Overview
Known For
With an average annual harvest of 1.2 million roosters over the last 10 years, South Dakota is world renowned for pheasant hunting. But the state also offers incredible hunting opportunities for elk, deer, antelope, turkey, waterfowl, mountain goats, and more.
Terrain
South Dakota’s terrain has a little bit of everything, from ponderosa pine forests, river bottoms, grassland prairies, and Black Hills mountains, to the vast Missouri River reservoir system.
South Dakota Hunting Seasons
| Season | Start Date | End Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Antelope – Archery
Closed during firearm season
|
Aug 20, 2022 | Sep 30, 2022 |
|
|
Antelope – Landowner
|
Oct 1, 2022 | Oct 16, 2022 |
|
|
Antelope – Firearms
|
Oct 1, 2022 | Oct 16, 2022 |
|
|
Antelope – 2nd Archery
Closed during firearm season
|
Oct 17, 2022 | Oct 31, 2022 |
|
|
Bison – Non-trophy Custer State Park
2022 season dates are not out yet, please check regulations for more details: https://gfp.sd.gov/nontrophy-buffalo/
|
Oct 25, 2021 | Nov 12, 2021 |
|
|
Bobcat
|
Dec 26, 2022 | Feb 15, 2023 |
|
|
Coyote
No limit. Shooting hours unrestricted.
|
Jan 1, 2022 | Dec 31, 2022 |
|
|
Sandhill Crane
|
Sep 24, 2022 | Nov 20, 2022 |
|
|
Deer – Archery
|
Sep 1, 2022 | Jan 1, 2023 |
|
|
Deer – Archery Antlerless
Whitetail deer only.
|
Sep 1, 2022 | Jan 1, 2023 |
|
|
Deer – Apprentice & Youth
|
Sep 10, 2022 | Jan 1, 2023 |
|
|
Deer – Custer State Park
|
Nov 1, 2022 | Dec 15, 2022 |
|
|
Deer – Black Hills
|
Nov 1, 2022 | Nov 30, 2022 |
|
|
Deer – West River Landowner
|
Nov 11, 2022 | Nov 26, 2022 |
|
|
Deer – West River Special Buck
|
Nov 12, 2022 | Nov 27, 2022 |
|
|
Deer – West River
|
Nov 12, 2022 | Nov 27, 2022 |
|
|
Deer – East River
|
Nov 19, 2022 | Dec 4, 2022 |
|
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Deer – East River Special Buck
|
Nov 19, 2022 | Dec 4, 2022 |
|
|
Deer – East River Landowner
|
Nov 19, 2022 | Dec 4, 2022 |
|
|
Deer – Muzzleloader
|
Dec 1, 2022 | Jan 1, 2023 |
|
|
Deer – Muzzleloader Antlerless
Whitetail deer only.
|
Dec 1, 2022 | Jan 1, 2023 |
|
|
Deer – East & West River Antlerless
|
Dec 10, 2022 | Dec 18, 2022 |
|
|
Mourning Dove
Statewide
|
Sep 1, 2022 | Nov 9, 2022 |
|
|
Duck – Youth Only
Check regulations for further details on bag limits and areas.
|
Sep 10, 2022 | Sep 11, 2022 |
|
|
Duck – Low Plains North
Check regulations for further details on bag limits and areas: https://gfp.sd.gov/ducks/
|
Sep 24, 2022 | Dec 6, 2022 |
|
|
Duck – Low Plains Middle
Check regulations for further details on bag limits and areas: https://gfp.sd.gov/ducks/
|
Sep 24, 2022 | Dec 6, 2022 |
|
|
Duck – High Plains
Check regulations for further details on bag limits and areas: https://gfp.sd.gov/ducks/
|
Oct 8, 2022 | Jan 12, 2023 |
|
|
Duck – Low Plains South
Check regulations for further details on bag limits and areas: https://gfp.sd.gov/ducks/
|
Oct 22, 2022 | Jan 3, 2023 |
|
|
Elk – Archery
|
Sep 1, 2022 | Sep 30, 2022 |
|
|
Elk – Archery Custer State Park
|
Sep 1, 2022 | Sep 30, 2022 |
|
|
Elk – Firearms Custer State Park
|
Oct 1, 2022 | Oct 31, 2022 |
|
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Elk – Firearms Black Hills
|
Oct 1, 2022 | Dec 31, 2022 |
|
|
Mountain Goat – Black Hills
|
Sep 1, 2022 | Dec 31, 2022 |
|
|
Goose – Unit 1
Canada Goose. Check regulations for more details.
|
Sep 1, 2022 | Dec 16, 2022 |
|
|
Goose – White-fronted
White-fronted Goose. Check regulations for more details.
|
Sep 24, 2022 | Dec 6, 2022 |
|
|
Goose – Light
Light Goose. Check regulations for more details.
|
Sep 24, 2022 | Jan 6, 2023 |
|
|
Goose – Bennett County
Canada Goose. Check regulations for more details.
|
Oct 15, 2022 | Dec 18, 2022 |
|
|
Goose – Unit 2
Canada Goose. Check regulations for more details.
|
Oct 31, 2022 | Feb 12, 2023 |
|
|
Goose – Unit 3
Canada Goose. Check regulations for more details
|
Jan 14, 2023 | Jan 22, 2023 |
|
|
Goose – Light Goose Conservation Order
Snow, Blue, and Ross’ Geese.
