Bowhunters in western South Dakota are volunteering to replace sheep fences with a pronghorn-friendly alternative, aiming to improve the survival of the world’s second-fastest land mammal.
Pronghorns, often called antelope, are native to North America and thrive in the American West, including the area west of the Missouri River in South Dakota. The animals reach speeds of 60 mph, making them well-suited to the region’s open, semi-arid plains.
However, pronghorns prefer to crawl under rather than leap over fences, and parts of western South Dakota are fenced for sheep with wire-grid fencing that is difficult to go under.
Some of the land that was once used for sheep now serves other uses, such as cattle ranching, but the sheep fencing remains.
So, in June, South Dakota Bowhunters Association members began working alongside landowners to remove existing fencing and replace it with pronghorn-friendly fencing.
“This state is home to tens of thousands of hunters, and every year we take and take,” said association member and volunteer Rob Mahaffey, of Rapid City. “Let’s also give back.”
The team has conducted three outings, helping landowners remove and replace about 4 miles of fencing, with another 6 miles lined up. The association said it’s just the start, and more volunteers are needed.
“We’ve seen firsthand how these fences can hurt pronghorn,” Mahaffey said. “They get hung up in the fence while trying to evade a predator, or they’re unable to get to safety during a blizzard.”
The new fencing meets the requirements set by state wildlife officials for a public program paying landowners up to $2,000 for wildlife-friendly fencing projects. Since 2019, the department said the program has incentivized 145 miles worth of wildlife-friendly fence installation, primarily to keep livestock from grazing or overgrazing certain areas.
The Department of Game, Fish & Parks declined South Dakota Searchlight’s request to interview one of the department’s biologists for this story but encouraged interested landowners to visit their local habitat biologist to learn more about the program . GF&P Communications Manager Nick Harrington said in an email that the department wants to thank the bowhunters association “for their efforts in assisting and promoting this conservation practice.”
The state’s pronghorn-friendly fence specifications consist of a maximum top wire height of 42 inches, a second strand of wire at 30 inches, a third wire at 24 inches, and the bottom must be a smooth wire (the others can be barbed wire) set at 18 inches above the ground. The fencing also has to remain in place for at least 10 years.
The GF&P aims for a pre-hunting season pronghorn population of 58,000 to 79,000. The 2024 pre-season estimate is about 35,000.
To improve numbers, Bowhunters Association President Justin Broughton said replacing fences will not be enough. He wants the state to put limits on the currently unlimited licenses for all resident pronghorn bowhunters and nonresident bowhunters who hunt exclusively on private land.
“There is no control when you have unlimited licenses,” he said. “We have a situation where the population is half the objective, yet we have unlimited licenses. Think about that.”
South Dakota hunters killed 1,788 pronghorns with rifles and 606 with bows in 2023. Other factors impacting the pronghorn population include the amount and quality of habitat, weather, disease and predation.
Pronghorns’ range extends from southern Canada through the western United States and into northern Mexico. In the early 1800s, their numbers were estimated to be 30 million. By the early 20th century, overhunting and habitat loss reduced their numbers to about 13,000.
Conservation efforts have increased and sustained their population between 500,000 and 1 million since the mid-20th century. Wildlife advocates say the current population is about 500,000.
This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Bowhunters are volunteering to improve pronghorn survival in western South Dakota
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