Our Story

Our Story

Our story begins where all good stories should, and where many of us spend most of our time, outdoors. South Dakota’s outdoors are world class and much of that is due to the work that we all do here at the Game, Fish and Parks.

To really tell our story to others, we have to realize that we have cool jobs. What we do day in and day out to care for South Dakota’s wild spaces and wild things make an impact on our residents and those who visit and vacation here. As a Game, Fish and Parks employee, you might be researching fish production, enhancing habitat on our Game Production Areas, working hard to keep our parks awesome, or helping a family while they are out enjoying the outdoors… whatever your job is within the department, it is pretty cool.

Our story comes from the results of this hard work. It is told by the cheers of a family as someone reels in their first fish. It’s told by the crackle of a fire as a family makes memories in one of our state parks.It’s told by a prairie chicken dancing on a spring lek, the gobble of a turkey and a pheasant brood in a sea of grass. And when you really break it down, our story is told by our customers. It is told on tailgates every fall; the tales of flushes, shots and retrieves. It’s told around campfires and retold at work every Monday in the hallways and breakrooms. The opportunities, successes, and the excitement that just comes with being outside is our story.

Stories build connections. Connections enhance customer relationships. And those relationships foster trust. Keep telling our story - through the hard work, the excellent customer service, and by personally being an advocate and a user of our resources. This story is a critically important one to tell and share to ensure our love and passion for South Dakota’s outdoor resources are here to enjoy for our kids and grandkids. It’s why we live in South Dakota and why thousands of visitors cannot get here fast enough.

Our Brand Experience

At our core, we provide incredible opportunities and experiences that keep our customers coming back to the outdoors. We are often the first connection customers have before venturing outside so the way we communicate about how awesome South Dakota’s recreational opportunities should be a lot like the outdoor experience itself. It’s our job to make sure we deliver on those opportunities, not only in the work we do, but in the words we choose when talking about them and promoting them. Think about what our customers are doing, they are having fun and making memories. They choose to spend their time with us – to connect with us. We want to be welcoming, inviting, relatable, and easy to understand. This is also part of who we are and what we do to care for our brand – the number one brand that conserves our state’s outdoor heritage to enhance the quality of life for current and future generations. That’s us. That’s GFP.

Mission

We serve and connect people and families to the outdoors through effective management of our state’s parks, fisheries and wildlife resources.

Vision

Our vision is to conserve our state's outdoor heritage to enhance the quality of life for current and future generations.

Annual Report