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revise certain youth hunting requirements.

This bill raises the age limit for youth hunting and fishing licenses in South Dakota from under 16 to under 18 years old, meaning residents aged 16 and 17 will now need to obtain licenses to hunt fur-bearing animals and fish. The change allows younger teens to continue hunting and fishing without licenses while requiring older teenagers to follow the same licensing requirements as adults.

authorize the use of crossbows by certain hunters.

This bill allows hunters over age 60 to use crossbows with a draw-lock device to hunt game birds and animals, expanding current law that previously limited crossbows to disabled hunters. The change adds a new exception to South Dakota's hunting methods rules, making crossbows available to senior hunters as a legal alternative to traditional firearms and bows.

remove the locking seal requirement for the transportation of big game animals.

HB 1035 removes the requirement that hunters use locking seals when transporting big game animals. This simplifies transportation rules for hunters by eliminating a regulatory requirement that previously applied to deer, elk, and other large game animals.