Dear HCN,
We recently became aware
of a “Heard Around the West” article in your publication that
addressed the upcoming Outdoor Writers of America Association
conference in Sioux Falls (HCN, 3/1/99).
The
Outdoor Writers of America Association did not plan the prairie dog
shooting trip you mentioned in your article and the excursion does
not take place during the conference. This trip was planned by the
South Dakota Department of Tourism and is offered as one of 40 pre-
and post-conference trips.
Communities such as
Winner, S.D., rely heavily upon visiting sportsmen for their
visitor industry. That is why the Department of Tourism promotes
outdoor activities in these areas. In an era of depressed
agricultural markets, sportsmen bring significant economic relief
to small-town main streets. The location of many rural South Dakota
communities keeps them isolated from the masses of visitors
traveling to the Corn Palace, Wall Drug and Mount
Rushmore.
While it is true that the black-tailed
prairie dog is being reviewed for inclusion as a threatened
species, this animal is in no immediate danger of extinction in
South Dakota.
According to the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, 50 percent of the nation’s black-tailed prairie
dog population lives in South Dakota. Under current statutory law
in South Dakota, the prairie dog is listed as a legal pest and
landowners may legally control prairie dog populations on their
land.
Landowners, who suffer financially from
expanding prairie dog towns and grazing competition with livestock,
often choose poison as an effective means of eliminating prairie
dog towns. Shooting, on the other hand, has not been proven to
decimate a town. It simply keeps prairie dog towns in check and
curtails their growth. In addition, it does not impact the
environment in the same way as poisoning.
The
South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks is currently
working with surrounding states to enact a progressive prairie dog
conservation plan. Recreational shooting, which has less impact
upon the prairie dog population and the environment, may or may not
be a part of this plan. We are currently working with the state’s
ranchers and other landowners to discourage the use of poisons, so
it seems logical that recreational shooting is a viable option
which would help keep dog towns under control without complete
destruction.
Another indication of our state’s
stable prairie dog population is the fact that South Dakota was
chosen as a key reintroduction site for America’s rarest mammal,
the black-footed ferret. Ferrets rely almost solely on the prairie
dog as a food source and their numbers are increasing in
southwestern South Dakota. We are proud to be a part of that
historic effort.
We certainly understand the
concern with properly managing and protecting prairie dogs as a
“key species’ in our prairie ecosystem. The “dog” has been
extirpated over approximately 97 percent of its historic range and
the Great Plains is its last bastion for conservation. Our state is
willing to accept responsibility for creating a management plan,
even though the status of this critter is emotional and
controversial – especially in South Dakota. We do, however, reserve
the right to use management techniques that are in the best
long-term interest of the prairie dog. And, yes, we have to
consider the landowner’s concerns for his or her private property,
the tribal concerns for their lands and the multiple users of both
state and federal public lands. Will it be easy to find and
implement a suitable management plan? The answer is no.
Recreational shooting on certain areas may be a part of that plan,
and in certain situations it may be the most desirable method of
management.
We do appreciate your interest in the
Outdoor Writers Association of America and its upcoming conference.
These writers are truly passionate about the outdoors and work very
hard to share the wonders of nature with their readers. We look
forward to hosting them and hope that they will return home with
many fond memories of our
state.
Patricia Van Gerpen and
John Cooper
Pierre, South
Dakota
Patricia Van Gerpen
works for the South Dakota Department of Tourism; John Cooper works
for the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks
Department.
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Outdoor writers and prairie dogs.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
