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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2006
CONTACT: Dave Wicks, 882-5200
PIERRE, S.D. -- South Dakota’s anglers are reminded that ice-fishing houses must be removed from the state’s public waters by midnight, Feb 25, except for Deerfield Lake in Pennington County and in the counties of Grant, Roberts, Day, and Marshall where the mandatory removal time is midnight, March 5.
Law Enforcement Specialist Dave Wicks said state law requires anglers to remove ice shacks no later than the dates specified, otherwise violatorsare subject to arrest. Wicks also reminds anglers not to leave their ice-fishing houses on shore or at public beaches or other public water-access facilities.
"A person may not leave a fish house or any other property for more than five days on other lands owned or leased by the department without written permission from an authorized representative of the department," he said. “Concerns behind this are that ice and weather conditions most often become unpredictable this time of year, and thinning ice and/or heavy snow can make it difficult to safely remove ice houses.
For those areas of the state that still have sufficient ice to support ice houses after these dates, anglers may still use portable ice shelters if they are removed from the ice each day.
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