South Dakota Non-Res. Antelope/Deer Lic. Fees?

[emrah1028]

Ok, maybe I'm dense, but I'm having the hardest time trying to find the non-resident fees for Antelope and/or Deer in South Dakota. The http://gfp.sd.gov/hunting/licenses/general/default.aspx site gives "general hunting license" info but no tag fees. What am I missing here?

Basically, I'm looking for antelope or deer non-res fees (buck or doe, don't care). Also, what ELSE do I need? Never hunted out of state, so I'm not sure if I only need a tag or if I need one of the above-mentioned "general hunting" licenses PLUS a tag fee.

Can anyone clarify?

Thanks,

Emrah

 

[wyoming556]

From last years info.
Deer $285
Doe Deer 1=$55 2=$80
Antelope = $285
Antelope with doe= $335

 

[warmer]

You will not need anything else besides your deer or antelope tag.

 

[emrah1028]

Fantastic. It seems like you must apply for a tag either in the east or west part of the state. Is this correct? Thinking about a "quickie" hunt in our neighboring state this fall as my elk hunt in CO has fallen through (sad).

Emrah

 

[DHaffner]

correct, but as a non res you are only eligible for 3rd drawing east river. (no buck tags will be left)

 

[wyoming556]

On the antelope unless you are archery hunting you will have a hard time drawing even a nr doe tag in most areas. If you really want to hunt antelope and deer with a rifle just do a little research and you can propably find a spot in eastern Wyoming where you can get a leftover regional deer tag and a leftover antelope tag.

Nebraska is another option with OTC deer tags but expect extremely heavy pressure opening weekend. Nebraska is cheaper with tags running $200 for deer and $150 for archery antelope. You can get 2 deer tags and you can hunt mule deer as well as whitetails.

 

[mtmiller]

Basically, I'm looking for antelope or deer non-res fees (buck or doe, don't care). Also, what ELSE do I need? Never hunted out of state, so I'm not sure if I only need a tag or if I need one of the above-mentioned "general hunting" licenses PLUS a tag fee.

Emrah

DEER

As was mentioned, SD is easy, just buy the point or put in for the tag. Nothing extra.

East River for a NR is not worth the game, but WR and BH should work for you. You won't draw the Hills first year, but with the cheap and easy point, you will have opps. West River can be had, but public land is limited for easy draws (Santorum Theorem).

Wait, you are from MN? No good hunting in SD.

Good luck. Apps aren't due 'til July.

 

[Oak]

DEER

As was mentioned, SD is easy, just buy the point or put in for the tag. Nothing extra.

East River for a NR is not worth the game, but WR and BH should work for you. You won't draw the Hills first year, but with the cheap and easy point, you will have opps. West River can be had, but public land is limited for easy draws (Santorum Theorem).

Was looking the other day and couldn't find draw odds that show the specific number of points each applicant had. Is that the case? Only found where it broke it down between general and general with preference.

 

[emrah1028]

Couple questions:

1. Where are you guys getting the license fee information? Like I said, the SD game and fish website drives me around in the "death loop of no answers".

2. Having never hunted out of state, I am REALLY green to this "points" thing. I understand the concept of earning points when you apply for a tag but do not draw. But what how does "buying" points work? Do you pay extra on top of the tag fee for preference?

3. East River/West River: I'm guessing this refers to the Missouri river.

4. Is there an easier way to navigate that website? I am really just seeking information. It wants me to register when I click in certain areas and I really don't want to do that just yet. I just want info. If I register, is it easier to find what I want to know rather than ask stupid questions to you guys?

Emrah

 

[DHaffner]

download the pdf for the season you want and you can read all the answers to your questions.

 

[jore07]

Couple questions:

1. Where are you guys getting the license fee information? Like I said, the SD game and fish website drives me around in the "death loop of no answers".

2. Having never hunted out of state, I am REALLY green to this "points" thing. I understand the concept of earning points when you apply for a tag but do not draw. But what how does "buying" points work? Do you pay extra on top of the tag fee for preference?

3. East River/West River: I'm guessing this refers to the Missouri river.

4. Is there an easier way to navigate that website? I am really just seeking information. It wants me to register when I click in certain areas and I really don't want to do that just yet. I just want info. If I register, is it easier to find what I want to know rather than ask stupid questions to you guys?

Emrah

1. - On the website if you choose the game you want to hunt say deer. Click the deer tab. Then there is a tab to select the season type be it archery, west river, east river, etc. After you choose your season the next page comes up and under the header Application Information - Click the pdf file for the application. Download that and it will have pretty much any information you need involving that specific season.


2. I am new also but I did attempt a NR Archery hunt in South Dakota last year. From what I understand you can "purchase" points by choosing the season type usually a rifle season and paying the minimal fee. You are basically getting the point without actually applying for the tag and able to apply the points to the next year’s application. I hope that makes sense. I am planning on doing that this year for myself so hopefully I know what I am talking about.


3. Yes - if you follow the directions in the answer to question 1 to the part where you download the PDF. On that same page that you click the link to the PDF, scroll down on that page and you will see a state area map. The break line is the river and is pretty easy to understand and makes complete sense once you see the map and area layouts.


4. I don't think you should have to register to get any of the information you seek. I don't remember registering for anything until I signed up on to purchase my tags online last year. The best way I found last year when I was researching for the first time is just clicking around and thumbing through everything. I spend a lot of time on that website.

Hopefully this is a bit helpful and if I can help any other way just let me know and I'll do what I can. Good luck!

