Comments to Governor's review committee - SD Big Game Management

      There is an opportunity to send in comments to an independent review committee on SD GFP's management of mountain lions, elk and deer.  If you have already done so, thank you very much, if not please consider doing so.

More Info:

      IN March, SDGFP Commission accepted an offer for independent review, (a review required by the governor) and authorized $131,050 to pay an outside consultant, selected by the governor, to study South Dakota’s big-game management. The vendor is The Wildlife Management Institute, a Pennsylvania company.

       The Wildlife Management Institute has started its review and it held 3 public meetings in South Dakota to receive public comment orally and also accept written comment. The Institute said folks could send in written comments to them. 

        At meeting in mid May, the hired consultants (WMI) said written comments would be most effective, if received within a month of meeting (which would be quasi deadline of about Friday June 15th, 2013)  but  there is no fixed or absolute deadline. You may send anytime before October, as long as received before they actually submit report, however the longer you wait, the less likely your thoughts can actually be integrated into the review. Others may have already sent your comment in, and you may be adding weight or validity to a comment or view already sent in by other(s) or you may be offering a different view  to concerns sent in by folks with whom you disagree.

           If folks are concerned with the status quo in SD with respect to mountain lions and/or big game management (elk, deer) and/or or are upset with some administrative aspect/process of SDGFP, (you may talk about underlying cause of problem, rather than symptom) and/or you want to talk to Governor about your concerns/ideas, and/or are thinking "outside the box" with new idea,  then you may wish to write.  They did say you can make suggestions for legislative change to cure problems, they may recommend legislative change to Governor.

   Written comments may be emailed to:

   SDcomments@wildlifemgt.org 

 or sent by standard mail to:

           Wildlife Management Institute,

         1440 Upper Bermudian Road,

Gardners, PA 17324. 

 Still don't understand what is going on? Call up Nancy 605-787-6779/787-6466 or Helen 304-227-4166

 Here are links to articles about

http://my605.com/pierrereview/?p=8327

http://news.sd.gov/newsitem.aspx?id=14498

http://rapidcityjournal.com/news/state-and-regional/south-dakota-gf-p-review-meetings-set-in-cities/article_a0cfd929-a6b6-5779-b674-513bb337376d.html

http://rapidcityjournal.com/news/listening-session-jabs-state-on-elk-mountain-lion-management/article_1fa6985b-9b7d-5a08-92bb-ada21fdc2268.html

http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/575e6717170a4737b85b5162ab579e90/SD--Wildlife-Management-Review

 Here is a link to Wildlife Management Institute's bid 

http://gfp.sd.gov/agency/information/docs/RFP-WildlifeManagementInst.pdf

Here is a link to the contract:

http://gfp.sd.gov/agency/information/docs/WMI_contract.pdf

Here is link to GFP page about:

http://gfp.sd.gov/agency/information/independent-review-biggame-management.aspx