Archery and Shooting Sports
The North American Model of Wildlife Conservation has been, and continues to be, the envy of the world. The success of the model stems from a user-pay, user benefit system, supplied by fees from hunting and fishing licenses and an excise tax on equipment used to participate in hunting, fishing, boating and shooting. The financial sustainability and effectiveness of the model, is rooted in the recruitment, retention and reactivation of outdoor enthusiasts – including those who participate in shooting sports.
The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks has a history of promoting safe, secure, and accessible shooting sports opportunities for residents and visitors. This is rooted in our mission to serve and connect people and families to the outdoors through effective management of our state’s natural resources. It is our job to provide shooting range opportunities on public lands. Additionally, and just like other state game and fish agencies across the country, we manage a shooting range grant program to assist with maintenance and development of private ranges in exchange for public access to those ranges.
The department manages and maintains 20 shooting and archery public ranges. These are located in our state park and recreation areas and on some Game Production Areas – check out the list below. Remember: Bows must be cased while walking to and from the archery areas or trails. Please keep safety in mind and always look before you shoot.
Oahe Downstream Archery and Shooting Complex
The shooting complex is ADA compliant and comprised of ten 100-yard shooting stations, two 50-yard shooting stations, two 300-yard shooting stations, two handgun bays with six shooting benches and room for standing shooting within the 25-yard handgun bays. The complex development includes a dedicated shotgun/trap area to eliminate the conflict that would often occur when shotgunners and long-rifles were firing from the same firing line. A total of 20 concrete shooting benches are protected by overhang structures.
The archery complex features both a practice archery range and 14-target archery trail located west of the of the park, off of SD Hwy 1806. The archery trail meets NFAA standards for a field archery ½ course, consisting of 14 targets in various terrain and various distances. The practice range consists of 3 targets varying from 20 yards to 50 yards, along with a broadhead practice range with shooting yardages from 5 – 60 yards. Field tip and target pointed arrows are acceptable (no broad heads are allowed) on the field course and practice ranges. Broadhead tipped arrows are permitted on the broadhead sand pit range only. The field course trail is a 1-mile loop and surfaced with wood chips. The trail is signed and all archers should follow the signs as indicated and proceed along the trail in a counter-clockwise manner.
Operating hours for the archery range are sunup to sundown year-round. See range signage for specific shooting hours of operation.
North Point Recreation Area Archery and Shooting Range
The shooting range at North Point Recreation area contains 4 shooting lanes; 1 at 25 yards, 1 at 50 yards and 2 at 100 yards. All lanes have a shooting bench and are not ADA compliant. There is also a trap shooting area but bring your own thrower.
The archery range consists of 7 shooting lanes with 10-70 yard targets that are ADA accessible and 28 target walk through course that is not ADA accessible.
Operating hours are sunup to sundown year-round.
Farm Island Recreation Area Archery Range
The Farm Island Archer Range is nestled on the northwest side of the park, just west of the Farm Island welcome center. It has an ADA accessible path to a 80ft long and 14ft wide Picnic Shelter which has an aggregate and concrete base. Arrows can be retrieved from 2 broad head targets at 20 and 40 yards from concrete lanes providing ADA accessibility. 10 other targets which allow field tip only, range from 20 to 70 yards throughout the rest of the range. A firing line is provided along with picnic tables, arrow holders and hooks to hang your bows. Archery Range rules and regulations are located at the range entrance.
Operating hours are sun up to sun down.
Lewis and Clark Recreation Area Archery Range
The range features both a practice range and 28-target archery trail located in the Gavins Section of the park. The GPS coordinates for the range are: 42.862053N – 97.553673W. The archery trail meets NFAA standards consisting of 28 targets in various terrain. The practice range consists of 8 targets varying from 15 yards to 80 yards, along with two elevated shooting platforms. A Park Entrance License is required.
There is a SVT near the practice range and a modern comfort station near the 28-target trail. Field tip arrows are acceptable (no broad heads are allowed).
Operating hours are sunup to sundown, April 2 - September 30. The range and trail is closed for hunting October 1 - April 1.
