Spring Spawn Wrapped Up

Fisheries crews concluded a successful spawning season by surpassing a walleye egg goal that was the largest in more than a decade, and nearly reaching the target established for northern pike.

Jerry Weigel, fisheries production and development section leader for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, said department staff, along with personnel from the Garrison Dam and Valley City national fish hatcheries, collected 60 million walleye eggs during spring spawning.

“The timing was perfect for spawning walleye in North Dakota,” Weigel said. “The weather was ideal and the fish were healthy.”

Crews collected 33.9 million walleye eggs from Lake Sakakawea over an 8-day period. In addition, 24.4 million came from Devils Lake, and another 1.9 million from Lake Audubon.

“It is interesting to note that the peak of the run was occurring in Lake Sakakawea right when crews were closing down operations because the egg goal had been met,” Weigel said.

While near-record catches occurred on Lake Sakakawea, the higher water level at Devils Lake made netting difficult, resulting in a lower walleye catch at Devils Lake than in recent years.

Warm weather conditions dictated an early pike run, Weigel said, and a quick spawn resulted in an egg take of 14.3 million.

“We had a very short window, making pike egg collections a challenge,” he added. “But staff netted six lakes – the most in one spring – and the above-average egg quality provided more than enough pike eggs to meet hatchery needs.”

Crews collected pike eggs from Alkali/Spiritwood Lake in Stutsman County, Lake Ashtabula in Barnes County, Devils Lake in Ramsey County, Turtle Lake in McLean County, Pfiefle Lake in McIntosh County, and Beaver Bay on Lake Oahe.

With the return of normal water conditions in the Missouri River System, the importance of Beaver Bay was especially noteworthy as it led the state in terms of pike egg take. 

Weigel said plans are to stock approximately 9 million walleye fingerling into nearly 120 waters in mid-June, and 2.5 million pike fingerling into approximately 90 waters during the last two weeks of May.

Remaining Deer Samples Negative for CWD

The remaining 1,000 North Dakota deer samples that were tested for chronic wasting disease and bovine tuberculosis are negative, according to Dr. Dan Grove, wildlife veterinarian for the State Game and Fish Department.

In all, more than 3,000 targeted and hunter-harvested samples from 2009 were sent to a lab in Minnesota. One mule deer taken last fall in unit 3F2 in western Sioux County tested positive for CWD, the first positive sample taken from a North Dakota animal.

Grove said one positive test result is not cause for alarm as the deer population remains healthy. “We’ve had a plan in place because of the presence of CWD outside of the state’s borders,” he added. “It is of high importance, however, that hunters continue to provide heads for testing.”

The deer population in unit 3F2 is above management goals, Grove said, so sampling efforts and hunter pressure will continue to be put on the population in the unit again this fall.

In addition to sampling 3F2, the Game and Fish Department will continue its three-year rotation of the Hunter-Harvested Surveillance program by sampling deer this fall from units in the eastern third of the state. In addition, all moose and elk harvested in the state, regardless of hunting units, are eligible for sampling.

Since the department’s sampling efforts began in 2002, more than 16,000 deer, elk and moose have tested negative for CWD.

CWD affects the nervous system of members of the deer family and is always fatal. Scientists have found no evidence that CWD can be transmitted naturally to humans or livestock.

Border Water Fishing Regulations

PIERRE, S.D. — The Game, Fish and Parks Department is reminding anglers that fishing regulations on South Dakota’s border waters may vary from statewide fishing regulations.

While special regulations apply to all border waters, prominent fisheries in that category include Big Stone Lake and Lake Traverse on the Minnesota border, the Big Sioux River on the Iowa border, and Lewis and Clark Lake on the Nebraska border. Anglers should refer to the 2010 Fishing Handbook for specific daily, possession, and length limits on all border waters. 

 People fishing below Gavin’s Point Dam should be aware that the 2010 South Dakota Fishing Handbook incorrectly indicates that there is a 15-inch minimum length limit for walleye/sauger/saugeye caught below Gavin’s Point Dam on the Missouri River. There is no minimum length limit for walleye/sauger/saugeye in those waters. The daily and possession limits are four and eight, respectively.

 The statewide “one over 20-inch” regulation allowing anglers to only keep one walleye daily larger than 20 inches does not apply to any of the Nebraska border waters.

 The Fishing Handbook is available from retail license agents, GFP offices and in PDF format on the GFP website at www.sdgfp.info. Anglers with questions about the regulations are encouraged to contact a local GFP office.

 Proposed Change to Preserve Bird Tagging Requirements

 The South Dakota Game Fish and Parks Commission is proposing changes to the bird tagging requirements on shooting preserves.

 The current rule would be amended to allow removal of heads, legs and plumage from birds harvested on licensed preserves.

 Because licensed shooting preserves are considered wildlife processing facilities, they are subject to record-keeping requirements for processing activities. The record-keeping should alleviate any concerns about identifying the sex of birds after processing.

