How to apply in South Dakota

Hunters under age 16 are required to provide a certificate of completion from a hunter safety education course unless participating in the mentored hunter program.

Big Game (including Wild Resident Big Game License and Habitat Stamp Turkey)

Youth Deer license holders 15 or younger, are required to possess hunter education certification, or a copy of a current or previous year’s hunting license issued by another state in the field.

This does not change the drawing to a true top down preference point system.

South Dakota will cube the number of times a person’s name is in the draw before the draw is run.

No licenses will be issued to an applicant in the 0+ Preference Pool unless all applicants in the 1+ Preference Pool have been issued a license.

50% of all licenses available, and any remaining licenses from the landowner pool, are issued at this point in the drawing sequence.

50% of all licenses available in a unit are offered to those who qualify for landowner status and have preference.

Accrued preference points are required to be used for any season during the first draw, first choice selection.

One point may be purchased each year the applicant is unsuccessful.

Preference points will be available for purchase September 15-December 15.

30% of all licenses available, and any remaining licenses from the landowner pool, are issued at this point in the drawing sequence.

50% of all licenses available in a unit are offered to those who qualify for landowner status and are approved by Region 1 staff.

Black Hills spring turkey: nonresidents must apply in a limited draw

East River (Prairie ERA) elk: residents only

Nonresidents: units west of the Missouri River, plus east-river licenses left after the second drawing

Residents only

The group would be entered into the drawing 3 times (once for this year’s application and 2 more times for the lowest preference point total represented in the group application).

Group Number Maximum: Six (6) applicants

Maximum Group Size: 2

Custer State Park buck license: not eligible for nine years

Custer State Park Early Archery / Firearms Elk: never again after a license

Successful applicants for Archery Elk, Black Hills Firearms Elk, Custer State Park Special Antlerless Elk, and Prairie Firearms Elk that use preference points will lose all preference points for that particular season and be ineligible to apply during the first draw or purchase preference points for that season for nine years.

Once in a lifetime (all seasons and units)

Email notification; full license fee charged to the card if successful

A non-refundable $10 application fee is charged for each season applied for.