Jerauld County, South Dakota: Walk-In Areas, GPAs and public hunting land
Jerauld County has 1,025 acres of private land open to public hunting through GFP's Walk-In Area and CREP programs inside its line (5 tracts centered in the county), 5 game production areas covering 1,746 acres, and 2,422 acres of other public land, by the maps GFP publishes. That is 1.5% of the county's 340,888 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 areaSchool and public landWalk-In Area or CREP (private land open to hunting)Jerauld CountyNeighboring countiesLake or riverHighway
| Size | 340,888 acres (533 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Walk-In and CREP land inside the county line | 1,025 acres |
| Walk-In Area tracts centered in the county | 1 (317 acres in all) |
| CREP tracts centered in the county | 4 (421 acres in all) |
| Game production areas | 5, 1,746 acres |
| School and public land | 636 acres |
| Other public land | 1,786 acres |
| Deer units | Deer unit 40A |
| Towns | Wessington Springs, Alpena and Lane |
How much Walk-In Area land is in Jerauld County?
1,025 acres inside the county line, 0.3% of the county. 1 Walk-In Area tract is centered in the county (317 acres in all), and 4 CREP tracts (421 acres). 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 Jerauld County?
5 GPAs, 1,746 acres in all, largest first:
- Crow Lake GPA: 884 acres
- Long Lake 4 GPA: 358 acres
- Horseshoe Lake - Jerauld GPA: 193 acres
- Twin Lakes - Jerauld GPA: 191 acres
- Harmony School GPA: 119 acres
How much public land is in Jerauld County?
1.2% of the county is public land: 4,168 acres, counting the GPAs. The largest share is waterfowl production area, 1,786 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of the county |
|---|---|---|
| Waterfowl production area | 1,786 | 0.5% |
| Game production area (GFP) | 1,746 | 0.5% |
| Walk-In Area or CREP (private land open to hunting) | 1,025 | 0.3% |
| School and public land | 636 | 0.2% |
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 Jerauld County?
The units GFP names for Jerauld County, with their 2026 licenses and latest harvest projection, for the whole unit:
| Unit | GFP's description | Licenses, 2026 | Taken (GFP projection) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deer unit 40A | Jerauld | 200 | 86 (2025) |
Sources: GFP 2026 draw applications; GFP harvest projections.
How do you get around Jerauld County?
Highways: SD 34 (about 30 miles in the county) and US 281 (about 18 miles in the county). Towns: Wessington Springs, Alpena and Lane.
How do the counties around Jerauld compare?
| County | Walk-In and CREP acres | Tracts | GPA acres | Other public acres |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aurora | 1,685 | 8 | 2,320 | 5,857 |
| Beadle | 8,613 | 51 | 3,144 | 7,573 |
| Brule | 45 | 1 | 8,916 | 3,097 |
| Buffalo | 9,637 | 2 | 290 | 5,080 |
| Hand | 4,335 | 12 | 4,947 | 12,135 |
| Sanborn | 4,998 | 32 | 3,165 | 94 |
Questions hunters ask
How much Walk-In Area land is in Jerauld County?
GFP's public hunting atlas shows 1,025 acres of Walk-In Area and CREP land inside Jerauld County's line, from 5 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 Jerauld County?
Yes, 5: Crow Lake (884 acres), Long Lake 4 (358 acres), Horseshoe Lake - Jerauld (193 acres), Twin Lakes - Jerauld (191 acres) and Harmony School (119 acres).
What hunting units are in Jerauld County?
GFP names deer unit 40A for Jerauld County in its 2026 applications.
How much public land is in Jerauld County?
1.2% of the county, 4,168 acres, is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules; the largest share is waterfowl production area at 1,786 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.
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