Prairie elk units, South Dakota: licenses, seasons and harvest
GFP's 2026 elk application lists 160 any-elk and 320 antlerless licenses for the prairie firearm units, for residents only, plus an East River unit with unlimited over-the-counter any-elk licenses. In 2024, by GFP's projection, prairie hunters took 165 elk, 90 of them bulls, and 6,212 applicants named a prairie unit as their first choice.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest and applicants: GFP harvest projections, 2020 to 2024. Licenses and seasons: GFP 2026 elk application.
| Any-elk licenses, 2026 | 160 |
|---|---|
| Antlerless licenses, 2026 | 320 |
| Elk taken, 2024 | 165 (90 bulls) |
| First-choice applicants, 2024 | 6,212 |
| Units | 13 |
| Licenses | Residents only |
Every prairie elk unit runs September 1 to December 31, 2026. GFP's own note: many prairie units have low elk densities and most land in them is private, so GFP strongly encourages hunters to get a landowner's permission before applying. Prairie licenses are not valid on tribal lands, and GFP runs an Elk Hunter Access Program with landowners for drawn hunters.
A successful hunter must have the elk checked by a GFP representative within 24 hours of the kill.
Which prairie elk units are there, and how many licenses does each get?
Every unit in GFP's 2026 application or its 2024 harvest table, with that year's figures.
| Unit | Licenses, 2026 | Season, 2026 | First-choice applicants, 2024 | Licenses sold, 2024 | Elk taken, 2024 | Hunter success, 2024 (GFP) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 09A | 10 any elk, 30 antlerless | September 1 - December 31, 2026 | 176 | 8 | 8 | 100% |
| 11A | not offered in 2026 | 6 | 9 | 2 | 20% | |
| 11B | 32 any elk, 60 antlerless | September 1 - December 31, 2026 | 467 | 16 | 12 | 75% |
| 11C | not offered in 2026 | 208 | 16 | 10 | 64% | |
| 11D | not offered in 2026 | 58 | 30 | 17 | 58% | |
| 11E | not offered in 2026 | 26 | 10 | 3 | 29% | |
| 15A | 8 any elk, 5 antlerless | September 1 - December 31, 2026 | 125 | 13 | 8 | 75% (any elk), 33% (antlerless) |
| 27A | 30 any elk, 40 antlerless | September 1 - December 31, 2026 | 875 | 60 | 34 | 65% (any elk), 50% (antlerless) |
| 35A | 10 any elk, 30 antlerless | September 1 - December 31, 2026 | 1,099 | 40 | 10 | 50% (any elk), 16% (antlerless) |
| 35B | 10 any elk, 40 antlerless | September 1 - December 31, 2026 | 1,686 | 47 | 26 | 100% (any elk), 46% (antlerless) |
| 49A | 10 any elk, 15 antlerless | September 1 - December 31, 2026 | 150 | 25 | 12 | 100% (any elk), 11% (antlerless) |
| ERA | unlimited any elk | September 1 - December 31, 2026 | ||||
| WRA | 50 any elk, 100 antlerless | September 1 - December 31, 2026 | 1,336 | 60 | 23 | 73% (any elk), 20% (antlerless) |
Sources: GFP 2026 elk application; GFP, 2024 Annual Report, Big Game Harvest Projections (Game Report 2025-07).
How many elk are taken in the prairie elk units?
| Year | Licenses sold | Elk taken | Bulls | Cows and calves | First-choice applicants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 334 | 165 | 90 | 77 | 6,212 |
| 2023 | 258 | 133 | 78 | 55 | 5,438 |
| 2022 | 270 | 129 | 71 | 56 | 5,037 |
| 2021 | 257 | 129 | 54 | 74 | 4,912 |
| 2020 | 251 | 144 | 51 | 91 | 4,532 |
Sources: 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). Harvest is GFP's projection from its survey of license holders; each table was checked against GFP's printed totals, and because GFP rounds each unit's projection, the units can add to one or two more or less than GFP's printed total.
Questions hunters ask
When is prairie elk season in South Dakota in 2026?
September 1 to December 31, 2026, in every prairie unit, by GFP's 2026 elk application.
Is there an over-the-counter elk license in South Dakota?
Yes, for residents: GFP's 2026 application lists the East River prairie unit with unlimited any-elk licenses, sold over the counter for the September 1 to December 31 season.
Which prairie elk unit has the most licenses?
Unit WRA, with 50 any-elk and 100 antlerless licenses for 2026 in GFP's application.
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Where these numbers come from
- Harvest and applicants: 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 and seasons: GFP 2026 elk application.
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