PDF South Dakota Elk Management Plan 2015-2019

SOUTH DAKOTA ELK MANAGEMENT PLAN

2015-2019

SOUTH DAKOTA DEPARTMENT OF GAME, FISH AND PARKS PIERRE, SOUTH DAKOTA WILDLIFE DIVISION REPORT 2015-01 APRIL 2015

This document is for general, strategic guidance for the Division of Wildlife and serves to identify what we strive to accomplish related to elk management. This plan will be utilized by Department staff and Commission on an annual basis and will be formally evaluated at least every 5 years. Plan updates and changes, however, may occur more frequently as needed.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This plan is a product of substantial discussion and input from many wildlife professionals. In addition, those comments and suggestions received from private landowners, hunters, and those who recognize the value of elk and their associated habitats were also considered.

Management Plan Coordinator ? Andy Lindbloom, South Dakota Department of Game, Fish, and Parks (SDGFP).

SDGFP Elk Management Plan Team that assisted with plan writing, data review and analyses, critical reviews and/or edits to the 2015 Elk Management Plan ? Nathan Baker, Gary Brundige, Paul Coughlin, Shelly Deisch, Keith Fisk, Steve Griffin, Corey Huxoll, John Kanta, Emily Kiel, Tom Kirschenmann, Chad Lehman, Cynthia Longmire, Stan Michals, Mark Norton, Kevin Robling, Chad Switzer, and Lauren Wiechmann.

Those who served on the South Dakota Elk Stakeholder Group during this planning process included: Travis Bies (Western SDGFP Regional Advisory Panel/BHNF Grazing Permittee); Kerry Burns (United States Forest Service); Tim Gutormson (Southeast SDGFP Regional Advisory Panel); Chris Hesla (South Dakota Wildlife Federation); Jerry Hirrschoff (Black Hills Sportsmen Club); Eric Jennings (South Dakota Cattlemen's Association); Gary Jensen, SDGFP Commissioner; Terry Mayes (Western SDGFP Regional Advisory Panel); Casey Miller (South Dakota Stockgrowers Association); Jim Peterson (South Dakota Bowhunters, Inc.); Scott Phillips (Western SDGFP Regional Advisory Panel/Custer Coalition); Greg Schroeder (Wind Cave National Park); Tom Slowey (Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation); Leonard Spomer (Central SDGFP Regional Advisory Panel); Aaron Thompson (Spearfish Grazing Association); Bob Tiff (Northeast SDGFP Regional Advisory Panel); and Trudy Wastweet (South Dakota Department of Agriculture).

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All text and data contained within this document are subject to revision for corrections, updates, and data analyses. Cover photo was provided by South Dakota Tourism. Recommended Citation: South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks. 2015. South Dakota Elk Management Plan

2015-2019. Completion Report 2015-01. South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks, Pierre, South Dakota, USA.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................................................... I

TABLE OF CONTENTS.............................................................................................................................................III

LIST OF TABLES .....................................................................................................................................................VI

LIST OF FIGURES...................................................................................................................................................VII

LIST OF APPENDICES ...........................................................................................................................................VIII

ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ........................................................................................................................IX

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...........................................................................................................................................X

INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................................................... 1

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND.................................................................................................................................... 1

ELK HUNTING......................................................................................................................................................... 3

HISTORICAL HARVEST .....................................................................................................................................................3 SEASON STRUCTURE .......................................................................................................................................................8

Black Hills Firearm Season....................................................................................................................................9 Prairie Season.......................................................................................................................................................9 Archery Season...................................................................................................................................................15 HUNTER ACCESS ..........................................................................................................................................................16

POPULATION SURVEYS ........................................................................................................................................ 18

HARVEST SURVEYS .......................................................................................................................................................18 INCISOR TOOTH SURVEYS ..............................................................................................................................................24 AERIAL SURVEYS ..........................................................................................................................................................26 HERD COMPOSITION SURVEYS........................................................................................................................................29 POPULATION MODELS ..................................................................................................................................................32

ELK RESEARCH IN SOUTH DAKOTA....................................................................................................................... 33

RESOURCE SELECTION...................................................................................................................................................33 ROADS AND HUMAN DISTURBANCE.................................................................................................................................36 MOVEMENTS AND HOME RANGE....................................................................................................................................38 SURVIVAL ...................................................................................................................................................................40 SIGHTABILITY ..............................................................................................................................................................41 DIET ..........................................................................................................................................................................43 CAPTURE TECHNIQUES..................................................................................................................................................45 GENERAL ELK RESEARCH WITHIN SOUTH DAKOTA ..............................................................................................................46

PUBLIC LAND MANAGEMENT .............................................................................................................................. 47

GAME PRODUCTION AREAS ...........................................................................................................................................47 CUSTER STATE PARK.....................................................................................................................................................47 WIND CAVE NATIONAL PARK .........................................................................................................................................51 BLACK HILLS NATIONAL FOREST......................................................................................................................................55

