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2008 South Dakota Big Game Seasons
Seasons with no dates have not been established at this time.

*Click on name to access more season info.

TURKEY

SPRING TURKEY

OPENS CLOSES
All prairie, Black Hills & archery units (some prairie units have split season) April 12 May 18

FALL TURKEY

OPENS CLOSES
All prairie, Black Hills & archery units (some prairie units have split season)    

ANTELOPE

  OPENS CLOSES
Archery (closed during firearms antelope season)    
Firearms units 15A/B, 27A/B, 35A/B, 49A/B, 53A/B    
Firearms units 15E/F, 27E/F, 35E/F, 49E/F, 53E/F    
All other firearms antelope units    

DEER (Set in May/June/July)

YOUTH and ARCHERY DEER

OPENS CLOSES

Youth (Resident Only first two drawings)

   
Youth (2nd chance season)    
Archery (statewide) ("any deer" tags convert to antlerless tags on Jan.1)    
Archery - Sand Lake Nat'l. Wildlife Refuge (Brown County)    
Lacreek Nat'l Wildlife Refuge (Bennett County)    

WEST RIVER DEER

OPENS CLOSES
West River Units 30A & 50A (Gregory/Mellette Co.)    
   
Units in Corson, Dewey and Ziebach counties only    
All West River units -- Except Gregory (30A), Mellette (50A), Corson (20A & B), Dewey (24A & B) and Ziebach (64A) counties    
West River antlerless tags valid during firearms antelope season    
Extended season for unfilled/sold tags-all convert to antlerless    
2nd Extended season for unfilled/sold tags-convert to antlerless    

EAST RIVER DEER

OPENS CLOSES
All East River units    
Extended season for unfilled/unsold tags-all convert to antlerless    
2nd Extended season for unfilled/sold tags-convert to antlerless    

BLACK HILLS DEER

OPENS CLOSES
Black Hills deer - all units    

NATIONAL REFUGE DEER SEASONS

OPENS CLOSES
Sand Lake Nat'l Refuge RFD-SL1 (muzzleloader only)    
Sand Lake Nat'l Refuge RFD-SL2    
Sand Lake Nat'l Refuge RFD-SL3    
Sand Lake Nat'l Refuge RFD-SL4    
Sand Lake Nat'l Refuge RFD-SL5    
LaCreek Nat'l Refuge RFD-LC1 (muzzleloader only)    
LaCreek Nat'l Refuge RFD-LC2 (muzzleloader only)    
Waubay Nat'l Refuge RFD-WA1 (muzzleloader only)    
Waubay Nat'l Refuge RFD-WA2 (muzzleloader only)    
Waubay Nat'l Refuge RFD-WA3    

MUZZLELOADER AND CUSTER STATE PARK DEER

OPENS CLOSES
Muzzleloader (Resident only till third drawing)    
Custer State Park deer Nov. 1 Nov. 14

MOUNTAIN LION

Mountain Lion    

ELK / BIGHORN SHEEP / MT. GOAT

BLACK HILLS FIREARMS ELK

OPENS CLOSES
Any elk licenses in all Black Hills units Oct. 1 Oct. 31
First antlerless elk season Oct. 1 Oct. 15
Second antlerless elk season Oct. 16 Oct. 31
December season for unsuccessful "antlerless elk" hunters Dec. 1 Dec. 15

PRAIRIE FIREARMS ELK

OPENS CLOSES
Bennett County unit PRE-11A (old unit 311A)-both any elk & antlerless elk licenses Sept. 1 Oct. 12
Bennett County unit PRE-11B (formerly unit 311B) Oct. 18 Dec. 31
Unit PRE-30A (part of Gregory Co., SD/part of Boyd Co., Neb.) Aug. 15 Nov. 14
Nov. 24 Dec. 31
Butte County unit PRE-15A (Portion of Butte County) Sept. 1 Oct. 31

ARCHERY ELK

OPENS CLOSES
Black Hills units Sept. 1 Sept. 30
Unit AEE-30A (portions of Gregory County SD & Boyd County Neb.) Aug. 15 Nov. 14
Nov. 24 Dec. 31

CUSTER STATE PARK FIREARMS ELK

OPENS CLOSES
CSP any elk, unit 501A Sept. 20 Oct. 5
     
CSP antlerless elk, unit 501C Oct. 13 Oct. 21
CSP antlerless late separate season (if needed)    

CUSTER STATE PARK ARCHERY ELK

OPENS CLOSES
CSP early archery elk, unit 520A Sept. 1 Sept. 19
CSP late archery elk, unit 520B Nov. 15 Dec. 7

BIGHORN SHEEP / MT. GOAT

Opens Closes
Custer State Parks bighorn sheep CLOSED  
Black Hills bighorn sheep Oct. 4 Nov. 30
Black Hills Mountain goat CLOSED