Deer unit 34A, South Dakota: licenses, harvest and hunting land
GFP's East River deer unit 34A is Hanson. For 2026 GFP lists 100 resident licenses here, all type 02. In 2025, by GFP's projection, hunters took 60 deer in unit 34A, all white-tailed, and 19 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 | Hanson |
|---|---|
| Counties | Hanson |
| Season | East River deer, November 21 - December 6, 2026 |
| Licenses, 2026 | 100 resident |
| Deer taken, 2025 | 60 (GFP projection) |
| First-choice resident applicants, 2025 | 19 |
| First draw, 2026 | May 27 to June 23, 2026 |
How many deer licenses does unit 34A have in 2026?
100 resident licenses, by GFP's 2026 application.
| Type | What the license allows | Resident | Nonresident |
|---|---|---|---|
| 02 | one any buck deer | 100 | leftovers only |
Source: GFP 2026 east river deer application.
How many deer are taken in unit 34A?
GFP projects 60 deer were taken in unit 34A in 2025, all of them white-tailed, from 150 licenses sold. That is 47% fewer than in 2020. The most in these years was 143 in 2023, the fewest 60 in 2025. GFP puts hunter success at 40%.
| Year | Deer taken | Bucks | Does and fawns | White-tailed | Mule deer | Licenses sold | First-choice resident applicants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 60 | 60 | 0 | 60 | 0 | 150 | 19 |
| 2024 | 100 | 76 | 24 | 100 | 0 | 279 | 322 |
| 2023 | 143 | 113 | 30 | 143 | 0 | 300 | 346 |
| 2022 | 123 | 111 | 13 | 124 | 0 | 200 | 332 |
| 2021 | 117 | 94 | 22 | 116 | 0 | 199 | 366 |
| 2020 | 113 | 104 | 9 | 113 | 0 | 202 | 317 |
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 02 had 19 first-choice resident applicants for 150 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 02 | one any buck deer | 19 | 150 | 150 | leftovers | 40% | 60 |
Licenses sold can include later drawings and leftovers.
When is deer season in unit 34A 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 34A?
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hanson County | 4,268 | 588 | 0 | 1,063 |
Game production areas in Hanson County: Spencer - Hanson GPA (316 acres, Hanson) and Long Lake 1 GPA (226 acres, Hanson).
Questions hunters ask
How many deer licenses are there in unit 34A for 2026?
GFP's 2026 application lists 100 resident "one any buck deer" licenses (type 02) for unit 34A. East River licenses go to residents; nonresidents can buy leftovers only.
How many deer are taken in unit 34A?
GFP projects 60 deer were taken in unit 34A in 2025, all white-tailed. In 2020 the figure was 113. The projection comes from GFP's survey of license holders.
Is unit 34A mostly white-tailed or mule deer?
White-tailed deer, by GFP's 2025 projection: 0 mule deer and 60 white-tailed deer of the 60 taken; in 2020, 0 of 113 were mule deer.
What county is deer unit 34A in?
GFP describes unit 34A as "Hanson", in Hanson 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.