Spring Light Goose hunting

This Conservation Order is issued annually for a spring hunt to control an overabundance of these geese. Light geese generally migrate into the eastern one-third of South Dakota in late February to early March.

Spring Light Goose Regulations

Shooting Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.

Season Dates: February 11 - April 29, 2012

Unit: Statewide

Daily Limit: Unlimited

Possession Limit: Unlimited

Legal Species: Snows, Blues and Ross' Geese.

Nontoxic Shot: Approved nontoxic shot includes steel shot, bismuth-tin, tungsten-polymer, tungsten-matrix, and any combination of tungsten-iron-nickel-tin-copper-bismuth.

Electronic Calls: Use of tapes of migratory bird calls or sounds, or electronically amplified imitations of bird calls is allowed.

Licenses

  • SD residents, one of the following:
    - annual small game,
    - 1-day small game,
    - youth small game,
    - combination,
    - junior combination, or
    - senior combination license
    AND
    - Migratory Bird Certification stamp to hunt spring light geese.
  • SD residents who are at least 12 years old may buy licenses and hunt. Hunters age 12-15 will need a hunter safety card.
  • Nonresident licenses can be purchased online with a credit card or over the counter at storefront license agents.
    - Adult license: $45, valid for entire conservation order.
    - Youth license (ages 12-15): $25. -Hunters age 12-15 need hunter safety card.
    - No other license or stamp is required.
  • The federal waterfowl stamp is not required for this event.

Spring Light Goose Hunting Tools

  • Waterfowl Hunting Opportunity Thunderstorm Map and Spring Migration Report
  • Public Hunting Areas: We offer over 1 million acres of Walk-In Areas (private land leased for public hunting) to supplement our many other public hunting opportunities. Not only can you access these maps, but we offer options to personalize maps to meet your needs and even download map information to your GPS unit.
  • Hunter Harvest Survey Reports: A scientific sampling of hunters is taken after many hunting seasons. The information you provide is not only valuable to our biologists, but is good background information for you on the past year.

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.

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.