 The Commission is also proposing to add quail to the list of birds excluded from the identification-marking requirement.

 Residents who would like to provide written comments on the preserve proposal may do so until 5 p.m. Wednesday, June 2. Comments may be mailed to Game, Fish and Parks Commission, 523 E. Capitol Ave., Pierre, SD, 57501, or e-mailed to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . All comments must have the senders’ full names and addresses in order to be included in the public record.

 Comments may also be presented in person during the GFP Commission public hearing, which is scheduled for 2 p.m. CDT on Thursday, June 3 at Cedar Shore Resort in Oacoma.

Fall Turkey Season and Changes in Muskrat and Mink Trapping Seasons Proposed

PIERRE, S.D. – Proposed changes to the 2010 Fall Turkey Season would add Stanley County to the West River Prairie Turkey Unit, create units for Moody and Duel counties and offer approximately 600 more licenses for East River Units.

 The South Dakota Game Fish and Parks Commission has also proposed that the Fall Turkey Season run from Oct. 1, 2010 – Jan. 31, 2011.

 The Commission also proposed extending the date that muskrat trapping can occur, on or in muskrat houses, from March 1 to March 15. 

 In addition, the Commission is proposing to add a rule on the marking or claiming of trap locations on public road right-of-ways or public lands prior to the start of the mink season.

 Residents who would like to provide written comments on those proposals may do so until 5 p.m. Wednesday, June 2. Comments may be mailed to Game, Fish and Parks Commission, 523 E. Capitol Ave., Pierre, SD, 57501, or e-mailed to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . All comments must have the senders’ full names and addresses in order to be included in the public record.

 Comments may also be presented in person during the GFP Commission public hearing, which is scheduled for 2 p.m. CDT on Thursday, June 3 at Cedar Shore Resort in Oacoma.

 Deer Harvest Declines in South Dakota

PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota hunters reported mixed results for the 2009 deer seasons, with weather and unharvested crops playing major roles.

 Harvest surveys compiled by the Game, Fish and Parks Department show that last year was the first year the statewide deer harvest has fallen in the last ten years.

 GFP Game Harvest Survey Coordinator Corey Huxoll said an estimated 69,000 white-tailed deer and 18,000 mule deer were harvested during the 2009 hunting seasons, for a total of more than 87,000 deer. That is a reduction of more than 4,000 deer from 2008, but still 41,000 more than the 46,000 deer harvested in 1999.

 Reductions in the harvest of East River Deer, Muzzleloader Deer, Youth Deer and Black Hills Deer accounted for most of the decline, with an offsetting increase in the West River Deer harvest. Both whitetail buck and doe harvest estimates declined from 2008 by 1,600 and 2,779 respectively. The mule deer buck harvest also decreased from 2008 by 624;  however, the mule doe harvest increased by nearly 800. Mule deer accounted for about 20% of the total harvest.

 The overall deer harvest success declined statewide from 48 percent in 2008 to 43 percent last year. Harvest success ranged from 23 percent at Sand Lake Refuge to 75 percent for West River Special Buck.

 Information for surveys is collected in a random post-season sampling of hunters, and Huxoll says the department thanks them for the important role they play in helping gather harvest information for all game species in the state.

 “It is only through the cooperation of hunters completing harvest report cards that we are able to assess the success of the harvest for each of the deer seasons,” Huxoll said. “Hunter surveys are an efficient, scientifically sound and cost-effective method for assessing harvest mortality on wildlife populations that GFP is responsible for managing.”

 The 2009 Big Game Harvest Projections Report can be accessed through the GFP website at http://gfp.sd.gov in the “Hunting” section under “Harvest Reports,” or it can be requested by mail or in person in printed form from: Game, Fish and Parks Commission, 523 E. Capitol Ave., Pierre, SD, 57501.

Black Hills Deer Season Proposed

PIERRE, S.D. – A proposal to offer fewer deer licenses for the Black Hills will be considered next month by the South Dakota Game Fish and Parks Commission.

The proposed season would run from Nov. 1-30, and would offer residents 100 fewer Any Deer tags; 500 fewer Any Whitetail tags; 300 fewer Antlerless Deer tags; and 1,400 fewer Antlerless Whitetail tags.

 Nonresidents would be offered eight fewer Any Deer tags, 40 fewer Any Whitetail tags, 24 fewer Antlerless Deer tags, and 112 fewer Antlerless Whitetail tags.

 People who want to provide written comments on the Black Hills Deer Season proposals may do so until 5 p.m. Wednesday, June 2. Comments may be mailed to Game, Fish and Parks Commission, 523 E. Capitol Ave., Pierre, SD, 57501, or e-mailed to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . All comments must have the senders’ full names and addresses in order to be included in the public record.

Comments may also be presented in person during the GFP Commission public hearing, which is scheduled for 2 p.m. CDT on Thursday, June 3 at Cedar Shore Resort in Oacoma.

