The intent of this Request for Proposal and any resultant Agreement is to obtain aerial wildlife capture services in 2025 for elk and bighorn sheep in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The Contractor will be responsible for all equipment, materials, supplies, transportation, lodging, trained/certified pilots, hangar fees, and supervision and management of those pilots, necessary to meet or exceed the Agreement specifications. Note, certain equipment and supplies will be provided by State as described below. Contractor will use a helicopter for wildlife captures using the methods described below. Experienced muggers will be provided by Contractor to contain captured animals and perform necessary fieldwork as described below. All mugger and capture personnel must be approved by GFP point of contact prior to conducting any capture work in South Dakota. All capture quantities and cost estimates listed in the proposal shall not include capture related mortalities. Once Contractor is stationed in South Dakota, all wildlife captures outlined in the resultant Agreement will be completed before leaving South Dakota. Animal capture operations will depend on suitable weather to ensure (1) safe operating conditions for crew, to be determined by pilot in consultation with GFP staff; and (2) safe capture conditions for wildlife, to be determined by GFP staff in consultation with pilot. Project Name: Bighorn Sheep in South Dakota Location of Area: Black Hills region of South Dakota Time Period: January 1 – March 31, 2026 Services to be performed: Immobilize/capture (dart gun or net gun via helicopter) approximately 40 bighorn sheep. If tranquilizer guns are used, the BAM sedation protocol will be followed. While the bighorn sheep are immobilized, Contractors shall equip bighorn sheep with GPS radio collars provided by the State, collect nasal swabs, note general body condition, and record location of capture. In addition, the State shall provide chemical immobilization drug kits, swab sample kits, study area boundaries, and secure all permission from public and private landowners. Only females >18-months old and males >2-years old are to be captured, so identifying age class is important as no lambs and yearling males are to be captured. Accurate age and sex classification is required, and contractor shall not bill for capture of incorrect age or sex classes. Contractor shall provide dart guns and net guns to capture and/or immobilize bighorn sheep. No State staff will be in aircraft.
