State Senate supports shooting coyotes from snowmobiles

[Outdoors Junkie]

Link to article: http://rapidcityjournal.com/news/article_0b59ca5e-2a89-11e0-945e-001cc4c03286.html

By Kevin Woster -Rapid City Journal

Is shooting coyotes from snowmobiles a good idea?

A state Senate committee said "yes" by a 5-3 vote on Thursday, but with some stipulations.

The Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee approved SB55, which would authorize people to use snowmobiles to hunt coyotes. But amendments to the bill would limit those people to landowners or lease holders on the property they own or lease.

Other amendments would set a minimum age of 18 for the shooter, prohibit shooting until the snowmobile had stopped and prohibit passengers while the operator of the snowmobile is engaged in coyote hunting.

Yet another amendment, however, would expand the original language of the bill, which limited the firearms used to shotguns. Supporters of the amendment argued that if the snowmobile must be stopped, a weapon with a longer range -- such as a rifle -- should be an option to extend the kill range on the escaping coyote.

Sen. Ryan Maher, R-Isabel, prime sponsor of the bill, said after the committee vote that he accepted the amendments and hoped they would win support on the Senate floor. A vote there is likely early next week, he said.

"I can live with all these" amendments, Maher said. "At least you would be able to have your gun ready when you're out on property. As it is now, you can't legally carry a gun on a snowmobile unless it's in a case."

The South Dakota Stockgrowers Association supported the bill, after it was amended to limit it to landowners and lessees on their own property.

"With that amendment, the Stockgrowers support it as a means of predator control," said Jeremiah Murphy of Rapid City, a lobbyist for the association. "It helps our guys protect their livestock."

The state Game, Fish & Parks Department opposes the bill, arguing that allowing loaded weapons on snowmobiles would be unsafe. GF&P officials also worry about the impact the bill could have on the image of hunting.



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