The South Dakota Department of Game, Fish & Parks offers a variety of special licenses and permits for disabled individuals and former prisoners of war. These licenses and permits cannot be purchased or obtained over the counter at the various license agents. Specific criteria are required for their application process and approval. Some of these licenses or permits are free-of-charge and others have a permit fee. For more information or applications for these licenses or permits, contact your local Conservation Officer or GFP office for further information. Further department information can be found on the GFP web site: www.sdgfp.info.

Generally speaking, it is illegal to shoot game animals from a motor vehicle in South Dakota. For the legal discharge of a weapon, a hunter must be outside of the vehicle or off an all-terrain vehicle to shoot game. However, there are two exceptions to this law. The first exception is a hunter may shoot coyotes, jackrabbits, rodents, skunks, badgers, raccoons and foxes from a motor vehicle. The second exception allows hunters who possess a valid Disabled Hunter Permit to shoot game animals from a stationary motor vehicle.

A Disabled Hunter Permit allows a qualified hunter to lawfully shoot game animals from a stationary motor vehicle. This includes big game animals such as deer, antelope, elk, and turkey, and small game animals such as grouse, pheasants, partridge, rabbits, and waterfowl. The Disabled Hunter Permit is issued free-of-charge by the department to qualified hunters. The permit is valid for a period of up to four years and may be renewed after the date of expiration.

What are the Qualifications and Application Procedures to Receive a Disabled Hunter Permit?

A qualifying individual must have at least one of the following physical disabilities or medical conditions:

• has lost one or both legs or who has temporarily or permanently lost the use of one or both legs;
• requires a wheelchair for mobility;
• is physically unable to walk without the assistance of another person, prosthetic aid, brace, crutch, or other device that is intended to support or assist the person while walking;
• is on portable oxygen;
• is unable to walk a distance of more than 300 feet without assistance or rest due to arthritic, neurological or orthopedic condition;
• has been diagnosed with a neuromuscular disorder (such as muscular dystrophy or multiple sclerosis);
• has been diagnosed with a Class III cardiac disease resulting in marked limitation of physical activity;
• has been diagnosed with a Class IV cardiac disease resulting in the inability to carry on any physical activity without discomfort;
• is restricted by lung disease to such a degree that the person’s forced expiratory volume in one second, when measured by a spirometer, is less than one liter; or the arterial oxygen tension is less than 60 mm/hg on room air at rest.

The disabled hunter permit is only intended for use in situations where an applicant’s physical or medical condition makes it impossible, or causes severe pain or physical hardship on the applicant to walk afield while hunting

Applications from a nonresident hunter must include written/signed medical evidence of their physical disability from a licensed physician. The resident applicant will need to complete the application and meet with their local conservation officer to verify their health situation or disability. A physician's verification may be a special requirement for some resident applications.

What does the Disabled Hunter Permit Authorize and what are the Limitations of the Permit?

The Disabled Hunter Permit authorizes the permittee to legally shoot game animals from a stationary motor vehicle under the limitations provided in the permit. The permittee must still obtain the required hunting licenses for the desired species to be hunted. The following permit limitations or guidelines specify what a person can and cannot do while in possession of a Disabled Hunter Permit.

LIMITATIONS AND CONDITIONS OF PERMIT: The Disabled Hunter Permit allows an individual to shoot from a stationary motor vehicle with the following exceptions or provisions:

• shooting from a federal or state highway or across any public road is prohibited;
• when hunting big game from public road rights-of-way, the permittee must obtain prior written permission from the owner or lessee of the immediate adjoining private lands;
• the permittee may shoot from a stationary all-terrain vehicle (ATV) and may lawfully transport a firearm on an ATV while hunting without having to unload and/or case the firearm;
• shooting from a snowmobile or the use a motor vehicle to chase or pursue any game animal is not allowed;
• the use of any motor-propelled vehicle is prohibited on lands owned, leased, or controlled by the Department, except on designated roads, trails, or parking areas.

Qualified Disabled Persons Or Veterans:

• any resident who has a total disability, which is defined as the person being permanently limited to a wheelchair and physically unable to walk;
• any resident who receives a veterans allotment for a total disability which is deemed a service connected injury or has received the United States Veterans Administration "K" award (loss of limb or organ);
• any resident who has served on active duty in the armed forces of the United States, except active duty for training as a member of the reserve or national guard, and who is totally disabled for the purposes of receiving social security benefits;
• any resident who was held as a prisoner of war.