CHANCY

can anybody explain in English the process for applying for non-resident big game permits in South Dakota? I have spoken to the G&F dept and didnt get many answers.

they say you have to pick a 1st & 2nd preference and apply for a lottery. I couldnt get an idea of odds becuase they threw out so many #'s and sometimes i got 2 different numbers for the same zone.

My specific question is-
what kind of odds does a non-resident landowner have in Western SD of obtaining deer/elk permits on thier own property?

c j

I wish I could help more, but I don't know much about the landowner preference, other than that you have to own a minimum amount of land to meet the requirement (160 acres?) and that if you do, you have a better chance of getting a tag.

They hold a drawing to determine who gets licenses, because for most of the big game, you can't just go out and buy one, you have to apply and hope your application gets drawn.

If you're unsuccessful, you should get 'preference' next year, meaning you'll have a better chance of getting a tag. The more years you are unsuccessful, the more 'preference' you will get, so that people can't get unlucky and go years and years without getting a tag.

As for the out of state aspect; I can't really help with that, as I've never dealt with it. I lived out of state for a few years but never hunted back here at the time.

Good luck with everything!

CHANCY

thank you
thats what i cant figure out, our place is well over any minimum size requirement but i doubt we'll be able to get tags every year. where im from if you have a big farm and a ton of deer on it you just go down to the tax collectors office and buy a permit.

seems you have to plan the rest of your life around the application process in SD. You have to wait to see if you draw before you tell your wife... we're going hunting or we're going skiing..... and if we dont go hunting this year we'll have a better chance of going next year... if we dont die between now and then.

the aggravating thing is this...
the actual $155 permit is less than 5% of my total cost of the hunting trip.
with travel, work arrangements, finding a place to stay, and everything else the actual pemit is peanuts but everything else depends on it and it forces you to make last minute arrangements.

any help is appreciated

c j

I don't know if this helps or not - or if you've already done this - but I know some of the archery seasons (deer, for sure) have unlimited tags. Meaning, you may only be able to get one tag, but there's no lottery drawing to see if you get one; you just buy it. So if you ever needed a good reason to take up bowhunting, there it is!

Also you've probably already been on the SD GF&P website, but if not, here it is: SD GF&P

Hope that helps.

drgildy

You as a nonresident cannot receive an elk license in SD. You can apply for deer. In many counties there permits for buck only, antlerless only and also any deer which can be antlered or antlerless. They are also licenses for mule deer only and whitetail only also some counties have double tags so there are many choices and that is probably why you are confused. A nonresident landowner receives no landowner preference that I am aware of. A landowner receives landowner preference only if he is a resident. This will probably not make you happy but that is the way it is.

CHANCY

GOOD INFORMATION
I APPRECIATE IT GUYS
BOWHUNTING.................. JUST WHAT I FEEL LIKE DOING

gmanoutdoor

Chancy,
Give me a call at my profile number. I send out step-by-step instruction to hunters all the time. I understand your problem. You can also send me an email with a subject of SD app problem, and I will send you the instructions.