For people who love outdoor activities: if you’re getting ready for exciting outdoor adventures in South Dakota, you’re in the right spot. The hunting season schedule is just around the corner, and we have listed the most up-to-date information on South Dakota hunting season, notices, and license details that all hunters should know.
Whether you’re hunting deer, birds, or a unique small game, we’ll assist you in preparing for a season this year. In this article, we have summarized and updated the necessary information regularly. Keep reading!
South Dakota Deer Hunting Season
The following table contains the different hunting seasons for deer and elk.
| Species | Dates |
| Elk Season – Custer State Park Firearms | Oct 1 – Oct 31, 2024 |
| Elk Season – Custer State Park Early Archery | Sep 1 – Sep 30, 2024 |
| Deer Season – East River Landowner | Nov 23 – Dec 8, 2024 |
| Elk Season – Landowner Black Hills Archery | Sep 1, 2024 – Sep 30, 2024 |
| Elk Season – Black Hills Archery | Sep 1, 2024 – Sep 30, 2024 |
| Deer Season – Archery | Sep 1, 2024 – Jan 1, 2025 |
| Deer Season – Muzzleloader | Dec 1, 2024 – Jan 1, 2025 |
| Deer Season – Apprentice and Mentored | Sep 14, 2024 – Jan 1, 2025 |
| Deer Season – Black Hills | Nov 1, 2024 – Nov 30, 2024 |
| Deer Season – West River | Nov 16, 2024 – Dec 1, 2024 |
| Deer Season – West River 30A | Nov 9, 2024 – Nov 12, 2024 |
| Deer Season – West River 30A, Second Season | Nov 25, 2024 – Dec 1, 2024 |
| Deer Season – West River Special Buck | Nov 16 – Dec 1, 2024 |
| Deer Season – East & West River Antlerless | Dec 14, 2024 – Dec 22, 2024 |
| Deer Season – East River | Nov 23, 2024 – Dec 8, 2024 |
| Deer Season – East River Special Buck | Nov 23 – Dec 8, 2024 |
| Deer Season – Custer State Park | Nov 1, 2024 – Nov 30, 2024 |
| Deer Season – East River Nonresident Landowner | Nov 23, 2024 – Dec 8, 2024 |
| Deer Season – Nonresident Archery Private Land | Sep 1, 2024 – Jan 1, 2025 |
| Deer Season – Nonresident Archery Public Land | Oct 1, 2024 – Jan 1, 2025 |
The most common species you can hunt in this state are white-tailed deer and mule deer. To hunt big game like deer, you will need to submit an application for hunting licenses. Select the hunting unit you want to hunt in, and then wait for the drawing result. Are you the lucky one? Check the result here: South Dakota Draw Statistics.
South Dakota Big Game Hunting Season
| Seasons | Dates |
| Mountain Lion Outside Black Hills Fire Protection District | Jan 1 – Jan 31, 2024 |
| Mountain Lion Season – Black Hills | Dec 26, 2024 – Apr 30, 2025 |
| Antelope Season – Archery (Season closed during firearms season) | Aug 17 – Oct 31, 2024 |
| Antelope Season – Firearms | Sep 28 – Oct 13, 2024 |
| Antelope Season – Special | Sep 28 – Oct 13, 2024 |
| Antelope Season – Nonresident Archery Public/Private Land | Aug 17 – Oct 31, 2024 |
| Antelope Season – Archery Access Permit | Aug 17 – Oct 31, 2024 |
| Custer State Park Trophy Buffalo | Nov 18, 2024 – Jan 17, 2025 |
| Bighorn Sheep Season – Black Hills | Sep 1 – Dec 31, 2024 |
| Bighorn Sheep Season – Custer State Park | Sep 1 – Dec 31, 2024 |
🔔Notes:
- You can use decoys when hunting big game.
- Electronic calls are not allowed for big game hunting, except when hunting mountain lions.
- Dogs cannot be used for hunting big game, except that a leashed dog can be used to help track and retrieve wounded or dead big game animals.
- When hunting big game (except turkeys and mountain lions) with a firearm, you must wear visible fluorescent orange or pink clothing.
- You cannot use self-loading or auto-loading firearms that hold more than six cartridges for big game hunting.
- Only soft-point or expanding bullets are allowed.
