TROPHY BISON BULL HUNT- GENERAL INFORMATION

The bulls

This hunt is our management tool to rotate the oldest breeding bulls out of the herd. These bulls are typically at least 10 years old. After the summer rut, these bulls leave the cowherds and winter by themselves or in small groups over the entire park area (71000 acres). The bulls are B&C eligible. Entries in the B&C records are shown as ‘Custer County, SD’.  A typical bull will weigh about 2000 pounds.

The fees

The permit fee for 2008 is $5000, and must be enclosed with the application. Unsuccessful applicants will have their fee returned. Personal checks are acceptable.

The hunt

This hunt is vehicle based, with a typical day covering about 75 off-road miles. Usually the guide and hunter will scout for and locate bulls the first day, and by the second day is ready to hunt an individual bull. Hunters have a maximum of three days to hunt if needed. The park provides a guide, field transportation for the hunt, and field handling of the animal. The guide will indicate which bulls are eligible to be taken, and approves the location that they may be shot (we have to access the site with equipment).

Firearms

This is a firearm only hunt. Rifles must be at least .270 caliber and generate a minimum of 2200-foot-pounds of energy at the muzzle.

Guests

A hunter can bring one guest to accompany him or her on the hunt.

Meat

The meat, hide and head are all the property of the hunter. The park accommodates state field inspection at the hunter’s request, which allows a local locker to purchase the carcass from the hunter. Oftentimes, arrangements are made for complete or partial sale of the carcass, purchase or trade for younger bison meat, and shipping arrangements for the meat. These arrangements are strictly between the hunter and the locker.

Taxidermy

Local taxidermists are available to prepare a cape and/or hide for shipping or transport to another taxidermist, or for complete service in mounting the animal. All arrangements for cape preparation and taxidermy are between the hunter and the taxidermist. 

Drawing

Applications are available via regular mail or internet in June for the upcoming hunt season, and are due in early September. Applicants who were unsuccessful in the draw the previous year will receive preference. Preference holders will draw first in any given year. Most of the hunts have been awarded to preference holders over the past 5 years.

Click Application for a  CUSTER STATE PARK TROPHY BISON Application

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If you have further questions email or call:
email  CSPBISONHUNTS@state.sd.us
Custer State Park main office 605-255-4515

CUSTER STATE PARK
13329 US HWY 16A
CUSTER, SD 57730

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