A person may not establish, utilize, or maintain a bait station from August 1 through February 1 and from March 15 through May 31 to attract any big game animal, including wild turkey. A person may not use an electronic call if hunting any big game animal except a mountain lion.

A bait station is a location where grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, hay, minerals, or any other natural food materials, commercial products containing natural food materials, or by-products of food materials are placed or maintained as an attractant to big game animals for the purpose of hunting. The use of scents alone does not constitute a bait station.

This section does not apply to foods that have not been placed or gathered by a person and result from normal environmental conditions or accepted farming, forest management, wildlife food plantings, orchard management, or similar land management activities.

A person is exempt from the bait station restrictions while participating in any research or depredation management activities directed by the department.

Source: SL 1975, ch 16, § 1; 10 SDR 76, 10 SDR 102, effective July 1, 1984; 16 SDR 44, effective September 13, 1989; 23 SDR 197, effective May 27, 1997; 37 SDR 112, effective December 8, 2010; 39 SDR 32, effective September 5, 2012; 41 SDR 107, effective January 5, 2015; 46 SDR 74, effective December 2, 2019.

General Authority: SDCL 41-2-18(1)(2)(14).

Law Implemented: SDCL 41-2-18(1)(2)(14).

Prior versions effective: 2015-01-05, 2012-09-05.