The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) no longer has management authority over gray wolves, and they can no longer be hunted or trapped in South Dakota, following the Feb. 10 District Court ruling that reinstates wolves under the Endangered Species Act, with exception of wolves in the Northern Rocky Mountains.
Following 45 years of protection under the Endangered Species Act, the gray wolf was delisted Jan. 4, 2021, as a federally protected species. This action allowed GFP to manage wolves as a predator as defined in state law.
Under GFP’s management authority, trappers, sportsmen and women, landowners and livestock producers had the ability to harvest gray wolves across the state. Now, because wolves are no longer under GFP management, individuals may only harvest a gray wolf if it is posing a danger to human life.
“Over the past few years, South Dakota has had a handful of gray wolves killed on both sides of the Missouri River; however, South Dakota does not have a resident gray wolf population,” said Tom Kirschenmann, Wildlife Director.
“The gray wolves that have been present in South Dakota are transient animals that have dispersed from populations east and west of the state.”
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