The special antelope drawing used to take place in April. Both residents and non-residents who applied in the special draw were then not allowed to apply for firearms (prairie) antelope in the initial or secondary drawing later in the summer. Now, both drawings are combined and will occur at the same time. Before, preference points accumulated for special antelope or firearms antelope seasons were interchangeable between seasons the following year. Now they will be combined, allowing individuals to select a second choice if they chose the special antelope hunting unit—meaning they could apply for both special and firearms antelope. Since antelope surveys take place in May each year, the later drawing date will allow for more accurate quota changes and allow the state to manage better year to year.
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The majority of the antelope are found in the western portion of the state along the Montana and Wyoming borders. While this western rangeland holds the highest densities of antelope, herds can also be found in most counties located to the west of the Missouri River as well as some counties located directly east along the river. The state does not produce many Boone and Crockett antelope, but the state record is 90” and ninety-three bucks have been listed in the record book. In the recent past, the state has typically entered one B&C buck into the record book each year.
South Dakota is not the first state one thinks of when it comes to antelope hunting; however, some great bucks are taken each year that break the 80” mark. Any unit can produce big bucks, but most of them are taken in Meade County (unit 49) and Perkins County (unit 53). As is expected, navigating landownership is critical to a successful hunt. South Dakota has done a good job at opening thousands of acres to allow walk-in-only access. Designated National Grasslands encompass hundreds of thousands of acres and are also open to public hunters.
To be eligible in the draw for most of the top firearm antelope hunts, hunters need to have accumulated two or more preference points. The top units for harvest last season on the firearms license were unit 27A (254), 15B (155), and 49A and 35B (both with 127). For the statewide archery license, 450 permits are available for non-residents. Last year, everyone applying with one or more points drew. Applicants with zero points had a 29% chance of drawing. Those 450 licences are valid for hunting on public and private lands. With a statewide archery license, you can hunt all units where the firearm antelope season is open except 45B. In addition, private-land-only archery licences are available for purchase over the counter throughout the season. The majority of the archery harvest comes from unit 35A, with 111 bucks reported in 2025. South Dakota is a great state for antelope hunting, and the prospects for the future look promising. If you are considering hunting antelope in South Dakota, it is advisable to purchase preference points at the very least. Firearm season dates are from October 3 to October 18. Archery season dates are from August 15 to October 31. Archery season is closed during the firearms season.
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Application deadline for Firearm Antelope is July 7th, 2026.
Our online/print magazine has everything in one location: Application info, draw details and odds, fees, hunter requirements, point structure, age restrictions, youth information, weapon restrictions, other tag opportunities, hunt planning and much more. If you would like access to all of our research join today!
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| Firearm Antelope | $375 |
| Preference Point (per draw category) | $20 |
| Habitat Stamp (Required to Apply) | $25 |
South Dakota Antelope Hunting Articles from Huntin' Fool Magazine
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