South Dakota · Pheasant · 2026–27 Edition
South Dakota Pheasant Season 2026–27: Dates, Zones & Bag Limits
01 — Seasons
| Season | Zone | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Youth pheasant (ages 12–17) | Statewide, private and public land | Sep 26 – Oct 4 |
| Resident-only | Public lands statewide | Oct 10 – Oct 12 |
| Traditional season | Statewide, except the refuge exceptions below | Oct 17 – Jan 31 |
| Traditional season — refuge exception | Renziehausen GPA/Game Bird Refuge (Brown/Marshall Co.), Gerken Game Bird Refuge (Faulk Co.), White Lake Game Bird Refuge (Marshall Co.) | Dec 1 – Jan 31 |
| Traditional season — refuge exception | Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge (Brown Co.) | Dec 14 – Jan 31 |
02 — Bag limits
| Daily — all segments | 3 rooster pheasants |
|---|---|
| Youth — possession | 15 (accrues at 3/day) |
| Resident-only — possession | 9 (accrues at 3/day) |
| Traditional — possession | 15 (accrues at 3/day) |
03 — Shooting hours
Legal shooting hours 10:00 — 19:30
Rule: 10:00 a.m. Central Time to sunset, for all three segments — the handbook states Central Time applies statewide for the pheasant opener even in South Dakota's Mountain-Time counties. Sunrise/sunset shift daily — the times above are computed for opening day; use your local South Dakota sun times for any other date.
04 — License
Pheasant hunters in South Dakota need a South Dakota hunting license — a Habitat Stamp in addition to a Small Game License (or Nonresident Small Game License) for hunters 18 and up — several license types (youth, mentored, one-day) are exempt
South Dakota licenses & permits — South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks →
05 — FAQ
When does pheasant season open in South Dakota?
The earliest 2026–27 opener is September 26, 2026. See the table above for each segment and zone.
When does pheasant season end in South Dakota?
The latest 2026–27 closing date is January 31, 2027. Individual segments and zones can close earlier — see the table above.
Can I shoot hen pheasants in South Dakota?
See the bag limit table above — most states restrict the daily bag to roosters only, but rules vary and this is worth double-checking against South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks before you hunt.
How many pheasants can you shoot in South Dakota per day?
2026–27 bag limits: Daily — all segments — 3 rooster pheasants. Youth — possession — 15 (accrues at 3/day). Resident-only — possession — 9 (accrues at 3/day). Traditional — possession — 15 (accrues at 3/day). Limits are set per zone and per permit — check the agency's own regulations before you hunt.
What time can you start shooting pheasant in South Dakota?
On opening day (September 26, 2026) legal light runs 07:34 to 19:30. The rule is: 10:00 a.m. Central Time to sunset, for all three segments — the handbook states Central Time applies statewide for the pheasant opener even in South Dakota's Mountain-Time counties. Sunrise and sunset shift daily, so work the offset against your local South Dakota sun times for any other date.
Verified · South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks · Last verified 2026-08-27
Publisher's note. Re-verified 2026-08-27 against the official 2026 South Dakota Hunting and Trapping Handbook PDF, downloaded and read with pdftotext. Every value in this file traces to the Small Game Hunting Information section. RING-NECKED PHEASANT: 'DATES: October 17 - January 31', daily limit 3 rooster pheasants, possession 15 accruing at 3 a day and not attainable until after the fifth day of hunting. YOUTH: 'DATES: September 26 - October 4', statewide on private and public land, same 3/15 structure, open to hunters 12 (or turning 12 by Dec. 31) through 17. RESIDENT-ONLY: 'DATES: October 10-12', public lands statewide, daily 3 but possession only NINE, 'accrues at the rate of 3 birds a day; 9 birds may not be possessed until after the third day of hunting' - a different figure from the other two segments, and this file carries it as such. Shooting hours are identical across all three segments and carry a trap for anyone hunting the western half of the state: '10 a.m. Central Time to sunset. NOTE: Central Time is used for opening shooting hours statewide.' South Dakota spans two time zones, so in the Mountain Time counties the legal opening is 9 a.m. local. The refuge exceptions in this file are the handbook's own: Renziehausen Game Production Area and Game Bird Refuge (Brown and Marshall counties), Gerken Game Bird Refuge (Faulk County) and White Lake Game Bird Refuge (Marshall County) open Dec. 1 - Jan. 31; Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge (Brown County) opens Dec. 14 - Jan. 31. Also on the same public-land pages: non-toxic shot is required for small game on most public land. One line from the handbook is worth repeating in a file like this one: GFP writes that the handbook is the number one resource for its regulations and that Google searches and artificial intelligence options cannot be trusted completely. That is precisely why this note records the document and section rather than a summary of them.