Hunters are always excited for a new season. Many hunters are preparing for a successful 2023 South Dakota turkey season. The state’s rich animals and picturesque scenery attract hunters nationwide. South Dakota’s turkey season is exhilarating and memorable for hunters of all levels. This page covers South Dakota’s turkey season 2023, including hunting restrictions, dates, bags, permits, and more for a successful hunt. Let’s begin and prepare for a great season!
South Dakota Turkey Season 2023
South Dakota’s April and May turkey hunting season draw sportsmen throughout the state and nation. Except for Davison/Hanson and Lincoln, hunters may apply for the season during this period. Archery turkey hunters at Adams Homestead, Nature Preserve, and Good Earth State Park need a Residents-Only Access Permit. Hunters should choose locations with limited wooded habitats and enough meadows and forage options to maximize their chances of success. Non-members may hunt on the Rosebud’s vast tribal territories in south-central South Dakota. The Black Hills spring turkey season’s start date may be changed. South Dakota turkey hunters should have a productive season.
SD Spring Turkey Hunt
| SD Spring Turkey Seasons | Season Start Date | Season End Date |
|---|---|---|
| Prairie | 8-Apr | 31-May |
| Spring Mentored Archery | 8-Apr | 31-May |
| Spring Mentored Firearms | 8-Apr | 31-May |
| Adams Nature Area and Good Earth State Park Access Archery Permit | 8-Apr | 31-May |
| Spring Custer State Park | 22-Apr | 21-May |
| Spring Archery | 8-Apr | 31-May |
| Spring Black Hills | 22-Apr | 31-May |
SD Fall Turkey Hunt
| SD Fall Turkey Seasons | Season Start Date | Season End Date |
|---|---|---|
| Fall Mentored | 1-Nov | 31-Jan |
| Regular Fall Season | 1-Nov | 31-Jan |
Bag Limit
| Hunting Season | Bag Limit |
|---|---|
| South Dakota Turkey Season 2023 | One bearded or male wild turkey per license |
| Additional License (optional) | Second turkey possible, depending on survey data, for $75 |
Turkey Licenses
| License Type | Hunt Method | Units Excluded | Fee (Resident) | Fee (Nonresident) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery Turkey License | Bow and Arrow | 08A, 08B, 44A, 44B | $30 | $125 |
| Mentored Archery Turkey License | Bow and Arrow | - | $30 | $125 |
| Spring Turkey License | Shotgun or Crossbow | 08A, 08B, 44A, 44B | $30 | $125 |
| Resident Spring Turkey License | Shotgun or Crossbow | 08A, 08B, 44A, 44B | $25 | - |
| Second Turkey License (additional 2) | Shotgun or Crossbow | - | $75 | $75 |
Hunting Regulations
- Residents and nonresidents must be 12 to hunt. Nonresidents under 16 must give their hunter safety card certificate number or a current or past hunting license from any state. Residents under 16 must complete a HuntSAFE course. Non-HuntSAFE applicants should leave that information blank. If drawn, they must submit their HuntSAFE card number on their online profile before receiving their license. The Mentor Hunting information sheet has extra details for “Mentored Hunt” participants.
- Online hunting permits need a credit card. If the applicant wins the drawing, the payment card will be charged. The license will be withheld, and the applicant’s ability to buy future licenses will be banned if the credit card is revoked or invalid.
- Hunting and fishing licenses cost $10 for locals and $25 for nonresidents. Each person gets one stamp every year.
- You may only submit one hunting license application for the initial drawing every season. You can only get one license and cannot transfer it. These standards maintain application fairness and avoid fraud. Read and follow all application requirements to avoid fines and comply with legislation.
- Group candidates must have the same first and second preferences and cannot exceed six people. The group’s lowest preference point balance will apply to all applicants. Residents and nonresidents may apply jointly, but they will pay different fees. Residents who apply alongside nonresidents are less likely to get their first-choice license. All group members will obtain a license or fail if one is drawn. This regulation applies only to seasons and units with resident and nonresident permits for a drawing.
- Hunters must apply online. Candidates may visit a GFP office or contact the hotline if applying online fails. Mail-in applications are not accepted. To apply, candidates must have internet access and an email account. Applying early avoids last-minute technological complications.
- A computer lottery selects restricted licensees. Without a Habitat Stamp or application cost, failed applicants will not be charged a licensing fee. Unsuccessful applicants who did not buy a Habitat Stamp or pay an application cost will not be charged. They will be charged for those expenses even if they lose the lottery.
