Pheasant hunting season boasts big economic impact for Mitchell

By Marcus Traxler Mitchell Republic

MITCHELL — The start of pheasant hunting season in Mitchell brings out more orange around town and means additional green flowing through businesses and vendors.

The traditional pheasant hunting season starts on Oct. 21 for all hunters and runs through Jan. 31, 2024. About $5 million in hunting dollars spent is calculated to take place in Davison County from now until the end of pheasant season, according to South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks data.

Davison County was one of six counties in 2022 to have a rate of 45 birds harvested per square mile or higher, based on hunter surveys, at 51 birds per square mile. (Nearby Aurora and Brule counties shared the state high at 64 birds harvested per square mile in 2022.)

Mitchell benefitted from the hunting success, as well. In 2022, third-penny sales tax collections in Mitchell which are derived from entertainment sales such as lodging, prepared food, entertainment ticket sales and alcohol sales, totaled more than $367,000 over the final four months of the year. The tax collections in the final four months of the calendar year — which covers most of the annual pheasant hunting window and other hunting seasons that start in the fall — accounted for nearly 40% of the city’s annual entertainment tax collections.

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