Predator and Varmint Hunting

South Dakota offers sportsmen/women many great opportunities for predator calling and varmint hunting. Both of these activities are a great way to extend recreational opportunities.

The information below is for the hunting of these species, for trapping information, visit the Trapping page.

Seasons begin at sunrise of opening day and end at sunset of closing day. License requirements for each species are listed on the bottom of this page.

Coyote

• Season: Year-round.
• Limit: Unrestricted
• Shooting Hours: Unrestricted
• More information...

Prairie Dog

• Season: Year-round, except the Conata Basin in Buffalo Gap National Grassland (closed year-round)
• Limit: Unrestricted
• Shooting Hours: Unrestricted
• More information...

Raccoon

• Season: Statewide
  - Resident Season: Year-round
  - Nonresident Season: Dec. 3, 2011 - March 15, 2012
• Limit: Unrestricted
• Shooting Hours: Unrestricted
• Nonresidents may not use dogs to aid in taking raccoon
• For Trapping information, click here >

Bobcat

• Season: Dec. 10, 2011 - Feb. 15, 2012
• Open Area: South Dakota, west of the Missouri River
• Limit: Unrestricted
• Shooting Hours: Unrestricted
• Whole carcass and pelt of each bobcat taken must be presented to GFP personnel for registration and tagging within 5 days of harvest. Once season is closed, an individual has 24 hours to notify a Conservation Officer or Wildlife Damage Specialist of any untagged bobcats harvested during the season.
• No person may possess, purchase, or sell raw bobcat pelts that are not legally tagged.
• For Trapping information, click here >

Beaver

• Season:
  - West River: (West River except Black Hills area described below), open year-round
  - Black Hills: (US Forest Service land within the Black Hills Fire Protection District south of I-90 and west of SD 79), open Jan. 1 - Mar. 31
  - East River: Nov. 5 to Apr. 30
• Limit: Unrestricted
• Shooting Hours: Unrestricted
• For Trapping information, click here >

Muskrat

• Season: Haakon, Jackson, Jones, Lyman and Stanley Counties, year-round
• Limit: Unrestricted
• Shooting Hours: Unrestricted
• For Trapping information, click here >

Mink and Weasel

• Season: Nov. 5 - Jan. 31
• Limit: Unrestricted
• Shooting Hours: Unrestricted
  
• For Trapping information, click here >

Gopher, Ground Squirrel, Jackrabbit, Porcupine, Marmot, Badger, Red Fox, Gray Fox, Skunk, Opossum

• Season: Statewide, year-round
• Limit: Unrestricted
• Shooting Hours: Unrestricted
• For Trapping information, click here >