Outdoor News Daily

Officials of the South Dakota Departments of Game, Fish and Parks and Agriculture are reminding South Dakota ranchers and producers to contact GFP or Agriculture if they have unwanted prairie dogs.

The state’s prairie dog control program is cooperatively funded by GFP and Agriculture. GFP manages encroachment issues stemming from adjacent public lands, while the Agriculture manages complaints between private landowners.

“GFP will control prairie dogs that have encroached private land from adjacent public land,” said GFP Wildlife Damage Program Administrator Keith Fisk. “To be eligible for assistance, landowners must have prairie dog encroachment within one mile of public land and have at least 20 acres of prairie dog colonies.”

Additionally, landowners must call in and inform GFP that they have unwanted prairie dogs before August 15. “GFP provides assistance to many landowners across western South Dakota,” said Fisk. “This deadline allows GFP sufficient time to coordinate the logistics of the prairie dog control program.”

Landowners with prairie dog encroachment from public land should contact GFP at 605-773-5913 to request control. GFP field staff will coordinate the control of the encroachment colony on the private land this fall. All requests for prairie dog control must be received by the August 15 deadline.

Landowners that are experiencing encroachment from adjoining private land need to contact the Department of Agriculture.

If the colony is encroaching from private land, a signed written complaint must be made. There are two methods to file a complaint, the first option is for the effected landowner to sign a letter of complaint and mail it to the local County Weed and Pest Board.

The second method requires a formal complaint (available by calling 1-800-228-5254 or on the Department of Agriculture website at http://sdda.sd.gov/Ag_Services/Plant-Protection/Weed%20and%20Pest) and sent to the S.D. Department of Agriculture and a copy to the landowner with the invading colony. The mailing address for the Department of Agriculture is 523 E. Capitol Ave., Pierre, SD 57501. Notices of encroachment may be sent in throughout the year.

The South Dakota Prairie Dog Management Plan may be seen by visiting http://gfp.sd.gov/wildlife/docs/prairiedog-management-plan.pdf or by calling Game, Fish and Parks at 605-773-3387.

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