Elk and Forest Planning......................................................................................................................................56 Norbeck Wildlife Preserve ..................................................................................................................................57 Big Game Winter Range.....................................................................................................................................57 Silviculture Practices...........................................................................................................................................58 Forage Availability and Allocation .....................................................................................................................60

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Non-FS Lands......................................................................................................................................................61 BHNF Range Monitoring ....................................................................................................................................61

PRIVATE LANDS ................................................................................................................................................... 64

PRIVATE LAND FORAGE AVAILABILITY...............................................................................................................................64 DEPREDATION MANAGEMENT........................................................................................................................................64 LANDOWNER LICENSES AND PREFERENCE SYSTEM..............................................................................................................68 WILDLIFE PARTNERS PROGRAM......................................................................................................................................71

Wildlife Habitat Fencing.....................................................................................................................................72 Grassland Habitat Enhancements......................................................................................................................72 Woody Habitat Establishments..........................................................................................................................72 Food Habitat Plots..............................................................................................................................................73 CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ..........................................................................................................................................73

CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT AND OUTREACH ............................................................................................................. 74

PUBLIC OPINION SURVEYS .............................................................................................................................................74 ELK STAKEHOLDER GROUP.............................................................................................................................................76 PUBLIC MEETINGS .......................................................................................................................................................78 SOCIAL MEDIA ............................................................................................................................................................79 NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS ..........................................................................................................................79

CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES ..................................................................................................................... 80

HABITAT ....................................................................................................................................................................80 Mountain Pine Beetles .......................................................................................................................................82 Fire .....................................................................................................................................................................84 Elk Thermal Cover...............................................................................................................................................86 Vulnerability and Visual Obstructions ................................................................................................................87

ADDITIONAL FORAGE SINCE THE 1997 FOREST PLAN..........................................................................................................87 Mountain Pine Beetles .......................................................................................................................................87 Jasper Fire ..........................................................................................................................................................89 Non BHNF Public Lands ......................................................................................................................................90 Summary ............................................................................................................................................................91

DEPREDATION .............................................................................................................................................................93 INTER-STATE AND TRIBAL COORDINATION ........................................................................................................................94

Nebraska ............................................................................................................................................................94 Wyoming ............................................................................................................................................................95 Rosebud and Oglala Sioux Tribes .......................................................................................................................95 PRAIRIE ELK MANAGEMENT...........................................................................................................................................96 Butte, Lawrence and Meade Counties - Unit 9...................................................................................................96 Bennett and Mellette Counties - Unit 11............................................................................................................97 Butte County - Unit 15........................................................................................................................................98 Fall River County - Unit 27..................................................................................................................................98 Gregory County - Unit 30....................................................................................................................................98 ELK-VEHICLE COLLISIONS...............................................................................................................................................98 HUNTING REGULATIONS................................................................................................................................................99 Harvest Strategies ..............................................................................................................................................99 Management Units ..........................................................................................................................................101 Elk Drawing System..........................................................................................................................................101 Landowner/Operator Preference .....................................................................................................................102 Elk Raffle License ..............................................................................................................................................103 Archery and Rifle License Allocation ................................................................................................................103 Archery and Rifle License Allocation in Custer State Park ................................................................................104

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DISEASE ...................................................................................................................................................................104 Bovine Tuberculosis..........................................................................................................................................105 Bovine Viral Diarrhea .......................................................................................................................................105 Brucellosis ........................................................................................................................................................106 Chronic Wasting Disease..................................................................................................................................106 Hemorrhagic Disease .......................................................................................................................................109 Leptospirosis ..................................................................................................................................................... 110 Meningeal Worm .............................................................................................................................................110 Paratuberculosis (Johne's Disease) ..................................................................................................................111

CAPTIVE CERVID GAME FARMING .................................................................................................................................111 WINTER FEEDING.......................................................................................................................................................112 PREDATION MANAGEMENT .........................................................................................................................................113

Predators of Elk ................................................................................................................................................113 Monitoring Impacts of Predation .....................................................................................................................115 Predator Management and Research ..............................................................................................................116 MULTIPLE USE ..........................................................................................................................................................118 Travel Management: Roads and Motorized Vehicles (non-snow) ...................................................................118 Snowmobiles and Over-Snow-Vehicles ............................................................................................................120 Motorized Elk Retrieval ....................................................................................................................................122 Hiking and Camping .........................................................................................................................................123 Wildlife Guzzlers...............................................................................................................................................124 Shed Hunting....................................................................................................................................................124 MINING, ENERGY DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSMISSION......................................................................................................126 GOALS, OBJECTIVES & STRATEGIES .................................................................................................................... 128 GUIDING PRINCIPLES ..................................................................................................................................................128 POPULATION GOALS...................................................................................................................................................128 OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES .......................................................................................................................................129 LITERATURE CITED ............................................................................................................................................. 135 APPENDIX .......................................................................................................................................................... 152

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