Dewey County, South Dakota: Walk-In Areas, GPAs and public hunting land
Dewey County has 35,293 acres of private land open to public hunting through GFP's Walk-In Area and CREP programs inside its line (25 tracts centered in the county), 3 game production areas covering 3,540 acres, and 6,618 acres of other public land, by the maps GFP publishes. That is 2.9% of the county's 1,564,981 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)Corps of EngineersSchool and public landState park or recreation area (rules vary)Walk-In Area or CREP (private land open to hunting)Dewey CountyNeighboring countiesLake or riverHighway
| Size | 1,564,981 acres (2,445 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Walk-In and CREP land inside the county line | 35,293 acres |
| Walk-In Area tracts centered in the county | 25 (36,215 acres in all) |
| Game production areas | 3, 3,540 acres |
| School and public land | 6,617 acres |
| Other public land | 1 acres |
| Deer units | Deer unit 24A, Deer unit 24B |
| Antelope units | Antelope unit 24A |
| Towns | Eagle Butte, Isabel, Timber Lake, La Plant and North Eagle Butte |
How much Walk-In Area land is in Dewey County?
35,293 acres inside the county line, 2.3% of the county. 25 Walk-In Area tracts are centered in the county (36,215 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 Dewey County?
3 GPAs, 3,540 acres in all, largest first:
- Little Moreau GPA: 2,820 acres
- Isabel Lake GPA: 639 acres
- Firesteel Dam GPA: 80 acres
How much public land is in Dewey County?
0.6% of the county is public land: 10,158 acres, counting the GPAs. The largest share is school and public land, 6,617 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of the county |
|---|---|---|
| Walk-In Area or CREP (private land open to hunting) | 35,293 | 2.3% |
| School and public land | 6,617 | 0.4% |
| Game production area (GFP) | 3,540 | 0.2% |
| State park or recreation area (rules vary) | 153 | under 0.1% |
| Corps of Engineers | 1 | under 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. GFP's handbook counts school and public land among South Dakota's public hunting lands; motor vehicles are not allowed on it except on designated, signed roads, trails and parking areas (page 73).
Which hunting units are in Dewey County?
The units GFP names for Dewey County, with their 2026 licenses and latest harvest projection, for the whole unit:
| Unit | GFP's description | Licenses, 2026 | Taken (GFP projection) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deer unit 24A | Dewey | 486 | 214 (2025) |
| Deer unit 24B | Dewey, Little Moreau Recreation Area and GPA | 22 | 14 (2025) |
| Antelope unit 24A | Dewey | 51 | 16 (2025) |
Sources: GFP 2026 draw applications; GFP harvest projections.
How do you get around Dewey County?
Highways: US 212 (about 66 miles in the county), SD 63 (about 54 miles in the county), SD 20 (about 37 miles in the county) and SD 65 (about 16 miles in the county). Towns: Eagle Butte, Isabel, Timber Lake, La Plant, North Eagle Butte, Green Grass, Whitehorse, Swift Bird and 1 more.
How do the counties around Dewey compare?
| County | Walk-In and CREP acres | Tracts | GPA acres | Other public acres |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corson | 79,323 | 27 | 316 | 68,526 |
| Potter | 3,970 | 10 | 3,990 | 22,330 |
| Stanley | 19,588 | 14 | 17,140 | 64,806 |
| Sully | 14,224 | 26 | 19,590 | 15,062 |
| Walworth | 24,727 | 38 | 5,039 | 15,283 |
| Ziebach | 57,671 | 30 | 195 | 13,935 |
Questions hunters ask
How much Walk-In Area land is in Dewey County?
GFP's public hunting atlas shows 35,293 acres of Walk-In Area and CREP land inside Dewey County's line, from 25 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 Dewey County?
Yes, 3: Little Moreau (2,820 acres), Isabel Lake (639 acres) and Firesteel Dam (80 acres).
What hunting units are in Dewey County?
GFP names deer units 24A and 24B and antelope unit 24A for Dewey County in its 2026 applications.
How much public land is in Dewey County?
0.6% of the county, 10,158 acres, is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules; the largest share is school and public land at 6,617 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 Corson County Potter County Stanley County Sully County Walworth County Ziebach County