Deer unit 04A, South Dakota: licenses, harvest and hunting land
GFP's East River deer unit 04A is Beadle. For 2026 GFP lists 450 resident licenses here, all type 11. In 2025, by GFP's projection, hunters took 220 deer in unit 04A, all white-tailed, and 37 residents named it as their first choice in the first drawing.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest and first-choice applicants: GFP harvest projections, 2020 to 2025. Licenses and seasons: GFP 2026 application. Land: GFP map layers.
| GFP's description | Beadle |
|---|---|
| Counties | Beadle |
| Season | East River deer, November 21 - December 6, 2026 |
| Licenses, 2026 | 450 resident |
| Deer taken, 2025 | 220 (GFP projection) |
| First-choice resident applicants, 2025 | 37 |
| First draw, 2026 | May 27 to June 23, 2026 |
How many deer licenses does unit 04A have in 2026?
450 resident licenses, by GFP's 2026 application.
| Type | What the license allows | Resident | Nonresident |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | one any whitetail deer | 450 | leftovers only |
Source: GFP 2026 east river deer application.
How many deer are taken in unit 04A?
GFP projects 220 deer were taken in unit 04A in 2025, all of them white-tailed, from 449 licenses sold. That is 43% fewer than in 2020. The most in these years was 435 in 2021, the fewest 220 in 2025. GFP puts hunter success at 49%.
| Year | Deer taken | Bucks | Does and fawns | White-tailed | Mule deer | Licenses sold | First-choice resident applicants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 220 | 190 | 30 | 220 | 0 | 449 | 37 |
| 2024 | 316 | 223 | 93 | 316 | 0 | 646 | 835 |
| 2023 | 389 | 278 | 111 | 389 | 0 | 650 | 926 |
| 2022 | 411 | 260 | 151 | 411 | 0 | 797 | 970 |
| 2021 | 435 | 265 | 170 | 435 | 0 | 794 | 1,366 |
| 2020 | 388 | 231 | 157 | 388 | 0 | 702 | 906 |
Sources: GFP, 2025 East River Firearm Deer harvest report; GFP, 2024 Annual Report, Big Game Harvest Projections (Game Report 2025-07); GFP, 2023 Annual Report, Big Game Harvest Projections (Game Report 2024-04); GFP, 2022 Annual Report, Big Game Harvest Projections (Game Report 2023-05); GFP, 2021 Annual Report, Big Game Harvest Projections (Game Report 2022-08); GFP, 2020 Annual Report, Big Game Harvest Projections (Game Report 2021-12). GFP rounds each column of its projection.
Each license type in 2025
Type 11 had 37 first-choice resident applicants for 450 resident licenses.
| Type | License | Resident first-choice applicants | Resident licenses available | Resident licenses sold | Nonresident first-choice applicants | Nonresident licenses available | Hunter success | Deer taken |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | one any whitetail deer | 37 | 450 | 449 | leftovers | 49% | 220 |
Licenses sold can include later drawings and leftovers.
When is deer season in unit 04A in 2026?
November 21 - December 6, 2026; antlerless-only tags also December 12-20; the first draw closed June 23, 2026 (GFP 2026 east river deer application). Every season's dates are on the South Dakota page.
What public land is in the county of unit 04A?
For the whole county, as GFP publishes no unit lines:
| County | Walk-In and CREP acres | Game production area acres | School and public land acres | Federal land acres |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beadle County | 8,613 | 3,144 | 0 | 7,573 |
Game production areas in Beadle County: Norwegian/Borden Slough GPA (966 acres, Beadle), Cavour Lake GPA (667 acres, Beadle), Bob Roe Memorial GPA (316 acres, Beadle), Brecken Slough GPA (300 acres, Beadle), Lake Byron Hogsback GPA (195 acres, Beadle), Mud Lake - Beadle GPA (183 acres, Beadle), Pheasant Country GPA (161 acres, Beadle) and Sand Creek - Beadle GPA (160 acres, Beadle).
Questions hunters ask
How many deer licenses are there in unit 04A for 2026?
GFP's 2026 application lists 450 resident "one any whitetail deer" licenses (type 11) for unit 04A. East River licenses go to residents; nonresidents can buy leftovers only.
How many deer are taken in unit 04A?
GFP projects 220 deer were taken in unit 04A in 2025, all white-tailed. In 2020 the figure was 388. The projection comes from GFP's survey of license holders.
Is unit 04A mostly white-tailed or mule deer?
White-tailed deer, by GFP's 2025 projection: 0 mule deer and 220 white-tailed deer of the 220 taken; in 2020, 0 of 388 were mule deer.
What county is deer unit 04A in?
GFP describes unit 04A as "Beadle", in Beadle County. GFP's interactive hunting unit map shows the exact line.
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Where these numbers come from
- Harvest, licenses sold and first-choice applicants: GFP, 2025 East River Firearm Deer harvest report; GFP, 2024 Annual Report, Big Game Harvest Projections (Game Report 2025-07); GFP, 2023 Annual Report, Big Game Harvest Projections (Game Report 2024-04); GFP, 2022 Annual Report, Big Game Harvest Projections (Game Report 2023-05); GFP, 2021 Annual Report, Big Game Harvest Projections (Game Report 2022-08); GFP, 2020 Annual Report, Big Game Harvest Projections (Game Report 2021-12).
- 2026 licenses, seasons and draws: GFP 2026 east river deer application.
- Land: GFP public hunting atlas layers (Walk-In Areas, CREP, school and public land, federal land) and GFP Managed Lands. County lines: U.S. Census Bureau 2024.
FilledTag is not part of South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks. Numbers are copied from GFP or measured from the maps it publishes; nothing on this page is estimated by FilledTag.