Hunting in South Dakota

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50 hunting trips from 11 outfitters starting from $301

hunting trips

$301

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outfitters

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About hunting in South Dakota

For hunters, South Dakota is synonymous with pheasants. Known as the “Pheasant Capital of the World,” the state is renowned worldwide for its outstanding bird hunting. In most years, the annual pheasant harvest exceeds 1 million roosters. But there is more to hunt in South Dakota. Although the majority of the state is covered in grasslands, much of South Dakota’s big-game hunting is centered in the Black Hills, a region in the western part of the state consisting of rolling, pine- and spruce-covered mountains that cover some 6,000 square miles with elevations of 2,000 to 4,000 feet. Whitetails and mule deer are the most highly sought after big-game species in South Dakota, and nonresidents can apply for deer tags in most regions and seasons. Mule deer inhabit mostly the central and western regions of the state, and whitetails are abundant nearly everywhere. South Dakota also has one of the largest populations of pronghorn antelope in the country, with most of them concentrated in the central and western regions of the state. There are also opportunities to hunt American bison, Merriam turkeys, prairie dogs, and coyotes. Bighorn sheep, elk, and mountain lion hunts are restricted to state residents, although some limited elk hunting opportunities are offered on tribal reservations. South Dakota’s prairie potholes are hot spots for duck and goose hunting, as the region is in the center of the most productive wildfowl breeding areas in North America. Big-game firearm hunters in South Dakota are required to wear more than one hunter orange garment above the waist. Learn more about South Dakota’s hunting regulations, licensing, and season dates at http://gfp.sd.gov/hunting/.

South Dakota on map

Price distribution

$301

$3,421

$6,541

$9,661

$12,781

Hunting methods

Shotgun Hunting 32 hunts

Driven Bird Hunt 29 hunts

Walk up With Dogs 28 hunts

All methods (13)

Game classification

Small Game 37 hunts

Wing Shooting 33 hunts

Big Game 14 hunts

All classifications (4)

Reviews

Jim

United States

10.0

of 10

Verified review

May 17, 2025

South Dakota Prairie Dogs

10.0

of 10

Firesteel Hunts

Outfitter

The accommodations were excellent and Ed the owner was a super guy! We shot some great dog towns and the scenery was spectacular! Ed was really easy to deal with and had some beautiful property! I’ll definitely go back for more dogs and thinking about an antelope hunt with him as well!

The distance we had to drive was the only bad part of the whole trip it was 26 hours nonstop!

Client review

United States

9.6

of 10

Verified review

Sep 10, 2024

Excellent outfitter and guide!

9.6

of 10

South Dakota Access

Outfitter

Excellent communication. Guide was excellent, knowledgeable and new how to hunt mule deer for sure! They will work very hard for you to get your game.

Fair accommodations. Due to the remoteness, it was a little tricky to get to processing and taxidermy, but alls well that ends well. I was on 13,000 acres of private land, so not hard to understand.

Rich

United States

10.0

of 10

Verified review

May 19, 2025

Incredible Merriams Hunt

10.0

of 10

South Dakota Access

Outfitter

Everything about my experience with Chad and his team was top notch. They handled everything from day one of booking and allowed me to show up with my dad and start hunting turkeys exactly the way I wanted to hunt them. The hunt was nothing short of epic, and I can’t wait to hunt with these guys again!

Scott

United States

8.4

of 10

Verified review

May 19, 2025