Monday, September 2, 2013

Sept 5th, PHAS Meeting on Predator Management





Thursday, Sept 5th, 5:30 pm Prairie Hills Audubon Society meet

on Predator Management,

Rapid City, City School Admin. Bldg, Community Room,
(use SE entrance)
300 6th Street (between 6th and 5th St  &  north of railroad track)
           


The first half of meeting is about education. We will begin at 5:30 watching a Washington state video made by Dr. Wielgus on Cougar hunting issues.  We will then watch a one-hour video that shows SD GFP's staff's presentation to the Commission on the 2013 proposed lion-hunting season. 

Then comes a break.

The second half is about action: At about 7:10 or 7:15 we will have stopped watching videos, taken a break and will begin Q &A on mountain lion seasons, SD's bobcat seasons, USFWS plans for delisting of grey wolves and the management or public policy for any predator, the folks at meeting want to discuss.   We will then discuss potential actions we can take to effect change in management of predators and public policy.

 Thus this meeting is both educational and about organizing ourselves.

Comments on grey wolf delisting are due Sept 11th, 2013
 The next SDGFP Commission hearing on cougars is Oct 3rd, 2013
 Thus this meeting is timely for those deadlines.

Folks can chose to watch videos at home prior to meeting and just arrive at 7:10 pm for discussion:
Links to videos to be watched - Wielgus on Washington State cougar research:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_ZD-PAKhSo

SDGFP report to Commission on cougars for 2013:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feXRKDZqey0&feature=youtu.be

SDGFP report to the Commission on cougars for 2012
 (we will not watch this one on Thursday, thus you must watch at home, if you wish to)
http://youtu.be/UJy6ZH__xeI

Skype remote meeting connections.
PHAS knows how to connect to remote listening sites: we can connect via internet/computer and audio boosting devices to several remote meeting husb for any of our meetings (fully interactive), but only if people at remote site volunteer to help set  up and host such. 

Bobcat links:

For 2013 bobcat season rule, visit pages 12-14 of the this document
http://gfp.sd.gov/agency/commission/archive/2013/july/finalization-markups.pdf

For Commission minutes on the 2013 bobcat season visit page 89 of this document
http://gfp.sd.gov/agency/commission/archive/2013/july/minutes.pdf

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Oct 3-4, SDGFP Commission meeting, Spearfish
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SDGFP Commission's meeting at the Holiday Inn Express in Spearfish.
            South Dakota Mountain Lion Season will be finalized. Total quota on lions is reduced from last year's quota of 100 either sex  (or 70 females), to 75 either sex (or 50 females). In Custer State Park they wish to increase the number of hunting intervals when hunters use dogs and decrease the number of hunting intervals without dogs.  The hearing will be at 2 pm on Oct 3rd.
              Comment deadline is the close of the hearing on Oct 3rd, but if you want them to read comments before decision, send before hand.
            For information on the Commission and it's meetings
http://gfp.sd.gov/agency/commission/default.aspx

            To view the full proposals on cougar season, http://gfp.sd.gov/agency/commission/archive/2013/august/proposals/mountain-lion.pdf
           
            To view more info on cougars by GFP
http://gfp.sd.gov/hunting/big-game/mountain-lion.aspx

<http://gfp.sd.gov/wildlife/critters/mammals/mountain-lion.aspx>http://gfp.sd.gov/wildlife/critters/mammals/mountain-lion.aspx

SDGFP 1 hour long report to Commission on cougars for 2013  > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feXRKDZqey0&feature=youtu.be

            Send comments to South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Commission, 523 E. Capitol Ave., Pierre, SD 57501; or email  wildinfo@state.sd.us. Please include your full name and city of residence. Additionally you may carbon copy each Commissioner.
http://gfp.sd.gov/agency/commission/commission-members.aspx
The legal deadline for written comments is the close of the hearing, but if you wish
them to actually read your comments before their decision,  send them  in advance. 24 hours in advance of hearing, SDGFP post comments received thus far from the public on the web site.

