50K raccoons, skunks, other nest predators killed by bounty hunters

On Aug. 12, the Nest Predator Bounty Program will close after receiving 50,000 nest predator tails from nearly 3,000 participants.

With Governor Noem being committed to continuing South Dakota’s outdoor heritage, she created the Second Century Initiative early in 2019. The Nest Predator Bounty Program launched on April 1, 2019, as part of this initiative to help pheasants and ducks increase nesting success. Since then, the program has focused on introducing people to trapping as well as reducing localized populations of nest predators.

The bulk of submissions came from raccoon tails at 37,720 followed by the submission of 5,529 skunk tails. The top counties that participated in the program have included: Minnehaha, Beadle, Yankton, Grant, Brookings, Turner, Kingsbury, Clark, Roberts and Lake counties.

Program participants can submit their tails on Friday, Aug. 9 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or on Monday, Aug. 12 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m to the locations below. They are closed on weekends.

Aberdeen: 605.626.2391, 5850 E. Hwy 12

Chamberlain: 605.734.4530, 1550 E. King Ave.

Ft. Pierre: 605.223.7680, 20641 SD Hwy 1806

Huron: 605.353.7145, 895 3rd Street SW

Mobridge: 605.845.7814, 909 Lake Front Drive

Rapid City: 605.394.2391, 4130 Adventure Trail

Sioux Falls: 605.362.2700, 4500 S. Oxbow Ave.

Watertown: 605.882.5200, 400 West Kemp