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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
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Antelope – Archery
Closed during firearm season
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Aug 19, 2023 | Sep 29, 2023 |
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Antelope – Firearms
|
Sep 30, 2023 | Oct 15, 2023 |
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Antelope – Landowner
|
Sep 30, 2023 | Oct 15, 2023 |
|
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Antelope – 2nd Archery
Closed during firearm season
|
Oct 16, 2023 | Oct 31, 2023 |
|
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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 17, 2023 | Nov 9, 2023 |
|
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Bison – Trophy Custer State Park
Hunters have a maximum of three consecutive days to hunt. Hunts are scheduled Monday through Friday excluding holidays. 3 days as scheduled Nov. 20, 2023 to Jan. 5, 2024 excluding holidays and weekends. |
Nov 20, 2023 | Jan 5, 2024 |
|
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Bobcat
|
Dec 26, 2022 | Feb 15, 2023 |
|
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Bobcat (Non residents only)
See regulations for further details.
|
Jan 14, 2023 | Feb 15, 2023 |
|
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Coyote
No limit. Shooting hours unrestricted.
|
Jan 1, 2023 | Dec 31, 2023 |
|
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Sandhill Crane
|
Sep 23, 2023 | Nov 19, 2023 |
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Deer – Archery Antlerless
Whitetail deer only.
|
Sep 1, 2023 | Jan 1, 2024 |
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Deer – Archery
|
Sep 1, 2023 | Jan 1, 2024 |
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Deer – Apprentice & Youth
|
Sep 9, 2023 | Jan 1, 2024 |
|
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Deer – Custer State Park
|
Nov 1, 2023 | Nov 30, 2023 |
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Deer – Black Hills
|
Nov 1, 2023 | Nov 30, 2023 |
|
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Deer – West River Landowner
|
Nov 11, 2023 | Nov 26, 2023 |
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Deer – West River
|
Nov 11, 2023 | Nov 26, 2023 |
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Deer – West River Special Buck
|
Nov 11, 2023 | Nov 26, 2023 |
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Deer – East River
|
Nov 18, 2023 | Dec 3, 2023 |
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Deer – East River Landowner
|
Nov 18, 2023 | Dec 3, 2024 |
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Deer – East River Special Buck
|
Nov 18, 2023 | Dec 3, 2023 |
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Deer – Muzzleloader Antlerless
Whitetail deer only.
|
Dec 1, 2023 | Jan 1, 2024 |
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Deer – Muzzleloader
|
Dec 1, 2023 | Jan 1, 2024 |
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Deer – East & West River Antlerless
|
Dec 9, 2023 | Dec 17, 2023 |
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Mourning Dove
Statewide
|
Sep 1, 2023 | Nov 9, 2023 |
|
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Duck – Youth Only
Check regulations for further details on bag limits and areas.
|
Sep 9, 2023 | Sep 10, 2023 |
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Duck – Low Plains North
Check regulations for further details on bag limits and areas: https://gfp.sd.gov/ducks/
|
Sep 23, 2023 | Dec 5, 2023 |
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Duck – Low Plains Middle
Check regulations for further details on bag limits and areas: https://gfp.sd.gov/ducks/
|
Sep 23, 2023 | Dec 5, 2023 |
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Duck – High Plains
Check regulations for further details on bag limits and areas: https://gfp.sd.gov/ducks/
|
Oct 14, 2023 | Jan 18, 2024 |
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Duck – Low Plains South
Check regulations for further details on bag limits and areas: https://gfp.sd.gov/ducks/
|
Oct 28, 2023 | Jan 9, 2024 |
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Elk – Archery Custer State Park
|
Sep 1, 2023 | Sep 30, 2023 |
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Elk – Archery
|
Sep 1, 2023 | Sep 30, 2023 |
|
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Elk – Firearms Black Hills
|
Oct 1, 2023 | Dec 31, 2023 |
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Elk – Firearms Custer State Park
|
Oct 1, 2023 | Oct 31, 2023 |
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Mountain Goat – Black Hills
The mountain goat hunting season is closed. |
Sep 1, 2022 | Dec 31, 2022 |
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Goose – Light Goose Conservation Order
Snow, Blue, and Ross’ Geese.
