Hunting

Enjoy the outdoors with a friend

Stop on any country road in Southeast South Dakota and find a hunter’s paradise. South Dakota’s state bird, the Ringnecked Pheasant, thrives in the excellent habitat provided by the South Dakota landscape. Thousands of hunters descend upon the Southeast Region of the state in the fall for their chance at the wily pheasant. Many hotels gear up for the season with special rates, and lodges such as Blue Tin Ranch by Vermillion, or River Valley Retreat close to Sioux Falls cater to hunters. Hunting guides are popular, like Mike Kuchera’s S.D. Guide Service Inc. out of Mitchell, to make all the arrangements for a hunting trip. Looking for a hunting lodge with acres of pheasant habitat nearby that will provide a guide and lodging with meals available? Contact Dakota Custom Hunt near Tabor. Hunting is a yearround sport in southeast South Dakota. Though pheasant and deer are the most popular, hunters will find a wide variety of abundant game.

Pheasant

Traditional season is Mid-October to early January. Season opens on October 15, 2022. Preserve season is September through March. Although pheasants are found statewide, the main pheasant range encompasses the eastern two-thirds of the state. Pheasants prefer agricultural fields, wooded draws, tree strips, wetlands and set-aside acres. Much of South Dakota is privately owned and permission is required to hunt, but public lands such as Game Production Areas and Walk-In Areas offer choice habitat for

pheasants. Early in the season, pheasants are scattered in small flocks, but winter’s fury pushes birds into heavy cover and concentrates them. Tree strips, cattail sloughs and dense weed patches hold pheasants this time of year. Search for small, out-of-the-way pockets that may have escaped the hunting pressure of large groups. Small sloughs, plum thickets or even fence line vegetation hold pheasants. Prepare for weather. Fall weather conditions range from 70 degrees to snow and below-zero wind chills.

East River Deer

Traditional Season for firearms is mid-late November through early December and archery from September through mid-January. Crops such as corn, oats, wheat, sunflowers and soybeans attract the whitetail deer population. Mule deer hunting is limited to counties bordering the Missouri River. Rolling pastures, tree strips, river bottoms and cattail sloughs provide escape cover for the deer. Licenses are issued through an application process.

Ducks

Traditional Season is from late September to December. More than 15 million ducks migrate annually through South Dakota. They include mallards, gadwall, pintails and teal. Along the Missouri River, the migration peaks in mid-Nov. with 600,000 ducks, primarily mallards. Plan early since nonresident waterfowl licenses are limited and issued by lottery drawing.

Geese

Canada Goose Season is September to December (November to mid February in some areas). Light Goose is Spring - Mid-February to early May, and in the fall - Late September to mid January. The Missouri River corridor is the main route for more than 400,000 migrating Canada geese, and eastern South Dakota attracts 350,000 snow and blue migrants.

Prairie Turkey

Traditional Season in the Spring for firearm and archery is from April to mid- May, and fall prairie turkey, November through January. In the eastern portion of the state, turkeys prefer the woods and brushy hillsides of rivers, as well as tree belts. Licenses are issued through an application process.

Handicap Access

A Reduced Fee Hunting and Fishing License is available for persons with total disability and for disabled vets. A Disabled Hunter Permit authorizes a qualifying disabled hunter to lawfully shoot game animals from a stationary motor vehicle. You can find applications for these on www.gfp.sd.gov.

Bow Hunting

Enjoy bow hunting by going after attainable targets early in the season. Target animals should be large enough that there is a good chance of hitting it with an arrow. Whitetail deer are some of the best game animals to hunt for those new to bow hunting. Picking a good spot gives the best chance of success. Use a bow that is familiar and has had some practice. The arrows and arrowheads are very important. Proper arrow material and weight for the game you will be hunting is essential. The best odds for bagging a deer are found using a tree stand. Deer rarely look for food or predators above their eye level. This makes hunters almost invisible who are 20 to 30 feet above the ground. Hunters often mount a stationary stand in a prime spot, or bring a climbing stand to scale any tree that looks ideal. Archery classes are offered at The NFAA Easton Yankton Archery Center in Yankton and at the Outdoor Campus in Sioux Falls. Bowhunter basics and safety education is also available online at gfp.sd.gov.

Hunting License Fees

Combination License (small game & fishing) Resident: $55* Senior Combination (ages 65 & up) Resident: $40* Junior Combination (ages 16-18) Resident: $27* Small Game Resident: $33* Non-resident: $121* Youth Small Game (ages 12-15) Resident: $5* Non-resident: $10* Migratory Bird Certificate Resident: $5 Spring Light Goose Non-resident: $50* Youth Spring Light Goose (ages 12-15) Non-resident: $26* Limited Licenses for Turkey and Deer License fees subject to change. *Fees listed do not include $4 agent fee ($8 non-resident small game). Refer to the SD Hunting Handbook for complete list of licenses, fees & regulations. SD Dept. of Game, Fish & Parks, (605) 223-7660, www.gfp.sd.gov