Potter County, South Dakota: Walk-In Areas, GPAs and public hunting land
Potter County has 3,970 acres of private land open to public hunting through GFP's Walk-In Area and CREP programs inside its line (10 tracts centered in the county), 4 game production areas covering 3,990 acres, and 22,330 acres of other public land, by the maps GFP publishes. That is 5.3% of the county's 575,012 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 EngineersSchool and public landState park or recreation area (rules vary)Other GFP land (access sites, lakes)Walk-In Area or CREP (private land open to hunting)Potter CountyNeighboring countiesLake or riverHighway
| Size | 575,012 acres (898 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Walk-In and CREP land inside the county line | 3,970 acres |
| Walk-In Area tracts centered in the county | 6 (1,897 acres in all) |
| CREP tracts centered in the county | 4 (436 acres in all) |
| Game production areas | 4, 3,990 acres |
| School and public land | 21,402 acres |
| Other public land | 928 acres |
| Deer units | Deer unit 54A |
| Antelope units | Antelope unit 63A |
| Towns | Gettysburg, Lebanon, Hoven and Tolstoy |
How much Walk-In Area land is in Potter County?
3,970 acres inside the county line, 0.7% of the county. 6 Walk-In Area tracts are centered in the county (1,897 acres in all), and 4 CREP tracts (436 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 Potter County?
4 GPAs, 3,990 acres in all, largest first:
- Siebrasse Area (DOT) GPA: 1,721 acres
- Whitlocks Bay GPA: 1,293 acres
- Dodge Draw GPA: 936 acres
- Green Lake GPA: 40 acres
How much public land is in Potter County?
4.6% of the county is public land: 26,320 acres, counting the GPAs. The largest share is school and public land, 21,402 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of the county |
|---|---|---|
| School and public land | 21,402 | 3.7% |
| Game production area (GFP) | 3,990 | 0.7% |
| Walk-In Area or CREP (private land open to hunting) | 3,970 | 0.7% |
| Other GFP land (access sites, lakes) | 1,257 | 0.2% |
| Waterfowl production area | 654 | 0.1% |
| State park or recreation area (rules vary) | 423 | 0.1% |
| Corps of Engineers | 274 | 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 Potter County?
The units GFP names for Potter County, with their 2026 licenses and latest harvest projection, for the whole unit:
| Unit | GFP's description | Licenses, 2026 | Taken (GFP projection) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deer unit 54A | Potter | 450 | 230 (2025) |
| Antelope unit 63A | Campbell, Potter, Walworth | 6 | 2 (2025) |
Sources: GFP 2026 draw applications; GFP harvest projections.
How do you get around Potter County?
Highways: US 212 (about 37 miles in the county), US 83 (about 25 miles in the county), SD 47 (about 23 miles in the county), SD 20 (about 21 miles in the county) and SD 1804 (about 18 miles in the county). Towns: Gettysburg, Lebanon, Hoven and Tolstoy.
How do the counties around Potter compare?
| County | Walk-In and CREP acres | Tracts | GPA acres | Other public acres |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dewey | 35,293 | 25 | 3,540 | 6,618 |
| Edmunds | 8,485 | 28 | 1,892 | 22,299 |
| Faulk | 8,972 | 12 | 2,248 | 14,826 |
| Hyde | 3,784 | 3 | 1,612 | 25,147 |
| Sully | 14,224 | 26 | 19,590 | 15,062 |
| Walworth | 24,727 | 38 | 5,039 | 15,283 |
Questions hunters ask
How much Walk-In Area land is in Potter County?
GFP's public hunting atlas shows 3,970 acres of Walk-In Area and CREP land inside Potter County's line, from 10 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 Potter County?
Yes, 4: Siebrasse Area (DOT) (1,721 acres), Whitlocks Bay (1,293 acres), Dodge Draw (936 acres) and Green Lake (40 acres).
What hunting units are in Potter County?
GFP names deer unit 54A and antelope unit 63A for Potter County in its 2026 applications.
How much public land is in Potter County?
4.6% of the county, 26,320 acres, is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules; the largest share is school and public land at 21,402 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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