Hunting Traditions Remain Strong in South Dakota
By: Secretary Kevin Robling
December 13, 2024
The noise of wingbeats flying above the cattails creates instant excitement for my two yellow labs. Ducks start landing in the decoys, and my two oldest sons (who are four and six) look up at me with huge smiles on their faces – duck calls in hand and Grandpa by their side. The clock strikes the magic hour, and memories that last a lifetime are created.
A few hours later, the pursuit of our state bird follows, filling the day with cackling roosters, laughter, and high fives. As I tuck the kids into bed after a full day outdoors, my four-year-old looks up and me and says “Dad, that was the best day ever!” I can’t help but think he’s exactly right.
There is a lot to love about South Dakota, but for many of us, nothing beats Autumn. Autumn in South Dakota features great fishing, beautiful colors in our parks, and, of course, hunting seasons! Hunting is tradition in South Dakota. It’s part of who we are as South Dakotans, and I am so proud to say our traditions have never been stronger!
Hunting participation rates across South Dakota continue to rise, with 24% of South Dakota residents participating in hunting, the highest per-capita rate in the country. While South Dakota offers incredible hunting opportunities for mule deer, white-tailed deer, antelope, elk, prairie grouse, and waterfowl, we are most known for our world-class pheasant hunting.
South Dakota is the greatest state to pheasant hunt, with over 187,000 residents and nonresidents taking to the fields to hunt our state bird this year! Great habitat and a little help from Mother Nature equal great bird numbers. This combination, coupled with access to these birds, has brought hunters to the fields from across the state and the country.
In 2019, we celebrated 100 years of pheasant hunting. Following this celebration, we began working with Governor Noem on her Second Century Initiative. The goal: to ensure the next 100 years of pheasant hunting are just as great as the first – we’re doing just that!
Habitat is the foundation of wildlife management; it’s the key ingredient to having abundant wildlife populations. As a result, the wildlife division within the Department of Game, Fish and Parks has made habitat development and enhancement our number one priority. Working closely with farmers and ranchers, we have grown quality habitat acres across South Dakota. On top of that, hunters now have more places to hunt, with over 1.6 million acres of private land open for public hunting – a new all-time high enrollment benchmark. Thank you to all the participating landowners.
Whether you’re a lifelong hunter or just looking to get into the sport, there is no greater place to be than South Dakota. Hunting is the truest form of conservation, so hunters are our greatest conservationists.
As the sun starts to set on another amazing hunting season, remember it’s not over yet!
When I say goodnight to my kids, I always ask them if they want me to wake them up early to go hunting in the morning. The other night, my six-year-old looked right at me with a stern face and said, “Dad, stop asking me if I want to go hunting. Of course I do – it’s my favorite thing in the whole world to do!” My response, “Mine too buddy, mine too.”
Happy hunting!
Kevin Robling is the Cabinet Secretary for the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks.
###