Nonresident Waterfowl hunting

Fall South Dakota nonresident waterfowl licenses are limited in number and distributed by lottery drawing.

You must submit an application and fee, either online or by paper application through the mail. The application process for these licenses opens in mid May and the deadline is early July.

Applicants must be a minimum of age 12, or will turn 12 by December 31, to be eligible for the drawing.

Hunters over age 15 must have the federal Waterfowl Stamp in possession to be legal.

The application process and the license that is issued include the Migratory Bird Certification privileges.

A separate nonresident small game license is required to hunt small game, such as pheasants and grouse.

Nonresident Spring Light Goose licenses are unlimited and can be purchased online with a credit card or over the counter at storefront license agents. The adult license costs $45 and is valid for the entire conservation order.Youth licenses (ages 12-15) cost $25.Hunters age 12-15 will need a hunter safety card. No other license or stamp is required.

Youth Waterfowl

Besides the opportunity to introduce young people to waterfowl hunting during the regular seasons, a weekend is set aside for youth hunting. Also, adults may take youth as young as 10 years hunting through the Mentored Hunt program.

Nontoxic Shot

Approved nontoxic shot includes steel shot, bismuth-tin, tungsten-polymer, tungsten-matrix, and any combination of tungsten-iron-nickel-tin-copper-bismuth. Coated lead shot does not qualify as nontoxic shot. Tom Roster's Nontoxic Shot Lethality Table © 2012

Antelope Island Restrictions

The Antelope Island area* south of Pierre on Lake Sharpe has the following restrictions:

  • No waterfowl decoys or hunting blinds may be left in the area between sunset and 5 a.m.
  • No waterfowl decoys may be left unattended between 5 a.m. and sunset

*The area within the water's edge from a north-south line across Lake Sharpe through the dredged channel at the east end of Hipple Lake, downstream to the north-south line across the reservoir 100 yards east of the easternmost emergent vegetation on Antelope Island