Alcester Union & Hudsonite Online

PIERRE - South Dakota’s pheasant hunting season might get longer under a proposal being considered by the Game, Fish and Parks Commission. The proposal lengthens the season through January. In the past, the season has ended on the first Sunday in January.

“We have a lot of birds on the landscape, thus bringing many requests and questions as to why our department doesn’t adjust the pheasant season to provide more hunting opportunities. Those comments and suggestions led to many discussions amongst field staff, ultimately bringing the recommendation to lengthen the season,” said GFP Game Program Administrator Tom Kirschenmann. “There are more social issues related to the proposal than biological, as our pheasant winter sex ratio counts indicate a sufficient number of roosters available after the hunting season for spring breeding.”

According to GFP Senior Upland Game Biologist Chad Switzer, any uneasiness about flushing birds during harsh winter conditions and the undo stress applied to the birds is not a great concern as most hunting pressure occurs during favorable weather conditions, and in most cases, little hunting pressure will occur during extreme winter conditions.

“Landowners monitor weather conditions more closely than anyone, and if they feel hunting pressure will cause undo harm to wildlife, access will be limited,” Switzer said. “Similar to private land, public lands support adequate cover for birds to find refuge, whether flushed by hunters or predators.”

As proposed, the 2008 season would start on Oct. 18 and go through Jan. 31, 2009.

Assistant Wildlife Division Director George Vandel told commissioners that the change would bring the pheasant season in line with other hunting seasons that end on Jan. 31. He also noted that many of South Dakota’s hunting licenses run through Jan. 31.

In an attempt to bring uniformity to the hunting seasons, GFP staff also proposed lengthening the grouse, quail and partridge seasons to end on Jan. 31. The proposals for those seasons call for the grouse and partridge seasons to run from Sept. 20 through Jan. 31, 2009, and for the quail season to run from Oct. 18 through Jan. 31.

Another change in the pheasant season would add Gerken State Game Bird Refuge in Faulk County and the White Lake State Game Bird Refuge in Marshall County to the Unit 2 areas that have a later pheasant season starting date. Vandel noted that those refuges were closed to hunting in the past.

A longer season is also in the proposal for the youth pheasant season. The 2008 season is proposed with two additional days, running from Oct. 4 through Oct. 8. The longer season would necessitate a change in the possession limit from nine to 15 cock pheasants. The proposal also seeks to adjust the age eligibility for the season from hunters “no older than 15” to hunters “no older than 17.”

Kirschenmann said the proposed longer season was part of a trend that offers more opportunities for young hunters. He said the additional days would still allow ample time for birds to settle down before the resident only hunt the next weekend.

A proposal for the resident pheasant season to be held on public land on Oct. 11 through Oct. 13 was approved without changes from last year and is considered finalized by the commission.

The game bird hunting seasons are scheduled to be the topic of a public hearing at the commission’s April meeting in Brookings. Citizens who would like to provide written comments on the changes in the pheasant seasons may do so up until 5 p.m. Wednesday, April 2. Those comments may be mailed to Game, Fish and Parks Commission, 523 E. Capitol Ave., Pierre, SD 57501 or e-mailed to wildinfo@state.sd.us. All comments must include the sender’s full name and address in order to become part of the official record.

Comments may also be presented in person at the GFP Commission meeting at the public hearing which will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, April 3, at the Days Inn in Brookings.

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