|
Feb 13, 2023 | May 15, 2023 |
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Goose – Unit 1
Canada Goose. Check regulations for more details.
|
Sep 1, 2023 | Dec 16, 2023 |
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Goose – Light
Light Goose. Check regulations for more details.
|
Sep 30, 2023 | Jan 12, 2024 |
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Goose – White-fronted
White-fronted Goose. Check regulations for more details.
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Sep 30, 2023 | Dec 12, 2023 |
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Goose – Bennett County
Canada Goose. Check regulations for more details.
|
Oct 21, 2023 | Dec 21, 2023 |
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Goose – Unit 2
Canada Goose. Check regulations for more details.
|
Nov 6, 2023 | Feb 18, 2024 |
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Goose – Unit 3
Canada Goose. Check regulations for more details
|
Jan 13, 2024 | Jan 21, 2024 |
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|
Grouse – Sharp-tailed, prairie chicken, and ruffed grouse
|
Sep 16, 2023 | Jan 7, 2024 |
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Mountain Lion – Statewide
See regulations for specific quotas and season dates: https://gfp.sd.gov/mountain-lion/
|
Dec 26, 2022 | Dec 25, 2023 |
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Mountain Lion – Black Hills
|
Dec 26, 2022 | Apr 30, 2023 |
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Mountain Lion – Custer State Park
Access permit required.
|
Dec 26, 2022 | Apr 30, 2023 |
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Pheasant – Youth Only
Check regulations for details on areas closed to hunting. Possession limit: 3 Roosters.
|
Sep 30, 2023 | Oct 8, 2023 |
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Pheasant – Resident Only
Check regulations for details on areas closed to hunting. Daily limit: 3 Roosters.
|
Oct 14, 2023 | Oct 16, 2023 |
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Pheasant – Traditional
Check regulations for details on areas closed to hunting. Daily limit: 3 roosters.
|
Oct 21, 2023 | Jan 31, 2024 |
|
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Quail
Statewide
|
Oct 21, 2023 | Jan 7, 2024 |
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Cottontail Rabbit
Statewide
|
Sep 1, 2023 | Feb 29, 2024 |
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Bighorn Sheep – Black Hills
|
Sep 1, 2023 | Dec 31, 2023 |
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Turkey – Access Archery Permit
Adams Nature Area and Good Earth State Park.
|
Apr 8, 2023 | May 31, 2023 |
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Turkey – Spring Custer State Park
|
Apr 8, 2023 | May 22, 2023 |
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Turkey – Spring Archery
|
Apr 8, 2023 | May 31, 2023 |
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Turkey – Spring Black Hills
|
Apr 22, 2023 | May 31, 2023 |
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Turkey – Fall
N/A |
Nov 1, 2023 | Jan 31, 2024 |
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Turkey – Fall
|
Nov 1, 2023 | Jan 31, 2024 |
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Turkey – Spring Prairie
|
Apr 13, 2024 | May 31, 2024 |
|
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Gray Partridge & Chukar
Statewide
|
Sep 16, 2023 | Jan 7, 2024 |
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 Hunting Units
South Dakota Hunting Units. Please hunt responsibly, obey all signage and have a safe legal hunt.
Includes 25 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
- 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
- Special Mgmt Area August Take Hunt Units
- Sandhill Crane Hunt Units
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.
Controlled Hunting Access Program
Lands enrolled in CHAP require hunters to register and gain permission to access & hunt. Tap a property for a link to the CHAP rules.
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.
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- 975 million acres of public land
- 10,668 unique hunting units
- 421 map overlays and counting
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