South Dakota just had its best pheasant harvest in 13 years. Hunters took more than 1.3 million roosters in 2024 — the highest count since 2011. If you've been waiting for a reason to plan a trip to the Pheasant Capital, the birds are giving you one.
Here's what to know for 2026.
The season runs in three phases
This trips up first-time visitors, so it's worth getting straight:
- Youth season: September 26 – October 4
- Resident-only period: October 10 – 12
- Traditional opener (everyone): October 17 – January 31, 2027
That traditional opener — the third Saturday in October — is the one most out-of-state hunters plan around. Mark October 17, not the 18th. (If you've seen the 18th listed somewhere, that's the Sunday; the season opens Saturday.)
The limits and the rules that catch people out
Three roosters a day, fifteen in possession. Roosters only — no hens. And the rule that surprises newcomers every year: shooting hours don't start until 10:00 a.m. Central Time, statewide, all season. There's no dawn hunt for pheasants in South Dakota. Plan your morning around it.
What a nonresident actually needs
A nonresident small game license runs about $135 and covers two five-day hunting periods — you pick your start dates when you buy it. You'll also need a habitat stamp (about $10). The good news for planning: South Dakota pheasant licenses are sold over the counter, first-come, first-served. No draw, no lottery, and they typically don't sell out.
Where the birds are
Year after year, the same counties lead the state's August brood survey: Spink, Faulk, Edmunds, Brown, and Hand — all in the central and north-central part of the state. If you're building a trip from scratch, that band is where the bird numbers concentrate.
One honest caveat: these are the statewide rules as published by South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks. Some land types and walk-in areas carry their own dates or restrictions, and regulations can change. Before you hunt, confirm the current details on the SD GFP pheasant page — a five-minute check beats a citation.
Hunting more than one state this fall? We track season dates, limit changes, and regulation updates across the Upper Midwest, so you're not digging through five agency websites the week before your trip. Get the changes that affect your seasons →