Access Permit Information
The deadline for the first draw for access permits is July 1 at 8 a.m. CDT. *Preference points for access permits can only be obtained by applying and being unsuccessful in the drawing.
Archery Deer Access Permit
A limited number of archery access permits are available for online application, for hunting certain tracts of public land. People interested in hunting these areas must apply online for a free, limited draw Access Permit. The application period will open on June 3 and close on July 1 at 8 a.m. Central Time. When applying for this Access Permit, please include your email address. Email is the only way you will be notified whether you are successful or unsuccessful in drawing an Access Permit.
In addition to an archery license (applicants must possess an ARD-ST-01 or ARD-WRD-01 license), all archery deer hunters are required to have a free access permit to hunt the following areas:
- Hill Ranch GPA (Unit 27L)
- 20 resident “any” deer access permits
- 5 nonresident “any” deer access permits
- Custer National Forest within Harding County (Unit 35L)
- 400 resident “any” deer access permits
- 100 nonresident “any” deer access permits
Season Dates:
- Residents: September 1, 2024 – January 1, 2025
- Nonresidents: October 1, 2024 – January 1, 2025
Reminder, before application for an Access Permit, a person must have purchased an archery deer license: ARD-ST1-01 or ARD-WR1-01.
The following criteria and rules will apply to hunting within these public land areas where an Access Permit is required.
- A person must have purchased the applicable archery license before applying for the Access Permit. Only legal archery equipment can be used.
- A person must have their applicable archery license and their Access Permit with them while hunting.
- Access Permit holders are responsible for leaving the property they are hunting in the same condition as they found it.
- A person’s Access Permit will be revoked if the hunter is found to be in violation of any of these rules.
If you have additional questions about this season, please call the GFP Licensing Office at 605.223.7660.
Good Earth State Park and Adams Homestead and Nature Preserve Archery Access Permit
A limited archery hunt for residents has been developed for deer hunting opportunities within Good Earth State Park and Adams Homestead and Nature Preserve. Resident hunters interested in hunting these areas must apply online for a free, limited draw Access Permit. The application period will open on June 3 and close on July 1 at 8 a.m. CT. When signing up for this Access Permit, please include your email address. Email is the only way you will be notified whether you are successful or unsuccessful in drawing an Access Permit.
Season dates: Oct. 1, 2024 – Jan. 1, 2025
- 5 “any” deer permits
- Must possess an ARD-ST-01 or ARD-ERD-01 license
- 10 “any” deer permits plus 60 “antlerless” deer permits
- Depending on access permit, applicants must possess an ARD-ST-01, ARD-ERD-01, or ARD-LM1-13 license
- Adams Homestead and Nature Preserve
Before a person applies for one of the permit areas, they must purchase the respective license that allows for the harvest of the deer listed on the Access Permit and is valid in the geographical location that the Access Permit is designated for.
- If you are successful in drawing a Good Earth State Park or the Adams Homestead and Nature Preserve “any” deer Access Permit, a person must also purchase a Statewide (ARD-ST1-01) or East River (ARD-ER1-01) any deer archery license to be authorized to hunt these areas.
- A person must purchase a Statewide (ARD-LM1-13) antlerless deer archery license before applying for an Adams Homestead and Nature Preserve "antlerless" deer Access permit.
- Applications for Good Earth State Park and Adams Homestead and Nature Preserve are combined so a person must choose one Access Permit area or the other. However, both a first choice and second choice will be allowed.
The following criteria and rules will apply to hunting within Good Earth State Park or Adams Homestead and Nature Preserve:
- Individuals interested in this opportunity must sign up on-line for the opportunity to draw an Access Permit. If a person draws an Access Permit, that person can only hunt in the area and for the deer identified on the Access Permit.
- If drawn, each hunter must check in with the state park/preserve manager, either by phone or in person, before they start hunting.
- A person must have purchased the applicable archery license before applying for the Access Permit.
- Only South Dakota residents can apply for Access Permits.
- Access Permits are only valid during the dates displayed on the permit.
- Each Access Permit allows for the harvest of one deer.
- Preference points began being issued for unsuccessful access permit applications starting in 2012.
- A person must have their applicable archery license and their Access Permit in their immediate possession while hunting.
- At no time will a hunter be allowed to drive a motor vehicle on the hunting property, except in designated parking zones.
- A person's Access Permit will be revoked if the hunter is found to be in violation of any of these rules.
- If other restrictions are implemented, hunters will be notified of those restrictions through e-mail correspondence with successful applicants.
If you have additional questions about this season, please call Adams Homestead and Nature Preserve at 605.232.0873, Good Earth State Park at 605.213.1036, or the GFP Sioux Falls Regional Office at 605.362.2700.
Black Hills Archery Antelope Access Permit
A limited archery hunt has been set up for residents hunting those areas not within the Prairie Antelope Unit 21A or 27A in the Black Hills Fire Protection District, in Custer and Pennington counties, with the exception of Custer State Park, Wind Cave National Park, and Jewel Cave National Monument. People interested in hunting this area must apply online. The sign-up period will run from July 12–26 (8 a.m. CDT). When applying online for this Access Permit, please include your email address. Email is the only way you will be notified whether you are successful or unsuccessful in drawing an Access Permit.
Season dates: Aug 19 – Sept 29 and Oct 16 – Oct 31, 2023
Quota: 5 Access Permits
The access permit does not allow the taking of an additional antelope. Rather, an individual successful in drawing an access permit may hunt in the area defined as open with this permit, as well as any other area open to the regular Archery Antelope season. The license and access permit are no longer valid once the license has been filled or the season is closed.
Before application for an Access Permit a person must have purchased an archery “Any Antelope Buck” license (ARA-ST1-42).
The following criteria and rules will apply to hunting within Custer and Pennington counties within the Black Hills Fire Protection District where an Access Permit is required.
- Individuals interested in this opportunity must apply online for the opportunity to draw an “Access Permit”. If a person draws an Access Permit, that person can only hunt in the area and for the antelope identified on the Access Permit.
- A person must have purchased the applicable archery license before applying for the Access Permit.
- Once an individual has harvested an antelope, or the season is over, their Access Permit will expire.
- Only residents can apply for Access Permits.
- It is the responsibility of the hunter to get permission to hunt on private lands in this area. The access permit does not allow access to private land without permission.
- Preference points will be issued for unsuccessful access permit applications.
- A person must have their applicable archery license and their Access Permit with them while hunting.
- A person’s Access Permit will be revoked if the hunter is found to be in violation of any of these rules.
- If other restrictions are implemented, hunters will be notified of those restrictions through e-mail correspondence with successful applicants.
If you have additional questions about this season, please call the GFP Rapid City Regional Office at 605.394.2391.
If you have additional questions about any of these permits, please call the GFP Licensing Office at 605.223.7660.