Bowhunter Education

Requirements

South Dakota requires that residents and nonresidents must complete the National Bowhunter Education Foundation (NBEF) safety course in the following cases:

  • Youth age 12 (or will turn 12 by Dec. 31 of current year) through age 15 who will be purchasing a big game archery license (in addition, must have a valid hunter safety certificate)
  • Any first time big game archery licensee regardless of age (If you are a previous big game archery licensee, you are exempt from this requirement)
  • Any resident who receives an archery elk license

If you possess a valid certificate of completion from a bowhunter education course approved by any state or provincial government, you are exempt from the requirement to have a South Dakota Bowhunter Education certificate.

BowEd Courses

Classes are usually scheduled January - September by volunteer instructors. Information is updated on this page as classes are schedule.

No courses will be scheduled after September 21st.

Aberdeen
  • Bowhunter Ed Certification Class
    June 1, 2013
    8:30am-5:30pm
    Whitetail Bowmen Indoor Range
    (321 N Main Street)
    Pre-register by calling GFP office in Aberdeen at 605.626.2391
    View Flyer >
    Waiver >
Belle Fourche
  • Bowhunter Ed Certification Class
    August 17, 2013
    8am-4:30pm
    Center of the Nation Sportsman's Club
    Pre-register by calling GFP office in Belle Fourche at 605.892.4968
    View flyer >
Custer
  • Bowhunter Ed Certification Class
    June 15, 2013
    8am
    Top Pin Archery
    Contact Matt May at 605.673.5880 for more information.
Huron
  • Bowhunter Ed Certification Class
    Beadle County Sportsmen's Club
    Call Huron GFP office at 605.33.7145 with questions
    No pre-registration required
    Dates:
    August 11 (8am-6pm)
    September 8 (8am-6pm
Mitchell
  • Bowhunter Ed Certification Class
    June 29, 2013
    9am-5pm
    Cabela's
    Class limited to 40 students
    Contact Cabela's Archery Department at 605.996.0337 to pre-register and with questions.
Mobridge
  • Bowhunter Ed Certification Class
    July 26 & 27, 2013
    7-10pm on 26th
    8am-1pm on 27th
    GFP office in Mobridge
    Contact GFP Mobridge office at 605.845.7814 for more info
Parker
  • Field Days for Online Course
    July 13, 2013
    August 24, 2013
    12noon-4pm
    Students must register by contacting Jim Twamley at 605.940.9678 or jltmotors@hotmail.com. Must be a minimum of 5 people registered to hold the course. Class size is limited and scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Pierre
  • Bowhunter Ed Certification Class
    8am-5pm
    Izaak Walton Club Youth Center
    Contact Dan McCormick at 605.222.8322
    DATES:
    August 10, 2013
  • Field Days for Online Course
    August 10, 2013
    2pm-6pm
    Izaak Walton Club Youth Center
    Contact Dan McCormick at 605.222.8322
Rapid City
  • Field Days for Online Course
    (you must first complete the online course before attending)
    June 22, 2013
    August 3, 2013
    Students can register by contacting Scott, scott.smallwood@hotmail.com, 605.391.3235.
    Class size is limited and scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis.
  • Bowhunter Ed Certification Class
    June 24 & 25, 2013
    5:30pm-9:30pm
    Outdoor Campus West
    Pre-registration required through Al at Black Hills Archery, 605.394.9663
Sioux Falls
  • Bowhunter Ed Certification Class
    8am-5pm
    Outdoor Campus - East
    Pre-registration required by contacting Daniel Johnston; mpdtjohnston@sio.midco.net
    DATES:
    June 8, 2013 - CLASS IS FULL
    July 27, 2013
  • Bowhunter Ed Certification Class
    8am-4:30pm
    Archers Addiction
    47219 Schweigers Cir
    Pre-registration is required by calling Mark at 605.543.6040
    DATES:
    June 30
    July 27
    August 3
Yankton
  • Bowhunter Ed Certification Class
    NFAA Easton Yankton Archery Complex
    Pre-registration is required, register at www.yanktonarcherycomplex.com or at the NFAA Easton Yankton Archery Complex (800 Archery Lane), call 605.260.9282
    June 23, 2013
    July 21, 2013
    August 25, 2013
    September 15, 2013
Aberdeen
Classes
  • Bowhunter Ed Certification Class
    June 1, 2013
    8:30am-5:30pm
    Whitetail Bowmen Indoor Range
    (321 N Main Street)
    Pre-register by calling GFP office in Aberdeen at 605.626.2391
    View Flyer >
    Waiver >
Belle Fourche
Classes
  • Bowhunter Ed Certification Class
    August 17, 2013
    8am-4:30pm
    Center of the Nation Sportsman's Club
    Pre-register by calling GFP office in Belle Fourche at 605.892.4968
    View flyer >
Custer
Classes
  • Bowhunter Ed Certification Class
    June 15, 2013
    8am
    Top Pin Archery
    Contact Matt May at 605.673.5880 for more information.
Huron
Classes
  • Bowhunter Ed Certification Class
    Beadle County Sportsmen's Club
    Call Huron GFP office at 605.33.7145 with questions
    No pre-registration required
    Dates:
    August 11 (8am-6pm)
    September 8 (8am-6pm
Mitchell
Classes
  • Bowhunter Ed Certification Class
    June 29, 2013
    9am-5pm
    Cabela's
    Class limited to 40 students
    Contact Cabela's Archery Department at 605.996.0337 to pre-register and with questions.
Mobridge
Classes
  • Bowhunter Ed Certification Class
    July 26 & 27, 2013
    7-10pm on 26th
    8am-1pm on 27th
    GFP office in Mobridge
    Contact GFP Mobridge office at 605.845.7814 for more info
Parker
Classes
  • Field Days for Online Course
    July 13, 2013
    August 24, 2013
    12noon-4pm
    Students must register by contacting Jim Twamley at 605.940.9678 or jltmotors@hotmail.com. Must be a minimum of 5 people registered to hold the course. Class size is limited and scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Pierre
Classes
  • Bowhunter Ed Certification Class
    8am-5pm
    Izaak Walton Club Youth Center
    Contact Dan McCormick at 605.222.8322
    DATES:
    August 10, 2013
  • Field Days for Online Course
    August 10, 2013
    2pm-6pm
    Izaak Walton Club Youth Center
    Contact Dan McCormick at 605.222.8322
Rapid City
Classes
  • Field Days for Online Course
    (you must first complete the online course before attending)
    June 22, 2013
    August 3, 2013
    8am-12noon
    Students can register by contacting Scott, scott.smallwood@hotmail.com, 605.391.3235.
    Class size is limited and scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis.
  • Bowhunter Ed Certification Class
    June 24 & 25, 2013
    5:30pm-9:30pm
    Outdoor Campus West
    Pre-registration required through Al at Black Hills Archery, 605.394.9663
Sioux Falls
Classes
  • Bowhunter Ed Certification Class
    8am-5pm
    Outdoor Campus - East
    Pre-registration required by contacting Daniel Johnston; mpdtjohnston@sio.midco.net
    DATES:
    June 8, 2013 - CLASS IS FULL
    July 27, 2013
  • Bowhunter Ed Certification Class
    8am-4:30pm
    Archers Addiction
    47219 Schweigers Cir
    Pre-registration is required by calling Mark at 605.543.6040
    DATES:
    June 30
    July 27
    August 3
Yankton
Classes
  • Bowhunter Ed Certification Class
    NFAA Easton Yankton Archery Complex
    Pre-registration is required, register at www.yanktonarcherycomplex.com or at the NFAA Easton Yankton Archery Complex (800 Archery Lane), call 605.260.9282
    June 23, 2013
    July 21, 2013
    August 25, 2013
    September 15, 2013