South Dakota West River Deer Season Proposed

PIERRE, S.D. – People who hunt in the West River Deer season in South Dakota can  take to the field beginning Nov. 13, if a Game Fish and Parks Commission proposal is adopted in June.

 The Commission has also proposed season dates of Nov. 6-9 and Nov. 22-28 in Gregory, and Mellette counties; and Nov. 6-28 in Dewey, Ziebach and Corson counties.

 Other proposed changes from last year’s season would:  reduce resident one-tag licenses by 500; increase two-tag licenses by 3,150,; reduce three-tag licenses by 4,520; reduce nonresident one-tag licenses by 40; increase two-tag licenses by 252; reduce three-tag licenses by 362; change rules language to correctly reflect that the number of licenses issued to nonresidents may not exceed 8 percent, except in unit 58D (the current rule reads 58B); for Unit 02A, change the unit boundary road name from “Viewfield-Hereford Road” to “New Underwood Road”; update language on licenses issued to landowners to reflect a new state law allowing qualifying landowners to receive two antlerless deer licenses free of charge for use during this season.

Residents who want to provide written comments on the West River Deer Season proposals may do so until 5 p.m. Wednesday, June 2. Comments may be mailed to Game, Fish and Parks Commission, 523 E. Capitol Ave., Pierre, SD, 57501, or e-mailed to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . All comments must have the senders’ full names and addresses in order to be included in the public record.

Comments may also be presented in person during the GFP Commission public hearing, which is scheduled for 2 p.m. CDT on Thursday, June 3 at Cedar Shore Resort in Oacoma.

South Dakota Will Allow August Canada Geese Hunting

PIERRE, S.D. – In an effort to control crop depredation by Canada geese, the South Dakota Game Fish and Parks Commission has decided to allow hunters to participate in an August Canada Goose Take Season this year.

 The season will be held in 15 counties of 32.

 The August Canada Goose Take Season will be held in Brookings, Clark, Codington, Day, Deuel, Hamlin, Grant; Kingsbury, Lake, McCook, Marshall, Miner, Minnehaha, Moody and Roberts counties. 

 Hunters participating in the special August season will not need the Federal Migratory Bird Stamp, but all other restrictions are the same as those in effect for the Early Fall and Regular Canada Goose seasons.

SD Archery Hunters Will Be Able to Use 2-Inch Broadheads While Hunting

PIERRE, S.D. – The South Dakota Game Fish and Parks Commission has agreed to allow bow hunters to use broadhead arrows up to 2 inches in diameter while hunting big game in the state.

 The current rule allows hunters to use only up to 1-7/8 inch broadheads.

 The rule was changed to conform with updates in standard archery equipment.

 PIERRE, S.D. – The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Department has fielded a number of questions from anglers who are unsure about length-limit rules for walleyes and sauger caught in Lake Sharpe and Lake Francis Case.

Gates noted that the rule limiting fishermen to keeping only one walleye or sauger 20 inches or longer has been lifted for Lakes Sharpe and Francis case. That is not the case,” said Dale Gates, GFP conservation officer supervisor.

 Page 13 of the 2010 Fishing Handbook shows that anglers are restricted to one walleye or sauger that is 20 inches or  longer daily, Gates said. The page also refers readers to various exceptions that are in effect for specific bodies of water.

 “I believe some folks are confusing the one walleye or sauger over 20 inches rule with other minimum-length restrictions that are listed as part of the Missouri River Exceptions on page 23 of the handbook,” Gates said.

 “Those exceptions refer to the minimum lengths of walleyes and sauger. The rule limiting anglers to only one walleye or sauger 20 inches or longer is still in place for these waters,” he stressed.  

 The rule limiting anglers to only one large walleye or sauger per day is a statewide regulation and remains in effect on all South Dakota inland waters, including the Missouri River, Gates said.

Deerfield Lake Produces Two Record Breaking Fish

 HILL CITY, S.D. – Deerfield Lake, northwest of Hill City, has yielded a pair of record-breaking fish.  Brook trout and splake records both fell during the month of May to local anglers.

 Dennis Larive of Lead caught a brook trout weighing 12 pounds on May 1, toppling the previous state record by nearly a pound. Larive was the previous holder of the state record splake.

 A record 11-pound, 14-ounce splake was caught by Robert Swift, also of Lead, on May 20. The previous record splake weighed 10 pounds, 13 ounces.

 A splake is a hybrid cross between a brook trout (sometimes called speckled trout) and a lake trout.  Splake are stocked in Deerfield Lake every 3-5 years and were also stocked in Pactola Reservoir until the early 1990s.

 For a fish to qualify as a state record, the angler must get the fish weighed on a certified scale, have the species verified by a South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Department fisheries biologist or ichthyologist, and fill out a form that can be found at: http://gfp.sd.gov/fishing-boating/state-fish-records-list.aspx