South Dakota Deer License Applications Now Being Taken – Outdoor News Daily

We are currently taking applications for the Black Hills, West River, East River, Muzzleloader, Custer State Park and National Refuge deer hunting seasons. The deadline for the first drawing for those seasons is a postmark of June 14 for paper applications and 8 a.m. CDT, June 19 for on-line applications.

Applications can be made at gfp.sd.gov/hunt-fish-license/

The Game, Fish and Parks Department created a video tutorial to assist applicants with the new process. That video is available on the GFP YouTube page and on the GFP licensing web page as well.

Using and Buying Preference Points

Preference points for the six firearm deer seasons will not be available for purchase online until after the 3rd draw (Aug 30th). They will then be available for purchase until Dec 15th.

The reason for this change is due to people being allowed to use their preference points during the 2nd and 3rd draws.

Applicants can still chose the option to purchase a preference point if they are unsuccessful for their first choice in the first draw during the application process, but they will not be charged for that preference point until after the 3rd draw if they do not obtain a license using preference in the 2nd or 3rd draw for that season.

If you chose to use your preference points in the 2nd or 3rd drawing, and you are successful in drawing a license, you are not eligible to purchase a preference point for that season.

For people submitting paper applications for preference points, we will not put these on the system until after the 3rd draw.

If an applicant does not draw a first-choice, first draw license or does not obtain a license using preference in draws 1-3, they can purchase up to one preference point for each of the six firearm seasons separately.

Preference point purchases for all other limited draw seasons will remain unchanged.