pierre National Grasslands and Custer National Forest. Aerial hunting on the US Forest Service lands would be permitted only with prior approval of the respective Area Manager coordinated through the Game, Fish and Parks Trapper for each predator control request. Aerial hunting on Bureau of Land Management and Office of School and Public Lands would not require prior approval or coordination through a department representative.
"A little more than one-million acres will be affected by this change, the majority of which are in Harding, Butte, Perkins, and Meade counties," Smith said. "Most, if not all, of the producers that lease public lands also own private lands. Currently, they already fly depredation hunts on their own lands themselves or with the help of neighbors. Therefore, the overall impact on the total numbers of permitted pilots flying these areas should not increase very much." He added that any new permitted pilots would be required to follow all federal and state laws, statutes and regulations covering aerial predator control.
Persons wishing to comment on the proposal may attend the public hearing at 2 p.m., Thursday, March 4, at the Holiday Inn Express in Ft. Pierre. Written comments may be sent to Game, Fish and Parks, 523 E. Capitol, Pierre, S.D. 57501, or e-mail to [url "mailto:wildinfo@state.sd.us"][font "Arial"][#0000ff]wildinfo@state.sd.us[/#0000ff][/font][/url][font "Arial"]. Comments must include the person’s full name and address.[/font]
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