South Dakota Pheasant Season 2026
South Dakota's pheasant season runs October 17, 2026 to January 31, 2027. A resident only season runs Oct 10 to 12. The youth season comes first, Sep 26 to Oct 4. The 2026 outlook has birds similar to last year.
The 2026 South Dakota pheasant outlook
The 2026 outlook from the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks has birds similar to last year.
The 2026 pheasant hunting outlook is expected to be much like last year with good production and favorable habitat conditions.Upland Outlook, read October 8, 2026. Read it at the source
Last season’s harvest
Nearly 140,000 hunters from around the globe harvested over 1.35 million pheasants in 2025, beating out a phenomenal 2024 for the highest pheasant harvest in recent history.South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks, 2025-26 harvest, read October 8, 2026. Read it at the source
South Dakota pheasant season dates and bag limit
South Dakota's pheasant season opens Saturday, October 17, 2026, and closes January 31, 2027. A resident only season runs Oct 10 to 12. The youth season comes first, Sep 26 to Oct 4. The daily limit is 3 roosters and 15 in possession. Only roosters may be taken.
- South DakotaOct 17Season, Oct 17 to Jan 31; Resident only, Oct 10 to 12; Youth, Sep 26 to Oct 4
- General season
- Saturday, October 17, 2026 to January 31, 2027
- Resident only
- Oct 10 to 12
- Youth season
- Sep 26 to Oct 4
- Daily limit
- 3 roosters a day
- Possession
- 15 in possession
- Which birds
- Roosters only
- Shooting hours
- 10 a.m. Central Time to sunset, all season (Central Time used statewide for opening hours)
- Youth Ring-necked Pheasant (Youth and Mentored Only)Sep 26 to Oct 4resident and nonresident youth 12 to 17 and mentored youth; statewide, private and public land
- Resident-Only Ring-necked PheasantOct 10 to 12residents only, public lands and Walk-In and CREP land only; possession 9
- Ring-necked Pheasant (Traditional)Oct 17 to Jan 31statewide; a few refuges open Dec. 1 or Dec. 14
DAILY LIMIT: 3 rooster pheasants POSSESSION LIMIT: 15 rooster pheasants, taken according to the daily limit. The limit accrues at the rate of 3 birds a day and 15 birds may not be possessed until after the fifth day of hunting.South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks, read October 8, 2026. Read it at the source
South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks regulations, read October 8, 2026.
Public land and walk-in access in South Dakota
- Walk-In Areas (WIA)over 1.4 million acres
“WIAs are lands owned by private individuals as working farms and ranches leased for public hunting access by GFP. ... There are over 1.4 million acres enrolled in the Walk-In Area program.”
- Game Production Areas (GPA)more than 286,000 acres
“South Dakota has approximately 725 GPAs, totaling more than 286,000 acres.”
- Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP)
“Lands in CREP are open year-round to public hunting and fishing access.”
What it takes to hunt pheasants in South Dakota
- Residents
- Small Game $36, One-Day Small Game $15, Combination (small game + fishing) $60, Senior Combination (65+) $43, Youth Small Game (12-17) $5, Mentored Small Game (under 16) $5; plus Habitat Stamp $10
- Nonresidents
- Small Game (two five-day periods) $142, Youth Small Game 12-17 (two five-day periods) $10, Mentored Small Game (under 16) $10; plus Habitat Stamp $25
- Stamp or permit
- Habitat Stamp: resident $10, nonresident $25
Every South Dakota license, resident and nonresident, with what each costs, is on the South Dakota hunting license page.
South Dakota pheasant questions
Pheasant season in other states
South Dakota read October 8, 2026 from South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks, every source linked above. An agency can move a date or close an area between the printed regulations and opening day, so its page is the one that governs. Every state is on the pheasant season calendar.