GFP Commission sets mountain lion season
August 24th, 2005 by Administrator
GFP Commission sets mountain lion season PIERRE - The Game, Fish and Parks Commission has set a mountain lion season for South Dakota with some changes from the original proposal.
The season will run Oct. 1 through Dec. 15 but would end once a harvest limit of 25 mountain lions has been reached, or if five breeding-age female mountain lions are harvested. The proposal originally called for a total harvest limit of 30 animals.
Other changes from proposal include:
€ All firearms, muzzleloaders and archery equipment must meet the same minimum requirements as established in South Dakota rules for deer hunting.
€ Only mountain lions harvested from the Black Hills unit must be presented for inspection at the Rapid City regional office within 24 hours of harvest.
€ Allow landowners to purchase both prairie and Black Hills unit licenses but retain the restriction that they may only harvest one mountain lion in a season.
€ Set the prairie unit license fee at $10.
€ Clarify that to qualify for prairie unit licenses, landowners must meet minimum acreage requirements (160 acres) for landowner preference.
€ Clarify that only one member of a farm or ranch household may apply for a prairie unit license and that the license is only valid on the lands specified in the application.
€ Add a section to the chapter that states “The Game, Fish and Parks Commission may, by resolution, authorize the mountain lion season to extend beyond Dec. 15.
€ Allowing electronic calling devices.
Unlimited licenses will be available to South Dakota residents only.
Two units available will include a Black Hills unit covering portions of the Black Hills lying south and west of Interstate 90, west of Highway 79 and north of the Cheyenne River, excluding Wind Cave National Park, Jewel Cave National Park, Mount Rushmore National Memorial and the fenced portion Custer State Park. The second unit is the prairie unit that includes all of South Dakota, except the area included in the Black Hills unit. Unlimited licenses are available in this unit to landowners and valid only for their own property. One license is allowed per farm/ranch household with no set harvest limit.
Season requirements and restrictions include:
€ Mountain lions with spotted coats (kittens) and any mountain lion accompanying other mountain lions with spotted coats may not be harvested.
€ A person may harvest only one mountain lion in a season.
€ All mountain lions harvested in the Black Hills unit must be presented to the GFP Rapid City Regional Office within 24 hours of harvest for inspection and pelt tagging.
€ The mountain lion season in both units ends one-half hour after sunset on Dec. 15.
€ A person may not hunt with the aid of dogs, bait or traps.
€ Shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.
€ A person may use any firearm, muzzleloader or bow and arrow established as legal for taking deer.