January 28, 2019
Grant Funding Benefits Elk Habitat, Research, Public Access in South Dakota
MISSOULA, Mont.—The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation provided nearly $114,000 in grant funding to improve elk habitat and scientific research in South Dakota as well as a wide range of hunting heritage and other outdoor-related activities.
“Water is at a premium across the lower portion of South Dakota. This funding is helping to establish a wide-ranging pipeline project to improve more than 15,400 acres of habitat,” said Blake Henning, RMEF chief conservation officer. “It also goes toward a multi-year research effort monitoring cow elk survival plus it assists various other projects designed to enhance habitat for elk and other wildlife.”
The 2018 grants helped pay for 25 projects across Aurora, Beadle, Brule, Buffalo, Charles Mix, Custer, Fall River, Jerauld, Lake, Lawrence, Meade, Pennington, Sanborn, Tripp and Yankton Counties.
South Dakota is home to more than 4,200 RMEF members and 18 chapters.
“We are so grateful for our volunteers and all the hard work they put in,” said Kyle Weaver, RMEF president and CEO. “Not only do they raise these funds that go back on the ground in South Dakota, but they took part in a number of different hands-on projects that improve water sources for elk and other wildlife. They truly are committed to our conservation mission.”
Since 1990, RMEF and its partners completed 324 conservation and hunting heritage outreach projects in South Dakota with a combined value of more than $37.2 million. These projects protected or enhanced 102,013 acres of habitat and opened or improved public access to 11,472 acres.
Here is a sampling of the 2018 projects, listed by county:
Custer County
- Provide funding to monitor cow elk survival and mortality in the Black Hills. The funds help replace 50 collars during the winter of 2018-19 which help managers monitor the animals during calving season and during other times of the year (also benefits Lawrence and Pennington Counties).
Fall River County
- Provide funding to expand the South Dakota Elk Hunting Access Program to an estimated 27,000 acres of privately-owned land in the southern Black Hills during the 2018 hunting season. The program enhances hunting opportunities and success rates while improving landowner tolerance for having elk on their property and assisting them with depredation concerns (also benefits Custer, Lawrence, Meade and Pennington, Counties).
Lawrence County
- Provide funding to construct nine miles of pipeline, ten stock tanks, three water storage tanks and two wildlife water guzzlers across approximately 15,000 acres of rangeland on the Black Hills National Forest. The goal is to improve forage through improved grazing distribution, including livestock, and provide reliable water sources for wildlife to encourage elk to use public lands.
Brule County
- Provide funding for an appearance in Oacoma by the Gould Brothers who share stories while inspiring others to love shooting and reach their potential while stressing gun safety at the same time.
Butte County
- Provide funding for the Butte County 4-H Shooting Sports Program which teaches safe and responsible firearms and archery equipment use and improves marksmanship skills for youth ages 8-18 in the county and surrounding area.
Charles Mix County
- Provide funding to offset the costs of shells and clay targets for the Platte-Geddes High School Trap Team in Platte which invites youth in grades 6 through 12 to learn about gun safety, sportsmanship and team work.
Custer County
- Provide funding to monitor cow elk survival and mortality in the Black Hills. The funds help replace 50 collars during the winter of 2018-19 which help managers monitor the animals during calving season and during other times of the year (also benefits Lawrence and Pennington Counties).
- Complete the first phase of a two-phase project aimed at removing ponderosa pine encroaching into a 112-acre meadow in Custer State Park.
- Provide volunteer manpower to repair two non-functioning wildlife water guzzlers in the Hells Canyon Ranger District on the Black Hills National Forest. The group also repaired fencing around each, removed 1.5 miles of aspen exclosure fencing on the Custer State Park and erected a memorial sign for two faithful RMEF volunteers who passed away.
Fall River County
- Provide funding to expand the South Dakota Elk Hunting Access Program to an estimated 27,000 acres of privately-owned land in the southern Black Hills during the 2018 hunting season. The program enhances hunting opportunities and success rates while improving landowner tolerance for having elk on their property and assisting them with depredation concerns (also benefits Custer, Lawrence, Meade and Pennington, Counties).
- Remove ponderosa pine encroachment across 143 acres on the Battle Mountain Game Production Area (GPA) property to support a large diversity of wildlife.
Jerauld County
- Provide funding for the Jerauld County Step Outside Youth Outdoor Day, a National Shooting Sports Foundation program that encourages hunters and target shooters to share their knowledge and passion for the outdoors with newcomers. Participants in grades 3-6 from the Wessington Springs School District take part in six learning stations including fly casting, duck calling, trapping, archery, BB gun shooting and wildlife photography (also benefits Aurora, Beadle, Brule, Buffalo and Sanborn Counties).
Lake County
- Provide funding for the Lake County 4-H Shooting Sports Program that teaches gun safety and competitive marksmanship skills in multiple disciples including BB fun, air rifle, air pistol and shotgun to youth ages 8 to 18.
Lawrence County
- Provide funding to construct nine miles of pipeline, ten stock tanks, three water storage tanks and two wildlife water guzzlers across approximately 15,000 acres of rangeland on the Black Hills National Forest. The goal is to improve forage through improved grazing distribution, including livestock, and provide reliable water sources for wildlife to encourage elk to use public lands.
- Provide funding for the Deadwood History Inc.’s Nature Navigator Workshop at the Adams Museum that educates children about the environments, habitats and ecosystems of the Black Hills. The funding also provides financial support for two summer youth camps.
- Provide volunteer manpower to clean up and dispose of trash along a two-mile stretch of Highway 82 as well as the Eagle Cliffs Trails system parking lot within the Black Hills National Forest.
- Provide volunteer manpower to repair five different wildlife water guzzlers on five different dates on the Black Hills National Forest. It is part of a continuing effort in coordination forest officials to monitor and repair, as needed, 47 such guzzlers across the Northern Hills Ranger District.
- Provide volunteer manpower to construct exclosure fence around a 1.25-acre aspen stand to promote aspen regeneration on the RMEF-held Sawyer Memorial Park conservation easement.
Pennington County
- Treat 50 acres of winter range for noxious weeds and conduct inventory on an additional 400 acres to determine future areas to treat in the Mystic Ranger District on the Black Hills National Forest. Leafy spurge is abundant near roadways, drainages and springs. It also expanded into forested areas due to recent tree mortality from the mountain pine beetle epidemic.
- Treat 100 acres of meadows for noxious weeds used by elk and other wildlife on the Black Hills National Forest and private land.
Provide funding for the Black Hills Archery’s youth program in cooperation with Pennington County 4-H. - Provide funding for South Dakota Youth Hunting Adventures, a non-profit organization that pairs youth ages 12-15 from the Rapid City area who do not have the opportunity to hunt with mentors for a one-on-one hunting experience. Participants learn hunter safety, shooting skills, conservation education and other outdoor skills before having the opportunity to hunt deer, antelope, turkeys, pheasants, geese or other wildlife.
Tripp County
- Provide funding and volunteer manpower to assist a free youth outdoor day at the Rosebud Arrow, Rod and Gun Club in Winner. Boys and girls ages 5-16 have the opportunity to try a variety of activities including archery, shotgun, air pistol and rifle, muzzleloader, .22 rifle, pistol, BB gun, casting, coyote, turkey and goose calling, as well as a mock pheasant hunt.
Yankton County
- Provide funding for the Yankton High School Trap Team, the first high school trap shooting club in the area. It offers students grades 7-12 the opportunity to learn about firearm skills, safety and competition.
South Dakota 2018 project partners include the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks, Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Black Hills National Forest, private landowners and various sportsmen, civic and business organizations.