|
Feb 13, 2023 | May 15, 2023 |
|
|
Grouse – Sharp-tailed, prairie chicken, and ruffed grouse
|
Sep 17, 2022 | Jan 1, 2023 |
|
|
Mountain Lion – Custer State Park
Access permit required.
|
Dec 26, 2022 | Apr 30, 2023 |
|
|
Mountain Lion – Black Hills
|
Dec 26, 2022 | Apr 30, 2023 |
|
|
Mountain Lion – Statewide
See regulations for specific quotas and season dates: https://gfp.sd.gov/mountain-lion/
|
Dec 26, 2022 | Dec 25, 2023 |
|
|
Pheasant – Youth Only
Check regulations for details on areas closed to hunting. Possession limit: 3 Roosters.
|
Sep 30, 2022 | Oct 8, 2022 |
|
|
Pheasant – Resident Only
Check regulations for details on areas closed to hunting. Daily limit: 3 Roosters.
|
Oct 8, 2022 | Oct 10, 2022 |
|
|
Pheasant – Traditional
Check regulations for details on areas closed to hunting. Daily limit: 3 roosters.
|
Oct 15, 2022 | Jan 31, 2023 |
|
|
Quail
Statewide
|
Oct 15, 2022 | Jan 1, 2023 |
|
|
Cottontail Rabbit
Statewide
|
Sep 1, 2022 | Feb 28, 2023 |
|
|
Bighorn Sheep – Black Hills
|
Sep 1, 2022 | Dec 31, 2022 |
|
|
Turkey – Fall
|
Nov 1, 2022 | Jan 31, 2023 |
|
|
Turkey – Access Archery Permit
Adams Nature Area and Good Earth State Park.
|
Apr 1, 2023 | Apr 30, 2023 |
|
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Turkey – Spring Archery
|
Apr 1, 2023 | May 31, 2023 |
|
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Turkey – Spring Prairie
|
Apr 8, 2023 | May 31, 2023 |
|
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Turkey – Spring Black Hills
|
Apr 8, 2023 | May 31, 2023 |
|
|
Turkey – Spring Custer State Park
|
Apr 8, 2023 | May 22, 2023 |
|
|
Gray Partridge & Chukar
Statewide
|
Sep 17, 2022 | Jan 1, 2023 |
South Dakota Licenses, Permits, and Regulations
South Dakota hunting licenses, permits, and regulations for resident and non-resident hunters can be purchased on the South Dakota Game, Fish, & Parks’ official website. Click below to view the website.
Hunting GPS Maps
Every South Dakota hunter should have hunting GPS maps on hand. South Dakota hunting maps are available from onX Hunt. With a paid membership you can access Satellite, Topo, or Hybrid Basemaps, over which you can view maps of hunting units, along with State, Forest Service, and other public and private property boundaries. You can view trails and roads, and even download maps to the Hunt App for use offline. Click below to get onX Hunt for South Dakota.
Hunting Units
South Dakota has over five million acres of hunting opportunities on public lands as well as on private land leased for public hunting. From Walk-In Areas and Game Production Areas (GPAs) to Waterfowl Production Areas (WPAs), hunting units are established for each huntable species, including deer, elk, antelope, turkey, and other animals. Click below to view South Dakota’s hunting units in more detail through an interactive map.
Hunting Layers
SD Private Lands
Over 370,000 parcels mapped by the onX team, this layer helps you know who the property owners are in South Dakota. Tap any parcel to learn more info about the owner and acreage.
SD Gov Lands
onX has the most accurate public lands maps with over 14,000,000 acres in South Dakota to help you plan your next adventure. Tap any public land parcel to learn more.
SD Walk Ins
South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Walk In hunt areas. All hunters are expected to know the rules of the program. Please hunt responsibly and have a safe legal hunt.
SD Hunting Units
South Dakota Hunting Units. Please hunt responsibly, obey all signage and have a safe legal hunt.
Includes 24 Sublayers
- Antelope (Archery) Hunt Units
- Antelope (Firearm) Hunt Units
- Bighorn Sheep (Black Hills) Hunt Units
- Canada Goose Hunt Units
- Canada Goose (Non-resident) Hunt Units
- Deer (Antlerless Archery LM1) Hunt Units
- Deer (Muzzleloader LM1) Hunt Units
- Deer (Black Hills) Hunt Units
- Deer (East River) Hunt Units
- Deer (West River) Hunt Units
- Deer (Refuge) Hunt Units
- Deer (Custer State Park) Hunt Units
- Duck Hunt Zones
- Elk (Archery) Hunt Units
- Elk (Black Hills Firearm) Hunt Units
- Elk (Custer State Park) Hunt Units
- Elk (Prairie) Hunt Units
- Goose (Special Mgmt Area Early Fall) Hunt Units
- Mountain Goat Hunt Units
- Turkey (Fall) Hunt Units
- Turkey (Spring Firearm) Hunt Units
- Tundra Swan Hunt Units
- Waterfowl (3 Day Fall) Hunt Units
- Waterfowl (10 Day Fall) Hunt Units
SD Possible Access
onX has mapped many acres of possible access lands in South Dakota including timber companies and land conservation groups. Research rules on these private lands before recreating.
The #1 GPS Hunting App
- 975 million acres of public land
- 10,668 unique hunting units
- 421 map overlays and counting
- 5,000 game wardens approve