By 
The pastime of hunting for pheasants along gravel roads in South Dakota has survived another attack in the state Legislature.
Senators on Tuesday, Feb. 25, resoundingly shot down a measure to increase the size of non-shooting zones — the distance a hunter must be from dwellings, livestock, and other motorists to legally discharge a firearm — that had already advanced through two legislative committees and the state House.
“This is one of the first shots toward getting rid of road hunting, so let’s not do that to our people,” Sen. Larry Zikmund said, echoing other opponents of House Bill 1236 who say extending non-shooting zones from the 660-foot rule that exists in law now would disqualify nearly every stretch of gravel road in the state from road hunters.
But proponents say too often people are not adhering to the 660-foot rule, necessitating a need for tighter restrictions. Originally, the measure proposed prohibiting hunters from taking a shot if they were within a quarter mile of buildings, non-hunters, or farm animals.
“Lately it’s been brought to my attention an escalation in complaints of those who show no respect for our 660 feet of non-shooting safety zone,” said Sen. Sydney Davis, a sponsor of the measure. She characterized it as balancing property rights with South Dakota’s permissive hunting laws and as an “attempt to calm an ongoing friction between hunters and landowners.”
The Burbank Republican said that although violators can face criminal punishment, too often authorities who receive reports of hunting occurring within non-shooting zones are unable to hold rule-breakers accountable.
“By the time the sheriff gets to the location, the offender is usually long gone,” she said.
Other proponents were dismissive of arguments that the bill would make pheasant hunting less accessible for South Dakotans, pointing to millions of acres of preserves and public hunting grounds available to sportsmen throughout the state.
A majority of senators weren’t convinced, however, and the chamber killed the measure on a 29-5 vote — even after it was amended to adjust the proposed non-shooting zone to 1,000 feet.
“I don’t believe I have any huntable land in my district — zero — but what I do have is people who like to hunt, and they like the access to be able to hunt,” said Sen. Jamie Smith, a Sioux Falls Democrat representing District 15. “Don’t stop people from my district from exercising that opportunity … and my people in my district, most of them can’t afford to go to the preserves.”
