In the Senate

Date: 2/9/15       SB: 169

            Senator CJ Steiner, Tate Jensen, and Brent Ogren introduced the following bill, which was referred to the committee on February 13^th, 2015.

Section 1 –

 To establish stricter regulations on out-of-state hunting and fishing licenses when game populations are decreased in number and struggling to rise to normal standards.

 

1. Be it enacted by the Senate and
2. House of Representatives of the
3. United States of America in
4. Congress assembled, that

 

Section 2 –

            If certain game/fish populations including; deer, pheasants, turkey, and all species of fish are diminishing the out-of-state residents will be unable to buy hunting, fishing, and fur-bearer licenses. When any of the populations of these species drops to seventy-five percent, then tags/licenses will be cut to out-of-state residents. The bag limits for residents of the state will reduced to one deer per person, two pheasants per day, one turkey per season, and the limits on all fish will be reduced by fifty percent. When it comes to waterfowl, (ducks, geese, ext.), It only counts the local population. The Game Fish and Parks Department will decide when the local populations have moved on and the migratory populations are on their journey south. Once the populations are back to their normal standards, all regulations will be lifted and out-of-state hunters will be granted the privilege to hunt in South Dakota for pursued game and fish.

 

Section 3 –

            The Bill will be enforced by the South Dakota Game Fish and Parks association. They will be in charge monitoring the population of animals, and they decide when tags/limits should be restricted. The South Dakota Game Fish and Parks will also monitor the populations, and decide when the populations are back to a healthy level.

 

Section 4 –

            The penalties for violating the concerns of this bill apply for out-of-state residents, and also in-state residents. Penalties for in-state-residents that violate the bill will be the same as they are now, with possession limit fines, and over bagging fines. Penalties for out-of-state residents will be, the convicted persons will lose all rights to hunt in South Dakota for ten years, and also be fined the same amount that a resident of South Dakota would have been.