Additional Elk Hunting Opportunities Available in 2016

By Justin Stakes

Pierre, SD -(AmmoLand.com)- Additional elk hunting opportunities will be available to hunters in the Black Hills and Custer State Park in the fall of 2016.

Based on current elk population growth, the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Commission proposed an increase in elk hunting licenses Thursday at their March meeting in Pierre.

“Back in April 2015, the five year elk management plan was formally adopted by the Commission,” stated Cathy Peterson, chair of the GFP Commission. “The five year plan serves as the guiding document for decision making and implementation of actions to ensure elk populations and their habitats are managed appropriately, addressing both biological and social tolerances, while considering the needs of all stakeholders.”

The Black Hills population goal (excluding Custer State Park and Wind Cave National Park) is 7,000 elk, ranging from 6,000 to 8,000 depending on habitat conditions. The current population estimate from recent aerial surveys is at 7,200. Population models used to assess elk in the Black Hills indicate a growing population with a projection of 7,400 elk in the winter of 2017.

In some units of the Black Hills, the objective is …Read the Rest

Source:: AmmoLand