Bowhunter ID Card

Individuals who complete the South Dakota course receive an identification card containing your name, date of certification, certificate number, and the signature of your instructor.

The National Bowhunter Education Foundation has been in existence for over 25 years. This course was developed by archery leaders around the country to improve safety, reduce wounding loss and raise awareness about the sport of archery hunting.

Bowhunter Education online

On-line Bowhunter education classes are available. You must complete an in-person field day along with your on-line course work to receive your bowhunter ed. Certificate. Make sure that a field day is available that you can attend before completing the online portion. Attending part of a regular class does not fulfill the needed requirements to receive your certificate. You must attend a specially designed on-line field day. Field days are listed in the drop down course list to the right and labeled as "Field Days". There is a cost for the on-line portion.

  • Bowhunter Education On-line Course
  • FIELD DAYS
    (No field days will be offered after August 31st)
  • Rapid City - Outdoor Campus West
    June 22, 2013
    August 3, 2013
    8am-12noon
    Students can register by contactin Scott, scott.smallwood@hotmail.com, 605.391.3235.
    Class size is limited and scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis.
  • Parker
    July 13, 2013
    August 24, 2013
    12noon-4pm
    Students must register by contacting Jim Twamley at 605.940.9678 or jltmotors@hotmail.com. Must be a minimum of 5 people registered to hold the course. Class size is limited and scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis.
  • Pierre - Izaak Walton Club Youth Center
    August 10, 2013
    2pm-6pm
    Contact Dan McCormick at 605.222.8322

contact

If you have questions about courses or your certification card, please contact us.

GFP-Bowhunter Education
20641 SD Hwy 1806
Fort Pierre, SD 57532

605.223.7700 E-mail: Wildinfo@state.sd.us