Agency

GFP Commission Holds January Meeting

January 9, 2026

PIERRE, S.D. – The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) Commission held their January Commission meeting at the Pierre Ramkota on January 8-9.

PROPOSALS

Iron Creek Lake No Wake Zone

The Commission proposed to create a "No Wake Zone" on Iron Creek Lake in Lawrence County. Iron Creek Lake is a 24 acre impoundment, and the no wake zone would help decrease shoreline erosion from wakes.

Lake Albert Waterfowl Refuge

The Commission proposed to remove refuge status from Lake Albert Waterfowl Refuge.

The Lake Albert Waterfowl Refuge is comprised of private property owned by eight landowners. The landowners formally requested that their property to be removed from the Waterfowl Refuge status and have provided signed consents to remove their property. By removing the refuge status, landowner control over hunting access on their property will be restored. Many of the landowners have had hunters asking to hunt their property, but due to the refuge status, they were unable to allow hunters to harvest waterfowl within the boundaries of the refuge.

Hunt for Habitat

The Commission proposed to modify the license packages available within the Hunt for Habitat raffle. The Hunt for Habitat raffle allows for up to ten big game licenses, and the package for 2026 would offer:

  • 1 Custer State Park Trophy Bison;
  • 1 Custer State Park Trophy Bison and Any White-tail Deer Package;
  • 1 Any Deer (Statewide - excludes Custer State Park); and
  • 3 Any Deer (Statewide - excludes Custer State Park) and Elk Package.

Public Comments Being Accepted

To hear the discussion on these proposals, audio from the meeting is available through South Dakota Public Broadcasting and will soon be available on the GFP website as part of the meeting archive. 

To see these proposals in their entirety, visit gfp.sd.gov/commission/information.

To be included in the public record and to be considered by the Commission, comments must include a full name and city of residence and be submitted by 11:59 p.m. CT on March 1.

The next GFP Commission meeting will be held in Pierre, March 5-6.

 

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