Game, Fish and Parks outlines budget cuts, fee increases and early bond payoff under Senate Bill 56

Kevin Robling, secretary of the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks, told the Joint Committee on Appropriations on Monday that the department is recommending a roughly $1.3 million reduction in ongoing general funds for fiscal year 2026 and a package of fee increases to cover other costs.

Robling said the department’s recommended cuts include a $500,000 reduction in seasonal-employee general-fund support and a $793,655 adjustment tied to the final payments on the Blue Dog fish hatchery bond. He said Senate Bill 56 would appropriate a one-time general fund payment that allows the department to pay the hatchery bond early; the department plans to return an equal amount from license dollars so the net general-fund impact is zero.

Why it matters: The changes affect park operations, wildlife services and staff budgets statewide and shift more of the agency’s operating costs to user fees and license revenue. Game, Fish and Parks (GF&P) receives the large majority of its operating dollars from licenses, federal excise taxes (Pittman–Robertson and Dingell–Johnson) and other special funds; Robling said only two GF&P line items currently receive general funds.

Budget and bond details: Robling said the department’s base budget totals remain essentially unchanged for FTE counts (roughly 584 budgeted FTE) but that the recommended general-fund reduction is about $1.3 million overall, primarily from bond-payment adjustments and seasonal salary support. He described the Blue Dog hatchery payment (about $793,655) as one of the last scheduled payments, and he said Senate Bill 56 would appropriate a one-time amount (identified in committee materials as $1,589,000) to finish the hatchery bond payments early. Robling said the department will reimburse the general fund from license receipts, leaving a net zero ongoing general-fund cost after the transaction.

Fee package: Robling described a fee package adopted by the GF&P Commission and reviewed by the interim rules committee last fall. On the wildlife side, resident license increases average about 13 percent and nonresident increases about 24 percent; parks fees rose roughly 20 percent. For the first time, the department will offer a nonresident annual park entrance license at $60 while residents will pay $40. Camping and many resident hunting/fishing fees rose by modest amounts (often $1–$3). Robling said the fee changes followed an extensive public comment process.

Operations and stewardship: Robling and Chris Peterson, GF&P finance officer, outlined the department’s priorities—habitat and access, asset management, customer service, and operational excellence—and noted recent accomplishments: enrolling a record 1.6 million private acres into public access, running three fish hatcheries, and maintaining more than 100,000 acres of state park land with about 4,524 campsites. Robling highlighted in‑house construction and a trade-skills program that the department says has saved capital dollars.

Controversial projects and public questions: The Rapid City Shooting Sports Complex was discussed at length. Robling said the project remains under construction with a projected total cost of about $20 million and a planned grand opening in fall 2025; he disputed public claims that contractors were unpaid and said the department has paid invoices to date. He said the state used alternative economic-development funding sources (including GOED) for part of the complex after prior legislative proposals failed to achieve the needed supermajority.

Aquatic invasive species and lake restorations: Robling told senators and representatives the department has expanded watercraft inspections (from roughly 5,000 in 2018 to about 23,000 most recently) and has a compliance rate of roughly 98% for “clean, drain, dry.” He said zebra mussels are very difficult to eliminate and that Pactola Reservoir is an example where inspectors and outreach are concentrated. On McCook Lake (Mitchell), Robling said engineering staff are drafting a scope of work to remove debris and sediment; the department expects to issue an RFP and hopes to begin cleanup in late March with construction completed by late June, weather permitting.

Staffing and vacancies: Robling said GF&P is budgeted for about 583.9 FTE and has about 464 permanent staff plus roughly 400 seasonals in summer months. He told the committee long-term vacancies have fallen: conservation officer vacancies fell from about 20 in mid-2020 to about one vacancy currently. He also described a 7.4% agency turnover rate compared with a statewide average of about 12.8%.

Quotes: “We do this for the quality of life for current and future generations,” Robling said in opening remarks. Finance officer Chris Peterson said the state general fund serves as the collateral for state bonds and that the likelihood of default is “basically 0.”

What’s next: The committee will consider the GF&P budget and related bills, including Senate Bill 56, during appropriation hearings; Robling said the department would provide additional bond detail to the committee when requested.