South Dakota

Check out the latest deer-hunting info for South Dakota. Image by Kerry Hargrove

Season Dates (2025):

Season dates vary by region, so check regulations for your area. Resident bowhunters hunting on public or private land and nonresident bowhunters hunting on private land have season dates of Sept. 1 through Jan. 1. Nonresident archery tagholders must wait until Oct. 1 to hunt on public lands, including Walk-In Areas. Rifle season dates vary greatly by unit and license. Muzzleloader runs Dec. 1 to Jan. 1. Other season dates for antlerless deer are weapon- and unit-specific. These are the dates set when published. Check the Game and Fish’s WEBSITE to confirm.

The Grade: C

South Dakota has a history of rough winters and epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD). The state has experienced mild to moderate winters following a crushing winter and spring in 2022/2023. The Black Hills once once filthy with whitetails, but numbers are down, according to several sources. Overall, the state’s deer numbers are well below historical highs, yet high enough for hunters to still have a fun hunt.

With good deer populations, big-buck potential and limited hunting pressure, it’s hard to pass up. However, the tag system is complex in South Dakota, and the state recently made it more difficult to obtain nonresident licenses. Rifle tags were already difficult to get, and archery tags valid on public land are allocated through the draw. Private land hunters can still get a guaranteed archery tag.

It’s tough to settle on a grade because some areas are still doing OK with deer numbers, while other units are suffering. EHD is present annually, and sometimes it is severe. That, coupled with the brutal winter of 2022/2023 puts South Dakota at a C until the herds rebound.

Antler Nation Knowledge:

Upland bird hunting is king throughout South Dakota. Scores of pheasant hunters hit the fields annually. Because of this, South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks designed its public hunting opportunities mostly for pheasant hunters, but whitetails also abound in these areas. Here, hunters have nearly 5 MILLION PUBLIC ACRES TO ROAM. Don’t overlook all the opportunities, including Bureau of Land Management, game production areas, grasslands, national forests, walk-in areas, and other public places open to hunting.

When it comes to giant bucks, the eastern third of the state has the goods. Historically, Brown, Clay, Day, Lincoln, Minnehaha, Roberts, Spink, Hand, Union, and Yankton counties are top producers. But if you fancy the western region, don’t overlook the Black Hills National Forest. It offers more than a million acres of unique mountain and foothill hunting. Statewide, much of South Dakota consists of hills and prairies. Setting up at higher elevations and glassing everything below is a solid tactic, regardless of where you end up.

Like many states, South Dakota has CWD regulations in place. These affect transportation and disposal of deer and elk carcasses from other states and the county of harvest within South Dakota.