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authorize the use of a drone for the location and recovery of mortally wounded deer and elk and to provide a penalty therefor.

This bill allows hunters to use drones to locate and recover deer and elk that they've mortally wounded, as long as a licensed pilot operates the drone and the animal was shot during a legal hunt. The bill modifies South Dakota's existing law that generally prohibits using aircraft for hunting by creating a specific exception for this recovery purpose. Hunters can only use drones on privately owned land with the landowner's permission, and the activity cannot occur during the main hunting months of September, October, or November.

remove the prohibition pertaining to the shooting of mourning doves located within specific areas.

SB 115 removes the current ban on shooting mourning doves along highways and public rights-of-way in South Dakota. Under this change, mourning doves would be treated the same as other small game allowed in these areas, meaning hunters could legally shoot them in these locations (subject to existing safety zone restrictions and other hunting regulations).