South Dakota Turkey Hunting Season
Turkey Seasons for 2024:
| Turkey Season – Spring Prairie Archery | Apr 13 – May 31, 2024 |
| Turkey Season – Spring Black Hills | Apr 27 – May 31, 2024 |
| Turkey Season – Spring Black Hills Archery | Apr 27 – May 31, 2024 |
| Turkey Season – Spring Prairie | Apr 13 – May 31, 2024 |
| Turkey Season – Spring Mentored | Apr 13 – May 31, 2024 |
| Turkey Season – Spring Custer State Park | Apr 27 – May 19, 2024 |
| Turkey Season – Fall | Nov 1, 2024 – Jan 31, 2025 |
| Turkey Season – Fall Mentored | Nov 1, 2024 – Jan 31, 2025 |
Turkey Seasons for 2025:
| Seasons | Dates |
| Turkey Season – Spring Prairie | Apr 12, 2025 – May 31, 2025 |
| Turkey Season – Spring Prairie Archery | Apr 12, 2025 – May 31, 2025 |
| Turkey Season – Spring Black Hills | Apr 26, 2025 – May 31, 2025 |
| Turkey Season – Spring Black Hills Archery | Apr 26, 2025 – May 31, 2025 |
| Turkey Season – Spring Custer State Park | Apr 26, 2025 – May 18, 2025 |
South Dakota Waterfowl Hunting Season
Duck Hunting Season
- Duck Season – Low Plains North: Sep 21, 2024 – Dec 3, 2024
- Duck Season – Low Plains Middle: Sep 21, 2024 – Dec 3, 2024
- Duck Season – Low Plains South: Oct 26, 2024 – Jan 7, 2025
- Duck Hunting – High Plains: Oct 12, 2024 – Jan 16, 2025
Goose Hunting Season
- Canada Goose – Early: Sep 1, 2024 – Sep 30, 2024
- Canada Goose – Resident Special (Bennett County):Oct 19 – Dec 22, 2024
- Canada Goose – Unit 1:Sep 1, 2024 – Dec 16, 2024
- Canada Goose – Unit 2:Nov 4, 2024 – Feb 16, 2025
- Canada Goose – Unit 3:Jan 11 – Jan 19, 2024
- Canada Goose – Unit 3 (Bennett County, Second Season):Jan 11, 2025 – Jan 19, 2025
- Light Goose Conservation Order: Feb 19, 2024 – May 15, 2024
- Light Goose Season: Sep 28, 2024 – Jan 10, 2025
- White-fronted Goose Season: Sep 28, 2024 – Dec 10, 2024
Other Waterfowl Season
- Youth Waterfowl: Sep 7, 2024 – Sep 8, 2024
- Sandhill Crane Season: Sep 28, 2024 – Nov 24, 2024
- Tundra Swan Season: Sep 28, 2024 – Jan 10, 2025
The bag limit and total possession limit for these waterfowl species are as follows:
| Species | Daily Limit | Possession Limit |
| Ducks | 6 | 18 |
| Canada Goose | 8 (Unit 1) | 24 (Unit 1) |
| 4 (Unit 2 & Unit 3) | 12 (Unit 2 & Unit 3) | |
| White-Fronted Goose | 3 | 9 |
| Light Goose | 50 | Unlimited |
South Dakota Upland Birds Hunting Season
| Seasons | Dates | Limits |
| Grouse Season | Sep 21, 2024 – Jan 31, 2025 | 3 daily and 15 in total |
| Partridge Season | Sep 21, 2024 – Jan 31, 2025 | 3 daily and 15 in total |
| Pheasant Season – Traditional | Oct 19, 2024 – Jan 31, 2025 | 3 daily and 15 in total |
| Pheasant Season – Youth Only | Sep 28 – Oct 6, 2024 | 3 daily and 15 in total |
| Pheasant Season – Resident Only | Oct 12- Oct 14, 2024 | 3 daily and 9 in total |
| Quail Season | Oct 19, 2024 – Jan 31, 2025 | 5 daily and 15 in total |
Shooting hours for each season vary from:
- Pheasant: 10 a.m., central time, to sunset.
- Prairie and Grouse: sunrise to sunset statewide.
- Quail: sunrise to sunset statewide.
South Dakota Small Game Hunting Season
| Seasons | Dates |
| Cottontail Rabbit Season | Sep 1, 2024 – Mar 31, 2025 |
| Tree Squirrel Season | Sep 1, 2024 – Mar 31, 2025 |
| Crow Season | Sep 1, 2024 – Oct 31, 2024 |
| Crow – Second Season | Mar 1, 2025 – Apr 30, 2025 |
| Snipe Season | Sep 1, 2024 – Oct 31, 2024 |
| Mourning Dove Season | Sep 1, 2024 – Nov 9, 2024 |
South Dakota Hunting Licenses
Here we listed some of the important licenses you will need to hunt in the state along with their costs.
| Resident Licenses | Prices |
| Habitat Stamp | $10 |
| Small Game | $33 |
| Youth Small Game | $5 |
| State Migratory Bird Certificate | $5 |
| Predator/Varmint | $5 |
| Furbearer | $30 |
| Federal Waterfowl Stamp | $25 |
| Combination (small game and fishing) | $55 |
| Senior Combination, ages 65+ (small game and fishing) | $40 |
| Non-resident Licenses | Prices |
| Habitat Stamp | $25 |
| Small Game (two 5-day periods) | $121 |
| Youth Small Game, ages 12-17 (two 5-day periods) | $10 |
| Waterfowl (valid two 5-day periods, lottery application only) | $116 |
| Waterfowl (valid 3 days, lottery application only)* | $81 |
| Early Fall Canada Goose | $45 |
| Spring Light Goose Conservation Order | $45 |
| Youth Spring Light Goose Conservation Order, ages 12-17 | $21 |
| State Migratory Bird Certificate | $5 |
| Predator/Varmint | $40 |
| Furbearer (application only) | $275 |
| Shooting Preserve (annual) | $121 |
| Shooting Preserve (5-day) | $76 |
| Shooting Preserve (1-day) | $46 |
| Federal Waterfowl E-Stamp (Online Only) | $25 |
🔔Note:
- Each hunter must have a Habitat Stamp and the correct license for their species and activity. Hunters may also need to buy required Waterfowl Stamps or a State Migratory Bird Certification.
- Youth hunters under 16 years old do not require a hunting license if accompanied by a licensed mentor.
- Resident landowners and their immediate family members are allowed to trap furbearers and hunt small game on their land without a license.
- Non-resident landowners need to buy a landowner-own-land license for West River deer season and firearm antelope hunting season. But some license for non-resident landowners can only be issued via lottery drawing only.
- Nonresidents who are at least 12years old are allowed to hunt and will need to purchase a license.
Conclusion
There it is! With the South Dakota hunting season schedule in hand, you’re already halfway there. You can be well-prepared for a successful hunting experience.
Don’t forget, the excitement of pursuing something is only a part of the hunting— it’s also about creating unforgettable memories and bringing home some great prizes. If you have any inquiries about the hunting season in this state, please leave a comment and we will answer them all.
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