- One-half of Prairie Spring Turkey resident licenses are reserved for landowner selection in the initial lottery. Nonresident landowners are excluded. Landowner preference requires a resident landowner or renter to manage at least 160 acres of private land inside the unit requested as first choice and submit the online declaration, including the legal description of the qualifying property. “Operate” involves leasing or owning fee title to farm or ranch real property and personally managing agricultural choices. Dairy, cattle, crops, wood, and grasslands are used for agriculture. Landowner preference does not apply to hunting, fishing, or trapping leases.
- Only one landowner or tenant can claim landowner preference for a qualifying property. The applicant’s spouse and dependent children are eligible. Landowner preference does not need agricultural or ranch employment. Suppose the entity holds title to 160 acres or more of private land within the hunting unit applied for, and the shareholder, member, partner, or trust beneficiary applying for landowner preference is a resident. In that case, the entity is eligible for landowner preference.
- Optional preference points cost $5 for locals and $10 for nonresidents. Each year, rejected applicants may buy one preference point. For seasons with limited licenses, only the first choice in the first drawing must use the preference point system. The points can only be used for the first unit-type choice unless the applicant uses them in a later drawing. The license cost includes a $6 South Dakota Legislature-mandated premium for wildlife damage control and public hunting land access. State licenses are valid on private deeded areas inside Indian reservations, but hunters seeking tribal lands and licenses should contact the appropriate tribal office. GFP’s Information Office may answer preference queries for applicants.
- Spring turkey season bans certain guns and ammunition. No rimfire, centerfire, or muzzleloading rifles or self-loaders with more than six cartridges are authorized. Buckshot, full-automatic guns, and single-ball or rifled slugs under half an ounce are also banned. Shotguns and pistols that employ factory-rated ammunition with at least 700 and 500 foot-pounds of energy at the muzzle may be used. Muzzleloading shotguns and pistols with.50-caliber projectiles are authorized. Crossbows with 125 pounds pull and mechanical safety may also be used during rifle season.
- A licensed person cannot use or possess explosive, toxic, hydraulic, or pneumatic points during wild turkey archery season, save for crossbows and draw-lock devices that hold the bow at half or full draw for qualifying impairments. Electronic arrow or string releases, telescopic sights, and bow-mounted game-taking equipment are forbidden. Hunting arrows must have a broadhead with at least two metal cutting edges, although practice arrows may have any point. Finally, wild turkey bows must draw at least 30 pounds. However, cameras, video cameras, and cell phones used solely for photography are allowed.
Note: For complete regulation for Turkey season in South Dakota, you may review the SD Game & Fish Park Website.
FAQs on SD Turkey Hunting Season
When is the South Dakota turkey hunting season?
South Dakota has several turkey hunting seasons, including Prairie, Spring Mentored Archery and Firearms, Fall Mentored, Adams Nature Area and Good Earth State Park Access Archery Permit, Spring Custer State Park, Spring Archery, Spring Black Hills, and Turkey Season – Fall. The Prairie, Spring Mentored Archery, and Spring Mentored Firearms seasons begin on April 8, 2023, and finish on May 31, 2023. Spring Custer State Park season is from April 22 to May 21, 2023. Fall Mentored and Turkey Seasons – November 1, 2023, through January 31, 2024.
What is the minimum age requirement for youth to purchase hunting preference points?
Yes, children at least 10 years old may buy hunting preference points. A kid may also be given a hunting license or preference point and be permitted to hunt starting September 1 if they turn eleven between September 1 and December 31.
What licenses and permits are required for South Dakota turkey hunting?
In South Dakota, a large game license that contains a tag and basic information about the licensee is necessary for gobbler hunting. A Spring Archery Turkey License is necessary to hunt spring turkeys in Union County’s Adams Homestead and Nature Preserve and the Sioux Falls area’s Good Earth State Park. A free Residents-Only Access Permit is required to shoot a turkey with archery in certain regions. The Access Permit can be obtained after purchasing the Spring Archery Turkey License.
What types of turkeys can be hunted in South Dakota?
Merriam’s turkey is the most common kind of turkey harvested in South Dakota.
Can nonresidents hunt turkeys in South Dakota?
In South Dakota, it is legal for nonresidents to hunt turkeys, but they must first get a nonresident license. See the South Dakota Hunting Regulations for the most recent details on nonresident permits.
