Hunt

The South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks has conducted harvest surveys since 1948 to estimate harvest data. There have been changes to the structure and style of these surveys, but for the past twenty years the form and content of the surveys has remained consistent.

Harvest surveys are an important part of wildlife management in South Dakota. The information obtained by completing these harvest surveys is the link between what happened during the hunting season this year and how next year’s hunting season will be determined.

Surveys are emailed at the end of each hunting season to all hunters with a working email address. This email is customized to that licensed hunter and preloads the license information for that individual. There are two successive follow-up email reminders, usually 5 to 7 days after the previous email, to those hunters who have yet to respond. PLEASE NOTE - The fact that someone was unsuccessful in their hunt is as important as their success. Unsuccessful hunters represent a cross-section of all hunters, and we need to know that information. It is as important that hunters provide information on whether they even hunted.

Your participation and completion of these harvest surveys provides critical information when staff make decisions on tag allocations and types annually and makes an impact. Thanks for taking the time to complete them.

Antelope

Reports

Archery Report Custer State Park Report Firearms/Landowner Report Mentored Youth Report Special Report

Deer

Reports

Statewide Summary Report Archery Report Black Hills Report Custer State Park Report East River Report Landowner Antlerless Report Mentored Report Youth Report Muzzleloader Report National Wildlife Refuge Report West River Report Apprentice Antlerless Report

Elk

Reports

Statewide Summary Report

Furbearer

Reports

2024 Report 2023 Report 2022 Report 2021 Report 2020 Report 2019 Report 2018 Report 2017 Report 2016 Report 2015 Report 2014 Report 2013 Report

Turkey

Reports

Fall | Black Hills Report Fall | Mentored Youth Report Fall | Prairie Firearms Report Spring | Archery Report Spring | Black Hills Report Spring | Custer State Park Report Spring | Mentored Youth Report Spring | Prairie Firearms Report Spring Turkey Opinion Survey - 2018 Report

Upland Birds

Reports

Partridge Report Pheasant Report Prairie Chicken | Sharp-tailed Grouse Report Sage Grouse Report Mourning Dove Report

Waterfowl | Migratory

Reports

Waterfowl Summary Report Waterfowl Hunter Survey Report Canada Goose | All Seasons Report Canada Goose | August Management Report Canada Goose | Early Fall Report Canada Goose | Special Season Report Ducks Report Snow Goose | Fall Report Snow Goose | Spring Report Tundra Swan Report White-Fronted Goose Report

Other

Reports

Cottontail | Squirrel Report Mountain Goat | Bighorn Sheep Report Mountain Lion Report Small Game, Upland Bird, and Migratory Game Bird Statewide Summary Report