Friday,  June 7, 2013 • Vol. 14--No. 322 • 22 of 33

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commission received letters from several hunters urging that licenses be kept low so the population can recover.
• The archery deer season will run Sept. 28-Jan. 15 statewide, with no limit on numbers sold.
• Officials have said EHD hit particularly hard in parts of southeastern South Dakota. The losses were high enough to cause several thousand tags to be returned by hunters or withdrawn by wildlife officials before the hunting seasons started.
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Governor ends ban on SD purchase of wildlife land
CHET BROKAW,Associated Press

• PIERRE, S.D. (AP) -- South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard said Thursday he has ended a two-year moratorium that prevented the state Game, Fish and Parks Department from buying land for public hunting or other outdoor uses.
• Daugaard imposed the ban when he took office in January 2011, but he said the department once again will be able to acquire land after he and department officials added new procedures for providing county commissioners and others advance no

tice and a chance to consult on such acquisitions.
• "I believe the state should be prudent about land acquisition," Daugaard said in a written statement. "I want to consider local preferences and priorities as we make sure that all South Dakotans have great hunting and outdoor opportunities now and in the future."
• Department Secretary Jeff Vonk explained the end of the moratorium to the state Game, Fish and Parks Commission, which has the final say about land purchases.
• "For me, this is a great day," Vonk said.
• A big part of the department's job is to provide managed wildlife habitat and hunting opportunities to the public, Vonk said.
• The revised policy will give county commissions advance notice when the state plans to acquire parcels of 80 acres or more in their counties. County commissioners will have the opportunity to comment on the proposed land deals and to meet with Game, Fish and Parks staff.
• The public will have an additional 30 days to comment before the Game, Fish and Parks Commission decides whether to buy land, the governor said.
• Vonk said department officials have always notified the commission and the public about proposed land deals. The process will now be revised to provide county commissions and others additional opportunity to comment before a land purchase

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