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 Dakota House, HB 1236, would expand the safety buffer zones limiting the size of those huntable areas. The South Dakota Chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers strongly opposes HB 1236, which seeks to expand the current Right-of-Way Safety Zone (No-Hunting Zone) from 660 feet to 1320 feet.
This bill would severely limit publicly accessible hunting and trapping opportunities, particularly in areas where they are already limited. If passed, HB 1236 would remove miles of legal hunting access, disproportionately affecting hunters in the eastern part of the state. South Dakota already has a larger safety buffer than many states, and there is no new evidence suggesting that further restrictions are necessary for safety. Rather than eliminating access, we should prioritize education and signage improvements to address safety concerns.
Please Contact your Legislators and ask them to VOTE NO on HB 1236.
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Thank you,
South Dakota Chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers
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