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WHEREAS: Landowners and lessees have experienced losses due to wildlife damage; and

WHEREAS: Landowners and lessees have to tolerate unethical hunter behavior; and

WHEREAS: The agricultural economy is unstable causing economic hardship.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: The South Dakota Stockgrowers Association supports incentives such as:

1. Option to transfer big game licenses.

2. Additional input to the allocation of hunting licenses.

Involvement in damage compensation programs.

2. PREDATOR DAMAGE CONTROL – AERIAL HUNTING (‘98)

WHEREAS: Aerial hunting is a primary tool to control livestock loss from predators; and

WHEREAS: Animal Damage Control officers have more territory to cover and cannot be present on every complaint where aerial hunting is required.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: The South Dakota Stockgrowers Association request the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks – Animal Damage Control Division promulgate regulations to facilitate aerial hunting where a state permute pilot has written permission from private landowner.

3. REGULATED TRAPPING

WHEREAS: Animal rights groups have introduced ballot initiatives in numerous states that would ban the use of steel foothold traps; and

WHEREAS: Some states have banned trapping due to misleading information provided by animal rights groups; and

WHEREAS: Scientific studies are currently being conducted nationwide to determine trap types that are more humane and efficient for more furbearing species.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: The South Dakota Stockgrowers Association supports State regulated trapping and the continued use of the steel foothold trap to manage and control furbearers causing damage to domestic livestock and property.

4.  Endangered and Threatened Species Reintroduction (’03)

Be it resolved: The South Dakota Stockgrowers Association Wildlife Management Committee opposes the reintroduction of any state or federal threatened or endangered species – plant or animal – unless the South Dakota Stockgrowers Association members and Board of Directors approve the listing of the species.

5. ENDANGERED SPECIES (Revised ‘01 ‘03)

WHEREAS: Actions by Federal Agencies in establishing endangered species habitat involve commitment of land resources to certain restrictions; and

WHEREAS: Most private and federal lands in South Dakota are subject to multiple use principle; and

WHEREAS: The impacts and implications of protection for threatened and endangered plants and animals are far reaching and long lasting; and

WHEREAS: Uncompensated takings of property rights is of major concern; and

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: The South Dakota Stockgrowers Association request the Governor of South Dakota require as a condition of any agreement to accept reintroduction of an endangered species into this state, a signed document representing the commitment of all involved agencies, both federal and state, to refrain totally from uncompensated takings.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That in the event of a claim of uncompensated taking, the state assure the citizen’s property rights and fair compensation.

WHEREAS: The light treatment in our laws and courts of hunting without landowner permission has caused a marked increase in hunting trespass; and

WHEREAS: Hunting without permission causes a serious safety hazard for both livestock producer and hunter.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: The South Dakota Stockgrowers Association request the legal consequences for hunting trespass and civil damages be increased and at least equal to those incurred for poaching.

WHEREAS: It is difficult to agree on the definition of an unimproved section line; and

WHEREAS: Big game hunting has been eliminated from road hunting; and

WHEREAS: Dove hunting is not allowed within 50 yards of a road; and

WHEREAS: Elimination of road hunting would make better hunting and better farmer/rancher relationships.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: The South Dakota Stockgrowers Association believe the solution is to eliminate road hunting and to instruct our leadership to work for this in the legislature.

8. WILDLIFE HABITAT (Revised ‘03)

BE IT RESOLVED: The South Dakota Stockgrowers Association go on record opposing the acquiring of more privately owned lands for wildlife habitat.

WHEREAS: Wildlife in excessive numbers causes extensive depredation to private lands.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: The South Dakota Stockgrowers Association go on record as supporting a policy allowing landowners or operators to protect property from wildlife depredation or be compensated.

10. Position on Prairie Dog Plan (‘01) (Revised ‘03)

Be It Resolved: The South Dakota Stockgrowers Association opposes any South Dakota State Prairie Dog Management Plan that does not protect the private property rights of landowners along with their ability to control prairie dogs.

Be It Further Resolved: That any Plan developed be in response to a scientific inventory of prairie dogs and acres containing prairie dogs; that citizens with grassroots knowledge participate in the Plan implementation; that the State involve the tribes in the planning and implementation process; that the Plan integrate related issues that exist on tribal, federal, and state land; that it contain provisions to control and contain plague in the event of a plague outbreak; and that it avoid landowner incentive payments and focus areas.

11. BLACK TAILED PRAIRIE DOG (‘03)

WHEREAS: The black tailed prairie dog is a range destroying rodent; and

WHEREAS: The black tailed prairie dog is host to a flea which carries the virus responsible for Bubonic Plague; and

WHEREAS: Thirty-three (33) cases of Bubonic Plague in humans have been positively linked to the black tailed prairie dog and/or its fleas, resulting in four (4) human deaths; and

WHEREAS: The current mapping program being carried out by the Game, Fish & Parks and the Forest Service shows there are many more acres occupied by the black tailed prairie dog than the National Wildlife Federation alleged in their original petition to include the black tailed prairie dog on the Endangered Species List; and

WHEREAS: The South Dakota Stockgrowers Association has found no solid biological evidence that the black tailed prairie dog is in any danger of becoming extinct; and

WHEREAS: The acreage occupied by the black tailed prairie dog is increasing.

THEREFORE BE it resolved: The South Dakota Stockgrowers Wildlife Management Committee call upon the South Dakota State Legislature to change the status of the black tailed prairie dog from a species of management concern to that of pest.

be it further resolved: The South Dakota Stockgrowers Wildlife Management Committee ask the state of South Dakota to petition the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to remove the black tailed prairie dog from the warranted by precluded list.

Whereas: The South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks and the U.S. Forest Service have publicly requested landowner involvement to verify the accuracy of their prairie dog census; and

Whereas: The South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks and U.S. Forest Service claim that funding is not available for their agents to conduct an accurate ground survey; and

Whereas: The South Dakota Stockgrowers Association desires to have an accurate count of prairie dog acres result from this census.

Therefore be it resolved: The South Dakota Stockgrowers Association requests that the South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks hold a public meeting in each county located in the historic prairie dog range in South Dakota to ensure that that maximum number of landowners possible will have an opportunity to verify the number, location and size of prairie dog towns on the land they control. We expect landowner input to assist the South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks and the U.S. Forest Service in achieving an accurate count of inhabited prairie dog acres in South Dakota.

13. ECONOMIC GAIN FROM WILDLIFE HARVEST (‘03)

Whereas: Landowners provide land for wildlife to reside throughout the year.

Whereas: Landowners pay taxes and maintenance on private property where wildlife resides.

Whereas: Landowners are not compensated for wildlife that utilizes private land.

Therefore Be It Resolved: The South Dakota Stockgrowers Association supports landowner's rights to gain economically from wildlife harvests on private land.

PLEASE NOTE: Resolutions passed prior to 2001 were transferred from Ag & Natural Resources Committee to Wildlife Management Committee upon it’s inception.