Changes Coming to Trophy Bison Hunting Permits at Custer State Park

South Dakota officials are changing the state’s trophy bison hunting laws to allow bow hunting and increasing the number of licenses available.

Trophy bison at Custer State Park will now be allowed to be shot with a bow and arrow. The department’s previous law limited hunters to using a high-powered rifle.

Game, Fish and Parks proposed the change, which was approved Tuesday by the Legislative Rules Committee.

Tom Kirschenmann, wildlife director, said the change was based on user experience.

“The idea is just to increase the number of bison a little bit to provide some additional opportunities for bison hunting in Custer State Park. The hunts are very popular, people really enjoy the experience and it provides some additional opportunities in Custer State Park,” Kirschenmann said.

The committee also approved a proposal to increase the number of bison hunting licenses from eight to 10. Two of those licenses are reserved for residents.

According to the Department of Game, Fish and Parks, trophy bison are defined as bison that are the oldest breeding males in a herd. These bison are typically at least ten years old and weigh about 2,000 pounds.

Not all committee members agreed with the changes. Sen. Red Dawn Foster expressed concern and said she would like to see the department work more closely with tribes on these plans.

“As Lakota, we have a deep relationship with the bison, the bison of this community, and the nine tribes are working very hard to restore what has happened over the decades. They are working very hard. So to just say that hunting bison for trophy purposes, especially our older bison, is okay, shows that there is a complete disregard for these animals, and that certainly does not align with my cultural values,” Red Dawn Foster said.

She said adding archery to bison trophies would increase anxiety in aging bison.

The committee adopted the bison amendments by a vote of four to two, completing the rule-making process.