08/21/2024
There’s been a lot of discussion going on currently about the limiting of NR turkey licenses in the Black Hills of SD.
If you look into the details, you’ll find pros and cons to both sides from tourism $$ to saving the turkey population.
Personally, I’ve seen the black hills in its glory days where there were more birds than ever before in the history of the introduction of turkeys, to now where several spots that held hundreds to upwards of a thousand in the winter have zero turkeys to maybe 20-30 in the flock. And unfortunately, that’s the same story from everyone I talk to.
Hunters, photographers and nature enthusiasts would travel countless miles to make the Black Hills a destination vacation, and for those hunting, the Black Hills of SD was a bucket list for those in pursuit of the turkey Grand Slam.
Unfortunately, that’s not the case anymore.
With rapidly declining numbers of turkeys but a significant increase in license sales and now more Non Resident than Resident licenses being sold in the BH, we’re seeing several states around us are limiting their license sales to Non Residents because they are experiencing these same issues.
Even recently, our SD GFP has reduced other big game tag allocations for NR’s significantly (deer and antelope) because of over harvesting and issues rebounding in those populations.
South Dakota GFP has already put measures in restricting license opportunity for residents and eliminated the early youth opportunity.
Talking with several residents and non residents, there’s an overwhelming majority that the next measure is to put license restrictions on Non Residents to help our turkey population.
Please take a few minutes to click the link and let the GFP know that you’re in favor of this restriction of Non Resident licenses.
Thanks!
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