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South Dakota

Hunting

Hunting

Deer Hunting Seasons

Deer

In the 1900s hunting seasons established by the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks Commission allowed deer populations to recover from historic lows. Deer hunting seasons have occurred regularly since the 1950s, with deer hunters harvesting approximately 95,000 deer during the recent record year of 2010.

White-tailed deer and mule deer are the most highly sought after big game species in South Dakota and throughout North America. Hunting remains the number one tool for managing deer populations across South Dakota and harvest strategies are intended to ensure the well-being of the species and its habitat while maintaining populations at levels compatible with human activity and land use.

CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a fatal brain disease of deer, elk and moose. In South Dakota, CWD has been detected in Lawrence, Pennington, Custer and Fall River Counties, Custer State Park and Wind Cave National Park. More information about CWD can be found here and a map of approved big game carcass disposal sites is also available at the bottom of the page under "Related Maps".

All applications close at 8 a.m. Central Time on date of deadline.

Key Dates

DescriptionDates
Deer Season - National Wildlife Refuge Deer | 2023See application for season dates.Online Application Dates
Start: May 30, 2023
End: Jun 14, 2023
Deer Season - Nonresident Archery Private Land Only | 2023Season Dates
Start: Sep 1, 2023
End: Jan 1, 2024
Application Dates
Start: Jun 1, 2023
End: Jan 1, 2024
Deer Season - Archery Antlerless Only Whitetail | 2023Season Dates
Start: Sep 1, 2023
End: Jan 1, 2024
Online Application Dates
Start: Jun 1, 2023
End: Jan 1, 2024
Deer Season - Resident Archery | 2023Season Dates
Start: Sep 1, 2023
End: Jan 1, 2024
Online Application Dates
Start: Jun 1, 2023
End: Jan 1, 2024
Deer Season - Apprentice and Mentored | 2023Season Dates
Start: Sep 9, 2023
End: Jan 1, 2024
Online Application Dates
Start: May 30, 2023
End: Jan 1, 2024
Deer Season - Nonresident Archery Public Land | 2023Season Dates
Start: Oct 1, 2023
End: Jan 1, 2024
Application Dates
Start: Apr 18, 2023
End: May 11, 2023
Deer Season - Custer State Park | 2023See application for season dates specifics.
Start: Nov 1, 2023
End: Nov 30, 2023
Online Application Dates
Start: May 30, 2023
End: Jun 14, 2023
Deer Season - Black Hills | 2023Season Dates
Start: Nov 1, 2023
End: Nov 30, 2023
Online Application Dates
Start: May 30, 2023
End: Jun 14, 2023
Deer Season - West River | 2023Season Dates
Start: Nov 11, 2023
End: Nov 26, 2023
Online Application Dates
Start: May 30, 2023
End: Jun 14, 2023
Deer Season - West River Special Buck | 2023Season Dates
Start: Nov 11, 2023
End: Nov 26, 2023
Online Application Dates
Start: Mar 21, 2023
End: Apr 14, 2023
Deer Season - West River Landowner | 2023Season Dates
Start: Nov 11, 2023
End: Nov 26, 2023
Online Application Dates
Start: Sep 13, 2023
End: Nov 26, 2023
Deer Season - East River Landowner | 2023Season Dates
Start: Nov 18, 2023
End: Dec 3, 2023
Online Application Dates
Start: Sep 13, 2023
End: Dec 3, 2023
Deer Season - East River Special Buck | 2023Season Dates
Start: Nov 18, 2023
End: Dec 3, 2023
Online Application Dates
Start: Mar 21, 2023
End: Apr 14, 2023
Deer Season - East River | 2023Season Dates
Start: Nov 18, 2023
End: Dec 3, 2023
Online Application Dates
Start: May 30, 2023
End: Jun 14, 2023
Deer Season - Muzzleloader | 2023Season Dates
Start: Dec 1, 2023
End: Jan 1, 2024
Online Application Dates
Start: May 30, 2023
End: Jun 14, 2023
Deer Season - Muzzleloader Antlerless Only Whitetail | 2023Season Dates
Start: Dec 1, 2023
End: Jan 1, 2024
Deer Season - East & West River Antlerless | 2023Season Dates
Start: Dec 9, 2023
End: Dec 17, 2023
Online Application Dates
Start: May 30, 2023
End: Jun 14, 2023