Before hunting in South Dakota, it is essential to know what regulations exist.
According to the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks, the use of dogs in hunting is permitted as long as dog owners adhere to laws and rules that govern the conduct of themselves and their animals.
The South Dakota Hunting and Trapping Handbook states, "Hunters who hunt road rights-of-way should understand they must maintain control of their hunting dogs at all times. Dog owners who allow their animals to remain on private property without landowner permission for the purpose of flushing game birds may be subject to trespassing charges. Dogs may be used in the unarmed retrieval of lawfully taken waterfowl and small game birds from private property. However, under no circumstances may dogs be used to intentionally flush birds from private property to hunters in the road rights-of-way."
ALERT: Should Obama Have More Control Over Guns? Vote Now
This handbook is published by the Department of Game, Fish and Parks on a yearly basis, so it is important for responsible hunters to read and keep up with any changes that may take place.
It is also important to note that all dogs imported into South Dakota need to meet specific health requirements. In an article released by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention on April 13, 2015, dogs who received the canine influenza A H3N2 virus are being held responsible for an outbreak in dog flu which affects the respiratory health in canines and is known to be contagious.
When hunting in South Dakota, dog owners should do their part by making sure that contagions are not spread, which means that rabies vaccinations also need to be current.
In order to address issues concerning the spreading of diseases such as rabies,
the South Dakota Animal Industry Board mandates that dogs coming into the state meet the following criteria: "Any cat or dog imported into South Dakota must be accompanied by a health certificate as described in SDCL 40-14-2 issued by a state or federal government veterinary official of the originating state or by a licensed veterinarian. The certificate must state that the animal has not been exposed to rabies, that it is free from signs of any contagious or communicable disease, that it has been currently vaccinated for rabies by a licensed veterinarian, the date of vaccination, the type of vaccine used, and the date the animal is due for boostering for rabies immunization."
This article is for information only. Please check current regulations before hunting.
VOTE NOW: Is South Dakota Sen. Mike Rounds Doing a Good Job?
Related Stories:
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.