The Game, Fish and Parks Commission approved proposals for the duck and goose hunting seasons at its July meeting in Rapid City. The seasons will be finalized at the commission's August meeting at Fort Sisseton. As proposed, Canada goose hunting along the Missouri River would get a little bit later start. The season in Unit 2, largely those counties along the river and portions of Custer and Fall River counties, would start on Nov. 1 and go through Feb. 13, 2009.

After a record year of antlerless deer donations, South Dakota's Sportsmen Against Hunger Program is expanding to include payments for the processing of doe and fawn antelope. The program will continue to offer a $50 processing certificate for antlerless deer and for 2008 will also offer a $40 processing certificate for doe and fawn antelope. The certificates are available directly from the processors with the majority of participating processors accepting the Sportsman Against Hunger certificate as the full payment for processing. After processing the meat is distributed to families who need meat.

As South Dakota's antelope population reaches a near-record size, the state Game, Fish and Parks Commission has approved a hunting season that offers significantly more licenses and tags.  To increase the harvest of antelope, the 2008 season will offer two new types of licenses: a three-tag license good for any antelope and two doe/fawn antelope and a three-tag license good for three doe/fawn antelope.

The S.D. Game, Fish and Parks Department is gearing up for its 14th Becoming an Outdoors-Woman workshop. The workshop will be held Sept. 19-21 at Outlaw Ranch, near Custer.

During a contract signing ceremony today at brothers Jeff, Steve, Mike, and Brad Hemmer's farm, Pheasants Forever (PF), USDA, South Dakota Game Fish & Parks Department and elected officials celebrated the immediate success of a new Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) practice; State Acres For wildlife Enhancement (SAFE). As part of the event, PF requested an additional 500,000 acres nationwide for the program based on strong interest and demand for SAFE in multiple states.

PIERRE, S.D.—On behalf of more than 50 partners from across the state, the S.D. Game, Fish and Parks Department presented a Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program proposal to the Governor’s Office last week. With the submission of this proposal on June 3 to the USDA’s Farm Service Agency by Gov. Mike Rounds, there is excitement among many about this program and its expected benefits.

HURON, S.D.—With the prairie winds waving around waist-high grass that has benefited from above-normal precipitation this spring, many nesting birds including pheasant, grouse and waterfowl are at the peak of their critical nesting and brood rearing time.

PIERRE, S.D.—Successful outdoor excursions usually take planning. The same was true of South Dakota’s first-ever Outdoor Expo. More than two years of planning culminated in a weekend event in May at the State Fairgrounds in Huron that introduced more than 4,000 visitors to the wonders of the outdoors.

“Our mission was to reach out to families and introduce them to outdoor recreation activities,” said Chuck Schlueter, communications manager for the S.D. Game, Fish and Parks Department, one of the organizers of the expo. “We accomplished that mission with a wealth of hands-on exhibits designed to help folks get a taste of what outdoor activities are like.”

According to harvest surveys compiled by the S.D. Game, Fish and Parks Department, last year saw the all-time highest recorded deer harvest in the state and it was the eighth straight year that deer harvest has increased.

GFP Game Harvest Survey Coordinator Corey Huxoll said that estimates indicate approximately 70,000 white-tailed deer and 17,000 mule deer were harvested during the 2007 hunting seasons, for a total of more than 87,000 deer. That is a slight increase of about 300 deer from 2006 and a significant increase of more than 41,000 deer since 1999.

FORT PIERRE, S.D. – Spend the day outside during the National Get Outdoors Day event on June 14 at Oahe Downstream Recreation Area near Pierre/Ft. Pierre.

A wide variety of family activities will take place throughout the day, including fish-golfing, geocaching, Dutch oven cooking, a snorkeling demonstration, a nature hike and various other outdoor activities. Kids will also get a chance to practice boating safety with U.S. Army Corps of Engineer mini-boats they can operate on the water.

PIERRE, S.D.—South Dakota’s hunting heritage has traditionally been passed from one generation to the next. Recognizing that linage, and wanting to help it along, the S.D. Legislature approved a bill this year that allows children as young as 10 years of age to take part in mentored hunting opportunities.

“Having youngsters in the field is nothing new in South Dakota,” said Tony Leif, director of the Wildlife Division of the S.D. Game, Fish and Parks Department. “Many South Dakotans learned about hunting and the outdoors well before they were old enough to hunt.”

PIERRE, S.D.—Mountain lions will be a recurring agenda item when the S.D. Game, Fish and Parks Commission conducts its May meeting at Custer State Park. The meeting will be held Thursday and Friday, May 1 and 2 at the State Game Lodge.

HURON, S.D.—With the arrival of spring, people are anxious to get outdoors and enjoy the nice weather. The S.D. Outdoor Expo to be held on the S.D. State Fairgrounds on May 17-18 will be a great opportunity for the whole family to get outside, enjoy the outdoors and learn a few new activities that they can enjoy all summer long. There are nearly 100 activities and booths for people to visit. There is sure to be something for everyone.

PIERRE, S.D.—In 2007 the South Dakota Sportsmen Against Hunger organization chose “Feed the Need” as its new slogan. And the state’s hunters did just that, making record contributions of venison to the program that helps feed the less fortunate.

“The hunters of South Dakota really outdid themselves this year,” said Jeff Olson, president of Sportsmen Against Hunger. “They donated 75,000 pounds of venison, up from 45,000 pounds the year before.”

BROOKINGS, S.D.—Reacting to the success of a management plan designed to reduce the size of the Black Hills elk herd, the S.D. Game, Fish and Parks Commission approved a 2008 hunting season that offers fewer elk licenses. The commission also finalized archery elk, prairie elk and bighorn sheep hunting seasons at its April meeting in Brookings.

PIERRE, S.D.—South Dakota’s robust turkey population has proven to be popular with hunters. Consequently, when they take to the field this weekend, turkey hunters should use caution in order to have a safe hunting experience. The spring turkey season starts on April 12.

“Hunters shouldn’t make the mistake of thinking that they’re in the woods alone,” said Curt Robertson, hunter safety coordinator for the S.D. Game, Fish and Parks Department. “A hunter who makes that assumption is more likely to be involved in an accident.”

PIERRE, SD—The S.D. Game, Fish and Parks Department has identified the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program as a powerful tool to meet goals to provide additional undisturbed habitat for wildlife and public hunting access.

PIERRE, S.D. – The Department of Game, Fish and Parks has completed a month-long investigation into a reported mountain lion attack on the shoreline of Sheridan Lake in the Black Hills and concluded that the attack probably occurred but did not find enough evidence to confirm it.

BROOKINGS, S.D.—Heeding the concerns of landowners and sportsmen’s groups, the S.D. Game, Fish and Parks Commission decided against a proposal that would have lengthened the pheasant season to the end of January.

The commission took the action at its April meeting in Brookings. The 2008 season will adhere to traditional dates, starting on the third Saturday of October—Oct. 18—and ending on the first Sunday of January—Jan. 4.

PIERRE, S.D.—Pheasant hunting will be a recurring topic when the S.D. Game, Fish and Parks Commission conducts its April meeting in Brookings. The meeting will be held Thursday and Friday, April 3 and 4 at the Days Inn, Brookings.