South Dakota hunters reminded about baiting regs

South Dakota big game hunters are reminded that it is illegal for anyone to place any salt or salt lick or construct, occupy, or use any screen, blind, scaffold, or other device at or near any salt or salt lick for the purposes of enticing or baiting big game animals to the same for the purpose of hunting, watching for, or killing big game.

Additionally, South Dakota hunters may not establish, utilize, or maintain a bait station from August 15 to February 1, inclusive, and from March 15 to May 31, inclusive, to attract any big game animal, including wild turkey.

A bait station is a location where grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, hay, minerals, or any other natural food materials, commercial products containing natural food materials, or by-products of such materials are placed or maintained as an attractant to big game animals for the purpose of hunting. The use of scents alone does not constitute a bait station. This section does not apply to foods that have not been placed or gathered by a person and result from normal environmental conditions or accepted farming, forest management, wildlife food plantings, orchard management, or similar land management activities.

Hunters should also be aware that it is illegal to establish, utilize, or maintain a bait station on lands owned by the department and on properties managed and classified by the department as Game Production Areas, State Parks, State Recreation Areas, State Lakeside Use Areas, State Nature Areas, and State Water Access Areas.

For more information, please check out the online version of the 2016 Hunting Handbook.