The gray wolf was removed from South Dakota’s threatened and endangered species list back in 2013, but following a recent federal court decision, the wolf is now back on the list.
South Dakota Game Fish & Parks Wildlife Damage Program Administrator Keith Fisk says the court ruling now makes it illegal for landowners in eastern South Dakota to harvest gray wolves – even if they suspect wolves are attacking their livestock.
“In Eastern South Dakota however it is a change because if landowners were on their farm or ranch or driving somewhere and saw a gray wolf and were able to harvest it they could certainly do so. But now that’s not the case. With the court decision that’s recently happened, unfortunately those landowners would again have to follow suit - just like the folks in western South Dakota – contact our Wildlife Damage Specialists – we’ll work with the US Fish & Wildlife service to get the necessary permits and those types of things and work on those types of situations,” says Fisk.
Fisk says there are no known resident wolf populations in South Dakota – most that are spotted in the state tend to be passing through.
Game Fish & Parks Wildlife Damage specialists say their job is to interact with landowners and the general public to protect property against damages from animals like wolves, coyotes, mountain lions, and prairie dogs.