Madison Bourne Slough GPA Archery Range
Located just east of the intersection of State Highways 19 and 34, the range currently features 4 targets- 2 at 20 yards, 1 at 30 yards and 1 at 40 yards.
Users are asked to only use field points on the targets we have installed. You are welcome to bring out your own broad-head target.
Mina GPA Archery Range 
Mina GPA Archery Range is located about 10 miles west of Aberdeen, just north of Hwy 12 on County Road 35.
The range is open to the public and is a no fee area. The targets range from 20 to 70 yards and there is a bench for working on your bow when sighting it in.
Range Rules: Field or target points must be used-no broadheads or firearms are allowed.
Pelican Lake Recreation Area Archery Range 
At the park entrance of Pelican Lake Recreation Area there is an archery range where archers can sight in their bows and practice shooting distances from 10 to 70 yards from the ground or from our shooting platform. We also offer a 14 target NFAA course that winds through rolling prairie. The range and course are not ADA and there is no SVT available. A Park Entrance License is required.
Operating hours are 7 a.m. - 11 p.m year-round.
Hartford Beach State Park Archery Range
The range at Hartford Beach State Park is located between the east and west campgrounds. The targets range from 10 to 50 yards with picnic tables for rest or working on your bow. There are also two targets for hatchet throwing at the range.
We also offer a 28 target archery course that meets NFAA standards. The trail for the course is set up so users have the option of shooting the front 14, back 14, or all 28 targets. The course winds through some of the parks grasslands and woodlands offering a great experience.
Only field tips are allowed at the range and course. A Park Entrance License is required.
Operating hours for the archery range are sunup to sundown year-round. For more information please contact the park at 605.432.6374.
Shadehill Recreation Area Archery Range
The range is located within Shadehill Recreation Area and available for archery equipment only.
There are five targets from 20-60 yards on the sight in range, open-year round.
There are 13 3-D targets of various locations along a 1.2 mile walking trail loop, open from April-October.
Operating hours for the archery range are sunup to sundown year-round. For more information please contact the park at 605.374.5114.
Revheim Bay Recreation Area Archery Range
Located in a remote section of the Revheim Bay Recreational Area off 287th Avenue, (look for signage), the Revheim archery range includes a small parking area, eight practice bag targets out to 80 yards and 16 walking path targets with bag backstops and a burlap animal target on them. In the middle of the walking path is an elevated shooting platform that allows for an elevated shot of six feet or twelve feet. The archery range is cooperative effort between South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks and the Oahe Bowman’s Club. The club has league night during the summer months and hosts their annual 3D shoot once a year. Park entrance licenses are not required.
Operating hours are 6 a.m. - 11 p.m. May 1 - September 30, and 6 a.m. - 9 p.m October 1 - April 30.
Rocky Point Recreation Area Archery Range
The range is located 1/2 mile east of the entrance of the park. The range includes two picnic tables, a single vault toilet, a 6-target sight-in range and a 14-target walk through course. The walk through course is approximately one mile long and runs adjacent to the Belle Fourche Reservoir. A park enterance license is required.
Operating hours are 6 a.m. - 11 p.m. year-round.
Big Sioux Recreation Area Archery Range 
The coordinates of the archery range are 43.57968 North and -96.606400 West. The archery range is walk-in only, the exact location of the range can be found on the trail map.
The archery range has 6, stop and shoot targets; 1 at 10 yards, 1 at 20 yards, 1 at 30 yards, 1 at 40 yards, 1 at 50 yards and 1 at 60 yards. The archery range trail is 0.68 miles one way and goes through some hilly and forested areas. The trail consists of 14 targets; each target offers a different angle to be shot at.
The archery range is only open during daylight hours. A valid park entrance license is required.
Wildlife Ranges
Lake Alvin GPA Archery Range
The range is located on a 40-acre Game Production Area adjacent to the southwest end of Lake Alvin in Lincoln County. The GPA is surrounded by homes and the range is open to archery equipment only. The range is open to the public and is a no fee area. There are four archery targets ranging from 15 to 45 yards. Users are restricted to field points when shooting at the targets provided. You are welcome to bring your own target if you choose to shoot broadheads on the range.
