Image: pronghorn_sd

Five buck antelope licenses will be available to South Dakota residents to hunt in Custer State Park for the 2025 season. Photo by Danita Delimont.

For the first times since 2017, Custer State Park in western South Dakota will have an antelope hunting season.

According to kotatv.com, in early July, the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Commission voted to make five buck antelope licenses available to residents for the 2025 season, which will run from Oct. 4 through 19.

State wildlife officials counted 123 pronghorns at the park during an annual ground count this year, which marked a significant increase from 2024, according to Andrew Norton, an administrator for South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks.

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“We’re kind of guided by our pronghorn action plan, which was updated in 2024, and in there, objectives to manage pronghorn populations for both maximum and quality recreational opportunities, considering social and biological inputs,” Norton said.

He said the Oct. 4 season start date was scheduled to avoid conflicts with visitors who come to the Buffalo Roundup at the park in late September.

Custer State Park antelope licenses cost $150 with a $6 surcharge and are only available to South Dakota residents.

Residents interested in participating in the Custer State Park antelope season can begin submitting online applications on July 22 at this link.