You have come to the perfect place if you want to start your coyote hunting adventure in South Dakota. Many people are drawn to the wilds of South Dakota because of the state’s rapidly developing forests and fauna. South Dakota is considered to be a paradise for anyone looking to explore the trivial sport that is coyote hunting. This article goes into an in-depth analysis of laws and regulations regarding coyote hunting in the Mount Rushmore State of South Dakota. Along the way, I will also try to answer a few frequently asked questions regarding coyote hunting in South Dakota.
Coyote Hunting in South Dakota
The Department of Game, Fish, and Parks regulates coyote hunting in South Dakota. This department is also responsible for the state’s wildlife management. Furthermore, the department has classified coyotes as Furbearer and Predatory Animal. This means hunting coyotes in South Dakota has neither any closed seasons nor any bag limits.
The US Forest Service manages the National Grasslands in western South Dakota, which is a popular hunting ground for coyote hunters. Please contact the Grassland Offices for information on travel restrictions if this is your coyote hunting destination.
Coyote hunting is also available on Native American tribal lands of South Dakota. State licenses are not valid on tribal trust lands unless the tribal council has given permission. To hunt on their grounds, individual tribes may demand tribal authorization. To find out what licenses are available and how much they cost, contact the various tribes. The tribal government does not have jurisdiction over all of the land inside the South Dakota reservations. A state license is required to hunt on private land deeded to non-Indians.
Read More: Coyote Hunting in North Dakota: Rules and Regulations 2022
Custer State Park Free Access Permits
- The coyote hunting season in Custer State Park runs from December 26, 2021, to April 30, 2022.
- Permits for free access are no longer necessary.
- In Custer State Park, no hunting is permitted within 200 yards of any public access road or building.
- While hunting, a person must have their appropriate license and access permit with them.
- Hunters must leave the property they are hunting in the same condition as when they arrived.
Do you need a license to hunt coyotes in South Dakota?
In order to hunt coyotes in South Dakota, residents need to purchase a habitat stamp and any one of the following licenses.
- Predator or Varmit License (Not required April 1 to August 31)
- Furbearer License
- Any Resident Hunting License
Bear in mind, youth residents under the age of 18 do not require any license to hunt coyotes in South Dakota.
In the case of Nonresidents, they will need to purchase a habitat stamp and any one of the following licenses.
- Predator/Varmint License for Non-Residents
- Any Nonresident hunting license except Nonresident private shooting preserve license.
You can purchase all the necessary licenses and permits through GoOutDoors South Dakota.
Coyote Hunting seasons in South Dakota
There is no closed season for hunting coyotes in South Dakota. You may hunt coyotes year-round, 24 hours a day.
Can you hunt coyotes at night in South Dakota?
There are no restrictions on shooting hours for hunting coyotes in South Dakota. Therefore, you may hunt coyotes in South Dakota even at night. However, between sunset and sunrise, you shall not use night vision equipment or cast the rays of the spotlight, motor vehicle spotlight, or other artificial light onto a highway, or into any field pasture, woodland, forest, or prairie, for the purpose of spotting and hunting coyotes, if you are in possession of a firearm, a bow or other implement by which a coyote can be killed. However, you may use a handheld light, if you are on foot, and just engaging in trapping activities and taking trapped coyotes.
Furthermore, a person who owns the land and up to two guests accompanying the landowner may use artificial light and night vision equipment on that land, to hunt coyotes provided they use a shotgun and shotshells or a firearm and a cartridge having a bullet diameter of fewer than .225 inches.
Additionally, if a person who is at least 18 yrs of age and owns or occupies a land, that person may grant permission for up to two guests to hunt unaccompanied on that person’s land for coyotes, and such guests may use night vision equipment, provided they use a shotgun and shotshells or a firearm and a cartridge having a bullet diameter of fewer than .225 inches.
