Buffalo County, South Dakota: Walk-In Areas, GPAs and public hunting land
Buffalo County has 9,637 acres of private land open to public hunting through GFP's Walk-In Area and CREP programs inside its line (2 tracts centered in the county), 1 game production area covering 290 acres, and 5,080 acres of other public land, by the maps GFP publishes. That is 4.8% of the county's 311,996 acres.
Data updated October 2026. Walk-In Areas, CREP, school and public land, federal land and GPAs: GFP map layers. Units: GFP 2026 applications and harvest projections.
Game production area (GFP)Waterfowl production areaCorps of EngineersWalk-In Area or CREP (private land open to hunting)Buffalo CountyNeighboring countiesLake or riverHighway
| Size | 311,996 acres (487 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Walk-In and CREP land inside the county line | 9,637 acres |
| Walk-In Area tracts centered in the county | 2 (9,925 acres in all) |
| Game production areas | 1, 290 acres |
| School and public land | 0 acres |
| Other public land | 5,080 acres |
| Deer units | Deer unit 14A |
| Antelope units | Antelope unit 38A |
| Towns | Fort Thompson and Gann Valley |
How much Walk-In Area land is in Buffalo County?
9,637 acres inside the county line, 3.1% of the county. 2 Walk-In Area tracts are centered in the county (9,925 acres in all). Walk-In Areas and CREP land are private ground GFP leases for public hunting. GFP's public hunting atlas shows each tract.
Which game production areas are in Buffalo County?
One GPA:
- Pease GPA: 290 acres
How much public land is in Buffalo County?
1.7% of the county is public land: 5,370 acres, counting the GPAs. The largest share is Corps of Engineers, 4,160 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of the county |
|---|---|---|
| Walk-In Area or CREP (private land open to hunting) | 9,637 | 3.1% |
| Corps of Engineers | 4,160 | 1.3% |
| Waterfowl production area | 920 | 0.3% |
| Game production area (GFP) | 290 | 0.1% |
Measured by FilledTag inside the Census county line from GFP public hunting atlas layers (Walk-In Areas, CREP, school and public land, federal land) and GFP Managed Lands; overlapping maps are counted once.
Which hunting units are in Buffalo County?
The units GFP names for Buffalo County, with their 2026 licenses and latest harvest projection, for the whole unit:
| Unit | GFP's description | Licenses, 2026 | Taken (GFP projection) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deer unit 14A | Buffalo (exc. Pease GPA) | 200 | 74 (2025) |
| Antelope unit 38A | Hyde, Hand, Buffalo | 6 | 2 (2025) |
Sources: GFP 2026 draw applications; GFP harvest projections.
How do you get around Buffalo County?
Highways: SD 34 (about 33 miles in the county), SD 45 (about 18 miles in the county), SD 47 (about 11 miles in the county) and SD 50 (about 11 miles in the county). Towns: Fort Thompson and Gann Valley.
How do the counties around Buffalo compare?
| County | Walk-In and CREP acres | Tracts | GPA acres | Other public acres |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brule | 45 | 1 | 8,916 | 3,097 |
| Hand | 4,335 | 12 | 4,947 | 12,135 |
| Hyde | 3,784 | 3 | 1,612 | 25,147 |
| Jerauld | 1,025 | 5 | 1,746 | 2,422 |
| Lyman | 8,995 | 25 | 12,726 | 75,311 |
Questions hunters ask
How much Walk-In Area land is in Buffalo County?
GFP's public hunting atlas shows 9,637 acres of Walk-In Area and CREP land inside Buffalo County's line, from 2 tracts centered in the county. No permission is needed to hunt a Walk-In Area; travel there is on foot except on signed trails, by GFP's handbook.
Are there game production areas in Buffalo County?
Yes, 1: Pease (290 acres).
What hunting units are in Buffalo County?
GFP names deer unit 14A and antelope unit 38A for Buffalo County in its 2026 applications.
How much public land is in Buffalo County?
1.7% of the county, 5,370 acres, is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules; the largest share is Corps of Engineers at 4,160 acres.
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Where these numbers come from
- Walk-In Areas, CREP, school and public land, federal land and GPAs: GFP public hunting atlas layers (Walk-In Areas, CREP, school and public land, federal land) and GFP Managed Lands.
- Units: GFP 2026 draw applications and harvest projections.
- County line, highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 boundaries, TIGER/Line and Gazetteer.
FilledTag is not part of South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks. Walk-In Areas change each year; check GFP's current atlas before you go.
South Dakota hunting Brule County Hand County Hyde County Jerauld County Lyman County