Except for partridge and quail, any game bird propagated, possessed, sold, offered for sale, or released from captivity must have one front toe or one hind toe on either foot removed back to the first joint including the nail before becoming six weeks of age. An anti-pecking device affixed to the bird before it is six weeks old and worn by the bird until it is at least 15 weeks old is acceptable in lieu of toe clipping if the anti-pecking device leaves a permanent, easily identifiable mark through the nares. Any game bird propagated under this chapter that has not been shot and that is commercially packaged by a transparent sealed vacuum/shrink-type process may have the marked appendage removed if a label is permanently affixed to the package showing the name and address of the licensee.

Source: SL 1975, ch 16, § 1; 8 SDR 86, effective January 18, 1982; 10 SDR 12, effective August 17, 1983; 10 SDR 76, 10 SDR 102, effective July 1, 1984; 13 SDR 128, effective March 22, 1987; 18 SDR 4, effective July 18, 1991; 30 SDR 99, effective December 22, 2003; 37 SDR 18, effective August 16, 2010; 40 SDR 121, effective January 6, 2014.

General Authority: SDCL 41-2-18(11).

Law Implemented: SDCL 41-2-18(11) , 41-6-31.