Spearfish Archery Range 
The range provides an open area target area and a 20 station range consisting of different distances and topography for archery only. It is located on the Beilage Game Production area, adjacent to the Spearfish Farm and Field Station - 2130 Christensen Drive, Spearfish SD.
Operating hours are sun up to sun down year-round other than when snow limits the access to the parking area. The range is maintained by the Northern Hills Archery Club.
Brule Bottom Firearm Range 
The firearm range consists of 3 shooting benches at 100, 200, and 300 yards. The range has a dirt berm that’s safe for pistol, shotgun, and rifle shooting.
Directions: Travel north of Chamberlain on Hwy 50 approximately 3 miles. Turn left (west) on 242nd St and 344th Ave. Travel north on 344th Ave for 2 miles. Take a left (west) on 240th St. Take your first right (north) on the Brule Bottom Game Production designated trail. Keep right, following the trail until you reach the firearm range.
Fall River Gun Range 
This range offers a 10 lane, covered pistol shooting area, a 10 lane 50 yard and 100 yard covered range and a 10 lane 200 yard covered range. The rifle ranges feature concrete shooting bench with height and position adjustable seats. Target backers are maintained and stored in a small garden shed at the front of the range. Paper targets can be purchased at the same location the backers are kept. Ranges Rules are prominently posted in several locations at the site.
Directions: 1.5 miles north of the intersection of Highway 79 and Highway 18 in Fall River County.
Operating hours are Wednesday - Sunday, from 9 a.m. to 30 minutes before sunset.
On Mondays, Tuesdays, and the first Sunday of each month, the range is open to Gun Club members only. Annual memberships to the Fall River Gun Club are available online.
Louis Smith Rifle Range 
The Louis Smith Rifle Range complex includes both a pistol/rimfire range for hand guns and .22 caliber, and a range for rifles. The pistol/rimfire range has a partially enclosed 20x100’ structure comprised of ten shooting lanes out to 100 yards. Targets on the range consist of two standing backstops spaced at 25 and 50 yards. Five sand berms are set up for metal swing targets and a 100 yard down range target platform. Ten concrete shooting benches accommodate both left and right handed shooters. The rifle range is a similar enclosure with five shooting lanes, five concrete shooting benches and three standing backstop targets spaced at 50-100-200 yards. Both ranges include security lights and electrical outlets, work benches and gun racks. There is an ADA accessible single vault restroom on site next to the parking lot. The Louis Smith Rifle range complex is north of Mobridge on 285th Avenue. Park entrance licenses are not required
Operating hours are sun up to sun down.
Rollings GPA Shooting Range
The range is currently only set up for firearms. The west side of the range has a standard concrete trap shooting range with a single concrete block trap house. The center bay has a large dirt berm and is set up for longer distance rifle or pistol shooting. There are two permanent covered wooden shooting benches located approximately 100 yards from the target area of the center shooting bay. Located directly adjacent to the center bay is a smaller berm used for close range rifle/pistol shooting.
The shooting range is open to the public during the months of June and July from sunrise to sunset daily.
South Shore Gun Range 
This range is open to the use of rifle, shotgun and pistol shooting. I Accommodations include two wooden shooting benches located at 50 and 100 yards.
Directions: 1 mile east of the intersection 158th Street and 464th Avenue in Codington County or 1 mile south and 1 mile east of South Shore.
Operating hours are 6 a.m. - 11 p.m. Shooters are advised to bring something to pack their garbage up with when they leave.
Outdoor Campus-Rapid City Archery Park
The Archery Park is located just north of the main Outdoor Campus building along Sturgis Road. The range is open for free to the public from sunrise to sunset 365 days/year. The range features a 14-station practice range with targets at distances from 20 to 80 yards and a 14-station walking course with targets at distances from 11 to 80 yards.
Complete information on the Archery Park can be found by contacting the Outdoor Campus-Rapid City.