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Sept 11th, 2013 deadline to comment on Grey Wolf delisting, in lower 48,
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            Sept 11th, 2013 deadline to comment on Grey Wolf delisting, in lower 48, (except SW whereit  will remain Threatened & Endangered and the areas in Northern Rockies and Great Lakes where wolf is already de-listed).
            On June 13, 2013 the two proposed rules related to the grey wolf, were published in the Federal Register. Comments will be accepted for 90 days ending on 11:59 p.m. on September 11, 2013. (Eastern time zone's midnight is used).  Please visit <http://www.regulations.gov/> to view all Federal Register notices, and to submit an electronic comment.
http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=FWS-HQ-ES-2013-0073
http://www.fws.gov/graywolfrecovery062013.html
http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/pressrel/2013/06072013_mexicanWolves.html
http://www.fws.gov/home/feature/2013/pdf/Gray_Wolf_Comment_Period_Bulletin.pdf

 Some news articles:
http://helenair.com/news/local/wolf-delisting-proposed-for-entire-lower/article_a37f4282-cf87-11e2-adf3-001a4bcf887a.html>er/article_a37f4282-cf87-11e2-adf3-001a4bcf887a.html

Or use this link for Defenders of Wildlife's guide to comments
http://www.defenders.org/lower-48-wolf-delisting-comments
Audubon's version
http://magblog.audubon.org/proposal-delist-gray-wolf-nationwide-triggers-outcry
Sierra Club's version
https://content.sierraclub.org/press-releases/2013/06/wolves-poised-lose-endangered-species-act-protections
HSUS version
http://www.humanesociety.org/news/press_releases/2013/06/federal-government-drops-gray-wolf-protections-060713.html
National Wildlife Federation version
https://www.nwf.org/News-and-Magazines/Media-Center/News-by-Topic/Wildlife/2013/06-07-13-Gray-Wolves-Not-Ready-To-Come-Off-Endangered-Species-Act-List.aspx
            Please note the SD Legislature in 2013 passed a law to make the grey wolf in SD a predator/varmint as soon as the USFWS releases it from ESA protection. Eastern SD is in the Great Lakes Distinct Population Segment so wolf is already de-listed there and wolf will be hunted as predator/varmint in eastern SD as of July when new SD law comes into effect. In western SD it is still protected by the ESA, but if USFWS de-lists it then it will be a predator/varmint in Western SD.

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SDWF annual meeting in Rapid City
Weekend September 6-8,  - 2013 -.SD Wildlife Federation Annual Meeting. Rapid City

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We include some information on the SD Wildlife Federation Annual Meeting  in Rapid City.
 There are events on Friday and Sunday, but we just include the information on Saturday's speakers.

The discussion on lead shot at 1:00 is relevant to birds, as some birds are being adversely effected by lead shot. For more info on this issue:  http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/disease_information/lead_poisoning/

Other speakers are from SDGFP.  If you wish to ask GFP staff questions about wildlife management, on Saturday both Tony Lief (Director of Wildlife Division GFP) and Mike Kintigh (Rapid City Regional Supervisor, GFP) will be speaking, see schedule. This meeting is open to the public.
 

A copy of the entire agenda can be downloaded at
http://www.sdwf.org/ or contact for info - sdwf@mncomm.com, Eric Porisch, ericporisch@hotmail.com


Saturday September 7, 7:30 AM: Registration by BHS at the Outdoor Campus West, 8:00 AM: SDWF Board of Directors Pre-Convention Meeting, 8:30 AM: First Session of the 68th Annual Convention , 10:00 AM, -Tony Leif, SD Dept. of Game, Fish and Parks, Quick preview of afternoon programs and other options.,  Noon- Lunch at Outdoor Campus provided by BHS ,  1:00 PM Saturday: presentations (public invited), Outdoor Campus Speakers: 1:00 PM Dr. Helene Van Doninck speaks about lead in hunting ammo., 2:30 PM Mike Kintigh, Regional Supervisor for GF&P will talk about Mt. Lions, big game numbers and hunting in the Black Hills.,  3:30 PM John Kanta, GF&P Biologist, Matt Rippentrop, SD Big Horn Sheep subcommittee will discuss how the recent auctioned Sheep tag money is being utilized.  Other speakers may be added
Saturday Evening Banquet, Awards and Auction, 6 PM social hour, 7 PM banquet, followed by awards and auction with live entertainment provided by BHS, Public invited. Elks Lodge East on Hwy 44 of Rapid City in Rapid Valley.
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