FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, Sept. 3, 2004
CONTACT: George Vandel, 773-4192

Emergency Rule Addresses Prairie Dog Shooting

PIERRE, S.D. - The Game, Fish and Parks Commission has adopted an emergency rule that opens the possibility for shooting prairie dogs in the Conata Basin on the Buffalo Gap National Grassland south of Wall. The emergency rule was finalized during a teleconference meeting the GFP Commission held on Thursday, Sept. 2.

The purpose of the rule is to lift the year-round state restrictions on shooting prairie dogs on public land in the Conata Basin. However, federal shooting restrictions are still in place. The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) manages the Buffalo Gap National Grassland. That agency is working to modify their existing prairie dog hunting restriction on the public land to allow hunting within a one-mile buffer zone on the national grassland where it is adjacent to private land.

The GFP Commission imposed restrictions on shooting prairie dogs in 2001 as part of state efforts to keep the prairie dogs from being federally listed and managed as a threatened species. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service removed the prairie dog from the list of candidate species shortly after the commission’s regularly scheduled meeting in early August. The commission does not meet in September, so decided to act through the emergency rules process to remove the state shooting restrictions in the Conata Basin.

"Drought conditions, the moratorium on poisoning and the shooting restrictions helped contribute to an abundant population of prairie dogs in the Conata Basin," said George Vandel, an assistant director with the Division of Wildlife. "The increasing prairie dog population has moved onto neighboring private lands causing a hardship for agriculture producers who border the public land. The commission made the rule change to allow sport shooting in an area where prairie dog populations are going to be controlled."

Vandel noted that the commission took emergency action now, so when federal shooting restrictions are lifted, shooting can commence.

Don Bright, USFS supervisor for the area that includes the Conata Basin, said his agency is moving quickly but carefully to ease shooting restrictions.

"The Conata Basin is the site of the nation’s most successful endangered black-footed ferret reintroduction program," Bright said. "Over 260 ferrets inhabit this area, more than anywhere else in the country. In addition, it is home to more than 250 breeding pairs of burrowing owls, a species closely monitored by the USFS, as well as many other non-target species."

Bright said the USFS must be sensitive to the possibility that animals like the black-footed ferret and burrowing owl may be accidentally taken. The agency is now working on trapping and removing ferrets that live in the buffer zone. He said the USFS would soon ease shooting restrictions, but only in the one-mile buffer zone bordering private lands. The agency is preparing to sign the area to help hunters identify where shooting will be allowed. The federal agency is also considering a time restriction to prevent hunting in the buffer zone until mid-morning to avoid the possibility of accidentally taking young ferrets playing above ground.

"There is no firm date for easing of federal restrictions, but it will likely occur in the near future," Bright said.

Although the state has lifted the year around prohibition of shooting prairie dogs on the Conata Basin, it will still have the seasonal closure for shooting that other public lands in South Dakota have from March 1 through June 14.

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