Bag limits for hunting coyotes in South Dakota
Since coyotes are classified as Predatory Furbearing species, there are no daily, or annual bag limits on hunting coyotes in South Dakota. Additionally, there are also no bag limits for trapping coyotes in South Dakota. All in all, you may hunt coyotes in South Dakota year-round without having to worry about seasons or bag limits.
Where to hunt Coyotes in South Dakota?
South Dakota offers exceptional coyote hunting across the majority of the state’s expansive ranches, fields and public hunting lands dotting a habitat mix ideal for the adaptable canine. With huge swaths of open terrain, stable populations exist on national grasslands and designated state hunting areas.
In central South Dakota, prime coyote range spans Buffalo Gap National Grassland’s 165,000 acres of prairie leading into the Badlands region holding healthy numbers of the crafty canid. To the north, Grand River National Grassland’s 89,000 acres see frequent sightings by hunters and ranchers alike using bordering properties.
The far western portion of the state bordering Montana also offers top prospects on designated land like the Sioux Ranger District spanning over 100,000 acres mixed between the Black Hills National Forest and Buffalo Gap National Grassland. With deer, livestock and other vulnerable prey spread across habitats, hungry South Dakotan coyotes maintain high concentrations.
Legal ways to hunt coyotes in South Dakota
You may use rifles or handguns of any caliber while coyote hunting in South Dakota. Furthermore, you can use also use suppressors or silencers in order to hunt coyotes in South Dakota. However, you must have all the necessary paperwork from the federal government for legally possessing the suppressors.
Barbed hooks or other similarly sharpened instruments are unlawful to use while hunting coyotes in the state of South Dakota. Furthermore, the use of any live mammal or live bird to aid in the taking of a fur-bearing animal, predator, or a varmint by a trap or snare is also prohibited. Bear in mind, the use of any live animals or live birds to aid in the taking of coyotes is unlawful in South Dakota.
A resident of South Dakota may catch, trap or kill coyotes upon land owned or leased, without obtaining a license to do so, during any period while hunting, catching, taking, trapping, or killing such animals is permitted.
Traps, including snares, must be put at least 30 feet away from exposed bait visible to raptors in the air. Meat or viscera of any animal, bird, or fish, with or without skin, hide, or feathers is considered exposed bait.
Additionally, you can also legally use electronic calls to hunt coyotes in South Dakota.
Can you use dogs to hunt coyotes in South Dakota?
You may use dogs to hunt coyotes in South Dakota. However, no person may hunt Minsk and muskrat with the aid of dogs. Keep in mind, no more than 4 dogs may be trained in any one day. Additionally, a person may not use or carry a shotgun or rifle during training.
Can you hunt coyotes from a vehicle in South Dakota?
No person in or on a motor vehicle, except those hunters with disabled hunt permits, may discharge a firearm, crossbow, or cross and a bow at any wild animals except coyotes, wolves, jackrabbits, rodents, skunks, badgers, raccoons, and red or grey fox.
When operating boats on public waters in South Dakota, hunters and trappers must adhere to all state and federal boating restrictions. Those who use a boat for hunting or trapping should make sure they have all of the necessary boating equipment on board and that their vessel is properly licensed.
You may not use a snowmobile to chase, harass, or disturb any wild animal in South Dakota. When hunting coyotes, only one person may be aboard the snowmobile, and the snowmobile must remain stationary when shooting at coyotes.
Furthermore, it is illegal to use drones for the purpose of hunting, taking, concentrating, driving, rallying, stirring up, locating, or spotting any coyotes in South Dakota.
Are there any bounty programs for hunting Coyotes in South Dakota?
The Game, Fish, and Parks Commission of South Dakota passed a resolution on March 5, 2021, to run the Nest Predator Bounty Program in 2021 and 2022.
However, this program is open only for raccoons, striped skunks, badgers, opossums, and red foxes. Therefore, there are currently no open bounty programs for hunting coyotes in South Dakota.
