UPDATED 2/28/25: HB1236 Failed to Pass as a full Senate Floor Vote. the vote was 5 Yes, 29 No. Thank you to everyone who contacted their elected officials and to the legislators who stood for public access.    South Dakota has a long tradition of hunting culture. It's low population density, vast open expanses, and access programs are a perfect combination for hunters seeking to take to the roads in search of upland birds, waterfowl, or other opportunities. A new bill proposed in the South ...

USDA Forest ServiceMystic Ranger District8221 Mount Rushmore RoadRapid City, SD 57702 Re: Pactola-Rapid Creek Watershed Mineral Withdrawal October 25, 2024 On behalf of the South Dakota Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, a community deeply rooted in the ethos of conservation and stewardship of our natural resources, we support the proposed withdrawal of the Pactola-Rapid Creek watershed from mineral and geothermal exploits as outlined in the Environmental Assessment and draft finding of no ...

In recognition of Public Lands Month, SD BHA leaders earned their conservation karma last weekend packing out trash at Thompson Lake as a part of South Dakota Game, Fish, and Park's Adopt-A-Lake program. The program started in 2018 in an effort to keep fishing and recreation sites clean across the state. "We did what we could with the small crew we had, but I think we made a little big of an impact," said SD BHA Chapter Leader, Kevin Healy, who led the effort. They packed out a tire, fan, ...

Happy Spring! Cabin fever is setting in and turkey season is right around the corner. The days are getting longer and we're starting to stir - here's what we've been up to:   Policy We expressed our opposition to the Golden Crest Exploration Drilling Project. A win from the 2024 legislation session is the passage of Senate Concurrent Resolution 605, which recognizes the value of grassland ecosystems and the importance of farmers and ranchers as managers. This is an exciting recognition of ...

December 21, 2023 Steve Kozel, District RangerAttn: Objection Review OfficerBlack Hills National Forest Supervisor’s Office, 1019 North 5th StreetCuster, SD 57730 Re: OBJECTION: Golden Crest Exploration Drilling Project Dear Mr. Kozel, On behalf of the South Dakota Chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (SD BHA), we write in objection to the Final Environmental Assessment (EA) and Draft Decision Notice (DN) for the proposed Golden Crest Exploration Drilling Project. Our organization seeks ...