The South Dakota deer hunting season can't come soon enough for some.
The South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks Commission announced its decisions on the 2019-2010 deer hunting season dates, as well as a few adjustments to the hunting licenses and drawing system used by the state.
The season will begin with archery only on September 1, 2019, the Apprentice and Youth seasons on September 14, and National Wildlife Refuge Deer on October 16.
The rest of the varying hunting zones will start either November 1, November 16, or November 23, 2019.
Late season muzzleloader hunting starts December 1, 2019, and the East & West River Antlerless deer season begins on December 14, 2019. Most seasons end on January 1, 2019.
These changes are scheduled to be implemented for the 2019 deer hunting season as long as they're approved by the legislative interim rules review committee.
The state GFP also approved a deer license allocation proposal that allows a resident hunter to apply for two of the six deer seasons in the first draw, including East River/Special Buck, West River/Special Buck, Black Hills, Muzzleloader, Refuge and Custer State Park.
Special Buck license holders are limited to one additional application in the first draw as long as that application was not valid for the same season as their Special Buck license.
This table shows the full details of the seasons available to deer hunters this coming fall. Keep in mind, the biggest changes include a change in application deadlines for the six firearm seasons; they would be mid-June. The special buck application deadline would remain mid-April.
| Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|
| Deer Season - Archery | Season Dates Start: Sep 1, 2019 End: Jan 1, 2020 |
|
| Deer Season - Archery Antlerless Only Whitetail | Season Dates Start: Sep 1, 2019 End: Jan 1, 2020 |
|
| Deer Season - Apprentice and Youth | Season Dates Start: Sep 14, 2019 End: Jan 1, 2020 |
|
| Deer Season - National Wildlife Refuge Deer | See application for season dates. Start: Oct 16, 2019 End: Dec 22, 2019 |
Online Application Dates Start: May 24, 2019 End: Jun 14, 2019 |
| Deer Season - Custer State Park | See application for season dates specifics. Start: Nov 1, 2019 End: Dec 15, 2020 |
Online Application Dates Start: May 24, 2019 End: Jun 14, 2019 |
| Deer Season - Black Hills | Season Dates Start: Nov 1, 2019 End: Nov 30, 2019 |
Online Application Dates Start: May 24, 2019 End: Jun 14, 2019 |
| Deer Season - West River | Season Dates Start: Nov 16, 2019 End: Dec 1, 2019 |
Online Application Dates Start: May 24, 2019 End: Jun 14, 2019 |
| Deer Season - West River Landowner | Season Dates Start: Nov 16, 2019 End: Dec 1, 2019 |
|
| Deer Season - West River Special Buck | Season Dates Start: Nov 16, 2019 End: Dec 1, 2019 |
Online Application Dates Start: Mar 22, 2019 End: Apr 12, 2019 |
| Deer Season - East River Special Buck | Season Dates Start: Nov 23, 2019 End: Dec 8, 2019 |
Online Application Dates Start: Mar 22, 2019 End: Apr 12, 2019 |
| Deer Season - East River Landowner | Season Dates Start: Nov 23, 2019 End: Dec 8, 2019 |
|
| Deer Season - East River | Season Dates Start: Nov 23, 2019 End: Dec 8, 2019 |
Online Application Dates Start: May 24, 2019 End: Jun 14, 2019 |
| Deer Season - Muzzleloader Antlerless Only Whitetail | Season Dates Start: Dec 1, 2019 End: Jan 1, 2020 |
|
| Deer Season - Muzzleloader | Season Dates Start: Dec 1, 2019 End: Jan 1, 2020 |
Online Application Dates Start: May 24, 2019 End: Jun 14, 2019 |
| Deer Season - East & West River Antlerless | Season Dates Start: Dec 14, 2019 End: Dec 22, 2019 |
Nonresident licenses make up eight percent of the allocation for West River, Black Hills and Refuge hunting seasons during the first drawing.
South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks also made a move to promote hunting within the younger generations, by deciding preference points for the combined deer drawings would be free to youth age 15 or younger.
If big game deer hunting licenses in South Dakota have been your target, get ready to aim true. This is what you're working with for the next season.
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