State Sen. Jerry Apa of Lead urged the state Game, Fish & Parks Commission on Thursday to avoid a major land purchase for a proposed regional office complex and outdoor learning center in Rapid City.

In doing so, Apa spoke indirectly against a land-purchase deal GF&P has been negotiating with former state Sen. Stan Adelstein. Apa did not name Adelstein during a short presentation to the commission but said members should seriously consider locating the complex on existing state land at the Cleghorn Springs Fish Hatchery rather than buy new ground.

Apa also said the Rapid City government and donors should make the same type of support that GF&P received in Sioux Falls, where the agency built The Outdoor Campus in 1997.

"I know it's a fabulous campus they have in Sioux Falls," Apa said. "But Sioux Falls donated the land for that campus, then many organizations donated to make that a reality."

Calling that "the template" for how a similar project should be handled in Rapid City, Apa, a political adversary of Adelstein, said Rapid City should make a real commitment to help build the complex and maintain the property, as Sioux Falls does.

"I think that's important that you have a buy-in from the local community," he said.

GF&P officials and Adelstein have been discussing a purchase agreement for all or part of more than 30 acres of land he owns off Sturgis Road in northwest Rapid City. The property includes woods, meadows, a small lake, slough and a stream.

The site was the preferred alternative selected from a group of land options by GF&P, but that was when the agency had a different secretary and wildlife division director, and a number of different commissioners.

Adelstein has said he was willing to offer the land at a sale price below market value and was interested in a possible trade for GF&P property elsewhere. But he said Thursday night that he could not go beyond that.

"We can't afford to donate the land," he said. "We can make a substantial contribution, but not the whole thing."

In Sioux Falls, the city donated land in Sertoma Park along the Big Sioux River for The Outdoor Campus and kicked in $300,000. The city continues to provide snow removal and maintenance service for the property.

Built for $3.2 million, The Outdoor Campus combines an outdoor education center and natural resource museum, events auditorium, classrooms, constructed fishing pond and hiking trails, natural gardens and fields of native grasses with the GF&P regional headquarters.

With the Sioux Falls facility as a model of success, then-GF&P Commission Chairman Ken Barker of Belle Fourche pushed the idea of a similar complex for Rapid City. But Barker liked the idea of building it on state land at the Cleghorn Springs Fish Hatchery on S.D. Highway 44 in southwest Rapid City, possibly in conjunction with adjoining city property.

Apa said Thursday that the Cleghorn land made sense as a site for the project, allowing GF&P to save money on land and consolidate facilities at Cleghorn.

"I think Cleghorn Springs would be the most logical spot for it," he said.

The fish hatchery land remains Barker's favorite location.

"I thought the fish hatchery was a great way to do that," he said in a recent interview. "It's already owned by the department, and it's a very accessible and visible location."

Commission Chairman Spencer Hawley of Brookings told Apa that he was "representing the feelings" of a number of the commissioners with his comments about the building project. The commission did not discuss the issue, but Hawley said that would happen at the August meeting at Fort Sisseton State Park near Sisseton in northeast South Dakota.

"It'll be an agenda item next month. Then, we'll have formal discussion and make a decision," he said.

In other action Thursday, the state Game, Fish & Parks Commission approved the following hunting seasons:

* Rifle antelope, with opening dates of Oct. 4 and Oct. 11, depending on the hunting unit. In an effort to trim a large antelope herd, the commission authorized the sale of up to 15,361 antelope licenses, with multiple tags totalling 40,484.

* East River rifle deer, from Nov. 15 through Nov. 30 in the main season. There also would be antlerless-only hunts Dec. 1-7 and Jan. 1-9. The commission authorized the sale of up to 18,895 one-tag licenses and 27,735 two-tag permits, with a potential total sale of 74,365 tags.

* Early fall Canada goose season, from Sept. 6-26, with a daily bag limit of five Canada geese and a possession limit of 10. Shooting hours will be a half hour before sunrise to sunset. Certain counties will be closed during this season. Check GF&P information for the closed areas.

* Youth waterfowl season, Sept. 20-21 statewide, with bag limits yet to be set, depending on federal frameworks to be determined in coming weeks. The youth season is open to resident and non-resident hunters who have not reached 16 by the first day of the season. Each must hunt with an adult and be properly licensed.

* The commission also approved rules establishing the framework of mentored youth hunts, which apply to hunters 10 and older accompanied by a qualified adult mentor. The mentor hunts will be allowed in most hunting seasons.

Contact Kevin Woster at 394-8413 or kevin.woster@rapidcityjournal.com