For specific elk season information, select a season:

 

Archery Elk

South Dakota residents who have not received an Archery Elk license in the preceding nine years are eligible to apply.

  • Season Dates:
    Archery Elk - Sept. 1 - Sept. 30
    Please refer to the Archery Elk Application at right for specific dates in their respective units.

Requirements and Restrictions:

  • No person may possess more than one (1) elk license of any type in a year.
  • No more than two persons may submit applications together.
  • Except for landowner/operator preference applicants, no person who receives a license in the first drawing for this season shall be eligible to apply for an archery elk license in first drawings for the next 9 years.
  • One-half of the licenses allocated in each unit are available for landowner/operator preference application.
    One member of each qualifying landowner/operator household may apply every year.
  • Each elk harvested must be inspected by a Conservation Officer or designee within 24 hours after kill.
  • Each unsuccessful hunter must mail the report card to GFP within 10 days after the close of the season.
  • Licensees in Unit 30A may also hunt in Boyd County, Nebraska when the Nebraska elk season is open in Boyd County.

application Information

Additional Information

Surveys and Reports

Archery Elk Unit Map


Archery Educational Requirements*

To be able to apply for a SD archery big game license, all big game archery licensees ages 11 through 15, all first-time archery big game licensees regardless of age, and all archery elk licensees must possess a National Bowhunter Education Foundation (NBEF) certificate or certification of completion from a bowhunter education course approved by any state or provincial government.

*Note: Applicants who have held a big game archery license in the past may apply for antelope without completing an NBEF course if they indicate on the application the year and state of a former archery license held.

HuntSafe courses

South Dakota's HuntSAFE program takes the responsibility of teaching hunter ethics seriously. The HuntSAFE program is a required course for young hunters in South Dakota before youth can enter the field and hunt game. With participation in this course, the young hunter learns about respect for our state's natural resources, respect for other hunter's and perhaps most importantly, respect for landowners.