 

[jore07]

This link will get you directly to the Deer Hunting page from there you should be able to navigate the seasons and everything you want.

http://gfp.sd.gov/hunting/big-game/deer/default.aspx

Here is the link for Antelope.

http://gfp.sd.gov/hunting/big-game/antelope/

 

[DHaffner]

Was looking the other day and couldn't find draw odds that show the specific number of points each applicant had. Is that the case? Only found where it broke it down between general and general with preference.

Oak, they don't break it down as nicely as some western states. SD is an opportunity state which means most tags are drawn with 0-1 preference for residents and 1-3 for non residents. It also isn't a true preference situation, it is a bonus system after one preference. The main tag I can think of available to NR that takes alot of points is the Black Hills mule deer tag, and that's not worth waiting for.

 

[Oak]

Thanks D. Was just curious. By the time I decide to actually apply, I'll probably have enough points for about any tag.

 

[MNHunter]

Oak, they don't break it down as nicely as some western states. SD is an opportunity state which means most tags are drawn with 0-1 preference for residents and 1-3 for non residents. It also isn't a true preference situation, it is a bonus system after one preference. The main tag I can think of available to NR that takes alot of points is the Black Hills mule deer tag, and that's not worth waiting for.

Based on my observations the last couple years, I'd beg to differ


Probably shouldn't have said that...

 

[MNHunter]

Oak, DHaffner has it right when it comes to the way points work in SD. You aren't even in the draw without any "preference points" but after you get one, they act like bonus points.With the reduction in tags every year it has gone from a sure thing for the whitey tag for a NR with 1 point to maybe needing 2. The muley tag is likely a 4-5 year proposition. Lemme know if you draw, my areas won't be as good as Miller's but in case you get bored looking over all the nice deer in his areas, you can try mine

 

[1_pointer]

I'm sitting on 4 points for West River and 2 for the Hills. I really need to cash them in one of these years... Might start research some West River areas this summer for possibly next year. While bird hunting there a few years back we saw a very nice muley buck! But, that was only the 2nd buck we saw in 4 days...

 

[DHaffner]

Oak, DHaffner has it right when it comes to the way points work in SD. You aren't even in the draw without any "preference points" but after you get one, they act like bonus points.With the reduction in tags every year it has gone from a sure thing for the whitey tag for a NR with 1 point to maybe needing 2. The muley tag is likely a 4-5 year proposition. Lemme know if you draw, my areas won't be as good as Miller's but in case you get bored looking over all the nice deer in his areas, you can try mine

I can't argue with your experiences in the Hills, all I can do is explain why I said it's not worth waiting for a BH Mule Deer Tag...

Pros: They have significantly reduced the number of Rifle MD tags available. from thousands down to 500. Last year I saw 13 MD bucks in one day, unfortunately 12 of them were spikes or forks and only one had 3 points on one side, but he was still a 60 inch class dink. So there is the chance that some could get big, but on my Elk hunt in Custer State Park, a place that is 71,000 acres and only has 2 any deer tags per year. I saw several 150 class white tails but the biggest mule deer I saw was 120 class. I spoke with a gfp officer that said he heard about a 30 inch MD in there but never saw it himself. So no matter how low the pressure is, I'm not convinced we have the genetics to produce very many big MD bucks in the Hills.

Cons: If a person had 1 preference point you can expect around 7 years to draw. No preference will take around 15 years to draw a Black Hills rifle any deer tag (allows you to take a Mule Deer).

Oak can hunt in many Colorado units that have significantly better genetics/potential with no points and have a shot at a nice buck.

Any non res can hunt general tags in Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Utah or Nebraska and hunt bigger bucks no problem. I personally spent 3 days hunting an OTC Wyoming tag 2 years ago and inspected 2 Mule Deer bucks that were bigger than any Mule Deer I've harvested in the Black hills in 17 years hunting out there. I passed on both because they weren't what I was looking for.

You can draw better tags in New Mexico, Nevada and Kansas with far fewer points and hunt bigger bucks. Why would someone waste their time waiting for a Mule Deer tag in SD when there is a 95% chance that if they draw it they will end up hunting 120-150 class white tails at the top end instead of Mule Deer? The White tail tag is High % with 1 point and guranteed with 2.

Archery tags are still unlimited so if we ever did grow a few big MD they probably wouldn't make it to rifle season...

I've been on the ground every year since 1996 and this is by far the largest Mule Deer I've seen alive or harvested by my group or any other group in the Black Hills...

The next sized Mule Deer isn't even close...

Why wait so long where you can be hunting decent white tails like this every other year, or hunt much better units elsewhere with far fewer points?

If I was going to Hunt Mule Deer in SD I would be on the prairie (west River) units not the black hills and hunt deer like this one and others that can be much bigger.

Now maybe someone here knows things about that unit that I don't, who knows... I know this anyone who can show me a Mule Deer bigger than my personal best (above mount) is more than welcome to jump in my boat anytime and I'll take them on a free scouting trip in the Hills to take a photo of him so I can eat some crow. Specifically MNHunter I'll be spending a week pre-fishing the Cabel'as National Team Championship in Mill Lacs at the end of May, if you know something I don't shoot me a pm and come enjoy catching all the walleyes you can reel in.

To me the Black Hills hunt is a fun hunt, not really a trophy quest worthy of waiting years and years to hunt.

 

[emrah1028]

Thanks guys. I appreciate the help. I guess I didn't drill down far enough on the web page. I guess I was expecting just a table with dates/fees, etc. instead of a PDF "mini-flyer". From what I'm hearing from you guys though, it's not worth applying for anything in East River, right?

Emrah

 

[DHaffner]

The bow tag is too good, they should put more limits on it. In fact If I were making a Hunting show about public land white tails I just might look at my options in SD over Iowa or Minnesota.