Game, Fish & Parks Wildlife

WILDLIFE RESOURCES

The Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation is located in a mixed-grass prairie of the Northern Great Plains Region. Existing as an ecotone between the tall grass and short grass regions, the mixed-grass prairie is perhaps the most floristically complex of the central grasslands. Although homogenous and monotonous in appearance, grasslands contain a complex mosaic of communities. Many species of game and nongame wildlife, both resident and seasonal migrants, can be enjoyed by both consumptive and noncomsumptive users.

ENDANGERED SPECIES
Several federally Threatened and Endangered species may be found within the exterior boundaries of the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation. Most are observed during migration periods or occasional infrequent visits. The following is a list of the endangered (E) or threatened (T) species that could be encountered on the Reservation

Threatened and Endangered Species:

Piping plover (T)

Bald Eagle (T)

More information regarding threatened and endangered species can be found at the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service homepage.

DEPREDATION

The Cheyenne River Game, Fish and Parks is responsible for the management of all wildlife species on the CRST Reservation. Consequently, when local ranchers and farmers experience depredation problems from local wildlife, GFP is responsible for reducing the conflicts.
Turkeys often concentrate in large numbers in feed lots and are trapped and relocated by GFP personnel.

During extreme winters, such as 1996-1997, deer often concentrate at hay stacks when other food sources become unavailable. GFP does not have funds to reimburse landowners or purchase supplies for exclusion fencing, but will assist individuals in trying to reduce or alleviate the problem.

Other common wildlife damage occurrence come primarily from the result of beaver and coyote activities. Most beaver complaints involve tree damage or flooding. GFP assist in controlling local populations when problems arise, but realizes that beaver play an important role in the prairie ecosystem. A handout for landowners regarding beaver biology and control measures can be obtained at the Eagle Butte GFP office.

Coyote depredation on livestock is addressed by intensive, short term, site specific predator control. Livestock (cattle) and wild ungulates are eaten by coyotes usually as carrion; actual predation is rare. Most ranchers within the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation agree, however, several have legitimate concerns during calving season that are addressed as best as possible by GFP.

Elk Hunt

Considered to be both a plains and mountain dweller, North American Elk (Cervus elaphus) were originally distributed throughout all of temperate North America, excluding the Great Basin and the southeastern United States. Although restocking efforts have replenished populations in most suitable habitats, the prairie and deciduous hardwood regions of the original range are unoccupied, except for small, introduced, isolated populations.

INTRODUCTION

Elk were released in an enclosed pasture on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation in the North Central Great Plains. The National Park Service, Theodore Roosevelt and Wind Cave National Parks, donated the elk to the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe (CRST) in efforts to reduce Park populations. The CRST Game, Fish, and Parks Program (GFP) requested Tribal Council place a 5-year moratorium on the herd to allow the herd to increase and to allow GFP to set up proper management procedures and goals.

CURRENT MANAGEMENT

GFP recently updated its elk herd management objectives to include hands-off management strategies, tribal member and open elk hunt opportunities, educational nature tours, meat production, and selling shed antlers.

ELK HUNTING

In 1996, the GFP held its first member-only hunt. In 1999, 2 more hunts were conducted - one was a member only raffle, whereas the other was open to the general public. In 2000 and 2001 we increased the number of hunts to 6, and offered our first hunt to non-member reservation residents. See below for pictures! In 2002 we closed all bull hunts and conducted our first ever Youth cow elk hunts. In 2003 we held 8 elk hunts with 4 youth cow elk hunts. In 2004 we held 16 elk hunts with 6 youth cow elk hunts. We held 16 elk hunts again in 2005 with 6 of the 16 being youth elk hunts.

The GFP offers Elk hunts on a yearly basis. Contact Game, Fish and Parks for current hunt status.   Hunts are available now!

HISTORY

In May 1993 the Theodore Roosevelt National Park provided CRST with 52 elk, 19 of which were males and 33 females. In December 1994, the Wind Cave National Park provided CRST with 42 elk, 33 of which were males and 9 females. The elk are presently kept in an enclosed pasture of approximately 2840 acres, located about 2 miles southeast of Eagle Butte, South Dakota, on the former Tribal Beef Camp. The herd has been managed by GFP since the date of release.

The GFP department originally considered numerous options for managing the elk population, to include velvet production, hunting, limited subsidy options, and cow/calf production. Initially, GFP opted to sell live animals, with profits to be used for managing the elk herd and to partially fund wildlife and habitat management on the Reservation. In order to accomplish this objective, GFP disease tested the herd annually for Brucellosis and Tuberculosis. In addition, GFP agreed to enter the Chronic Wasting Disease Control Program of South Dakota. To date, the herd remains disease free.

GFP has also provided other services related to the elk reserve. Tours have been given to several Tribal Head Start groups and tourist groups, and several controlled hunts have been conducted. Approximately 5-10 elk have been processed and donated to tribal elderly nutrition centers and elderly members.

Interior least tern (E)
Whooping Crane (E)
Gray Wolf (E)

Daily Limits:

Fish Species	CRST Impoundments	Oahe Reservoir, Cheyenne and Moreau Rivers
Largemouth Bass	5	5
Smallmouth Bass	5	5
Walleye, Sauger, and/or Saugeye	5	10
Rainbow Trout	5	5
Chinook Salmon	5	5
All Pike Species	Unlimited	6
Yellow Perch	25	Unlimited
Bluegill	25	Unlimited
Black Crappie	25	Unlimited
All Other Sunfish	25	Unlimited
Channel Catfish	5	Unlimited
All Bullhead Species	Unlimited	Unlimited
Carp & Sucker Species	Unlimited	Unlimited
White Bass Species	N/A	Unlimited
All Sturgeon Species	N/A	1 fish/year
All Rainbow Smelt Species	N/A	Unlimited
Paddlefish	N/A	1 Fish/year

POSSESSION LIMITS: No more than twice the daily limit.

Regulations:

POSSESSION LIMITS: No more than twice the daily limit.

No person shall take fish without a valid Tribal fishing license in Tribal waters
No person shall deposit any form of refuse on the ice, in the water, or on the land anywhere on the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation.
Nonmembers of the Tribe should follow state limits when fishing impounds located on deeded land.
No person shall fish with more than 2 lines at the same time and with no more than 2 hooks per line.
Nonmembers are subject to SD State regulations where applicable.

Special regulations:

HOOP NET Regulations:

Open to the Cheyenne River East of the Cheyenne River Bridge at Hwy 63 and downstream thereof.
Open to the Moreau River East of the Moreau River Bridge at Promise, SD and downstream thereof.
Open to the Oahe Reservoir lake shore.
Bag limits and possession limits are listed above.
No more than two nets active at one time per person.
Each net must be tagged with owners name and address. It shall be the owner's responsibility to provide the identification tag.
All ponds, Lakes and impoundments are closed to hoopnet and setline fishing

SETLINE, TROTLINE, & JUGLINE Regulations:

Open to the Cheyenne River from the Cheyenne River Bridge at Hwy 34 and downstream thereof.
Open to the Moreau River from the Ziebach County line and downstream thereof, and to Cherry Creek from the Ziebach County line to the confluence of the Cheyenne River.
No more than 10 hooks per line.
Bag limits and possession limits are listed above.
No more than two lines active at one time per person.