Senate rejects bill to expand hunting safety zone from 660 to 1,000 feet

The South Dakota Senate on Feb. 26 rejected House Bill 12-36, a proposal to expand the statutory safety zone that restricts hunting and trapping near dwellings from 660 feet to 1,000 feet. Sponsor Senator Davis offered an amendment to change the 660-foot figure to 1,000 feet; the amendment was adopted, but the bill failed final passage on a 5-29 vote.

Proponents said the measure was a public-safety and private-property response to complaints from landowners and sheriffs. "We are taking the safety zone from 660 feet to 1,000 feet," Sponsor Senator Davis told the chamber, saying sheriffs and landowners had testified about incidents and enforcement difficulties. He and other supporters urged the Senate to provide a larger buffer to protect families, livestock and property.

Opponents argued the expansion would unduly restrict traditional access and tourism, would not make law enforcement more effective and would primarily punish law-abiding hunters. "We're talking about lead shot or steel shot," Senator Jensen said in a technical explanation of shot behavior, arguing the effective dangerous range is limited. Senator Carr said the change would mostly burden lawful hunters who already follow safety rules.

Testimony cited in debate included sheriffs who told the Senate committee they had responded to related complaints but found enforcement difficult when incidents occurred far from their stations. Senators also cited statistics offered on the floor: Senator Boyd said about 6,200,000 acres are open to hunting statewide and that 1,200,000 private acres have been volunteered by landowners for public hunting, with roughly 920,000 of those acres on East River.

Senators raising concerns included Senator Pyschke, who warned of economic effects on out-of-state hunters and questioned inclusion of trapping in the same statute; Senator Lapke described a personal incident in which stray shotgun shells disrupted farm operations; Senator Voigt and others noted Game and Fish comments that signage and enforcement practices matter for accountability.

The Senate first adopted an amendment (12-36B) offered by Senator Davis to set the safety zone at 1,000 feet; that amendment was moved and seconded and carried without a separate roll call. After further debate the Senate voted on final passage. When the secretary called the roll, the measure failed, with the presiding officer declaring the bill lost after the tally of 5 yeas and 29 nays.

The vote count was announced on the floor as 5 yeas, 29 nays, and 1 excused; the presiding officer declared final passage failed. No committee referral or subsequent steps were announced on the floor during the session.