How do I get hunter education in South Dakota?
In South Dakota, hunters ages 12 to 15 need HuntSAFE certification: take the free in-person class from age 11, or an approved online course (free, $24.95 or $49.95) plus an in-person field day if under 16, while those 16 and older are certified online alone and youth 15 or younger can hunt mentored without it.
Data updated October 27, 2026. Every answer below is from the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks's own pages, with the date each was checked.
South Dakota hunter education at a glance
| Question | What the agency says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Who has to take hunter education in South Dakota? | HuntSAFE is required for hunters ages 12 through 15; hunters under 16 must show a hunter safety certificate to buy a license unless they hunt in the mentored program. Resident youth 16 and 17 buying small game licenses do not need it. In the field, youth 15 or younger may carry hunter education certification or a copy of a current or previous year's hunting license from another state. | South Dakota GFP, checked October 27, 2026 |
| How old do you have to be to take hunter education in South Dakota? | Students as young as 11 may take the course, but the card is not valid until their 12th birthday. If the 12th birthday falls between September 1 and December 31, the student can get a license and hunt from September 1 of that year. | South Dakota GFP, checked October 27, 2026 |
| Can you take South Dakota hunter education online? | You can take the free in-person HuntSAFE class or a self-paced online course, open to anyone 11 and older. Students 16 and older are certified once they finish the online course; younger students must also attend an in-person field day. | South Dakota GFP, checked October 27, 2026 |
| Is there a field day in South Dakota? | Anyone under 16 must complete an in-person field day, which is included in the in-person class; online students bring their printed Field Day Voucher. Most in-person courses include a live-fire exercise. Classes and field days are mostly in spring and summer and are not scheduled in winter. | South Dakota GFP, checked October 27, 2026 |
| How much does South Dakota hunter education cost? | The in-person HuntSAFE class is free. The agency's approved online courses are free, $24.95 or $49.95. | South Dakota GFP, checked October 27, 2026 |
| Can you hunt in South Dakota before taking the course? | Residents 18 or older by June 30 who have not held a deer license in the previous 10 years can get one Apprentice Deer license, an antlerless tag valid in Unit APD-03 or APD-13. Apprentice deer hunters do not need to be accompanied by an adult. | South Dakota GFP, checked October 27, 2026 |
| How do you replace a lost South Dakota hunter education card? | Replacement HuntSAFE cards can be found and printed through the GFP online certificate search using your name and date of birth, or you can email GFP your full name, mailing address and date of birth for help. No fee is shown. | South Dakota GFP, checked October 27, 2026 |
| What are the rules for junior hunters in South Dakota? | Youth 15 or younger, resident or nonresident, can hunt big game, small game or waterfowl in the mentored program without hunter safety certification. The mentor must be an unarmed parent, guardian or designated adult who has completed hunter safety, carries the HuntSAFE card and stays within arm's length. Mentored youth are limited to one license per season. | South Dakota GFP, checked October 27, 2026 |
Who has to take hunter education in South Dakota?
HuntSAFE is required for hunters ages 12 through 15; hunters under 16 must show a hunter safety certificate to buy a license unless they hunt in the mentored program. Resident youth 16 and 17 buying small game licenses do not need it. In the field, youth 15 or younger may carry hunter education certification or a copy of a current or previous year's hunting license from another state.
Source: South Dakota GFP, checked October 27, 2026.
How old do you have to be to take hunter education in South Dakota?
Students as young as 11 may take the course, but the card is not valid until their 12th birthday. If the 12th birthday falls between September 1 and December 31, the student can get a license and hunt from September 1 of that year.
Source: South Dakota GFP, checked October 27, 2026.
Can you take South Dakota hunter education online?
You can take the free in-person HuntSAFE class or a self-paced online course, open to anyone 11 and older. Students 16 and older are certified once they finish the online course; younger students must also attend an in-person field day.
Source: South Dakota GFP, checked October 27, 2026.
Is there a field day in South Dakota?
Anyone under 16 must complete an in-person field day, which is included in the in-person class; online students bring their printed Field Day Voucher. Most in-person courses include a live-fire exercise. Classes and field days are mostly in spring and summer and are not scheduled in winter.
Source: South Dakota GFP, checked October 27, 2026.
How much does South Dakota hunter education cost?
The in-person HuntSAFE class is free. The agency's approved online courses are free, $24.95 or $49.95.
Source: South Dakota GFP, checked October 27, 2026.
Can you hunt in South Dakota before taking the course?
Residents 18 or older by June 30 who have not held a deer license in the previous 10 years can get one Apprentice Deer license, an antlerless tag valid in Unit APD-03 or APD-13. Apprentice deer hunters do not need to be accompanied by an adult.
Source: South Dakota GFP, checked October 27, 2026.
How do you replace a lost South Dakota hunter education card?
Replacement HuntSAFE cards can be found and printed through the GFP online certificate search using your name and date of birth, or you can email GFP your full name, mailing address and date of birth for help. No fee is shown.
Source: South Dakota GFP, checked October 27, 2026.
What are the rules for junior hunters in South Dakota?
Youth 15 or younger, resident or nonresident, can hunt big game, small game or waterfowl in the mentored program without hunter safety certification. The mentor must be an unarmed parent, guardian or designated adult who has completed hunter safety, carries the HuntSAFE card and stays within arm's length. Mentored youth are limited to one license per season.
Source: South Dakota GFP, checked October 27, 2026.
What this page leaves out
These could not be confirmed on the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks's pages when this page was checked, so they are left out rather than guessed:
- Whether South Dakota accepts other states' hunter education cards in general (pages only mention mentors' courses meeting SDCL 41-7 and an out-of-state license copy for youth). Check HuntSAFE Coordinator Brandon Maahs, 605-280-3782.
- Hunter education deferral (GFP pages describe mentored hunting and the apprentice deer license, not a deferral). Check gfp.sd.gov.
Hunting in South Dakota by the numbers
In 2024, 222,875 people held a paid South Dakota hunting license, down 2% from 227,312 in 2022, the 32nd most of the 50 states. They bought 381,295 licenses, tags, permits and stamps (248,928 resident, 132,367 nonresident) for a gross cost of $24,192,946, 63.2% of it paid by nonresidents. Against South Dakota's 924,669 residents in 2024 that is 24.1 license holders per 100 people, though license holders include nonresidents.
| Licenses sold in | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paid hunting license holders | 227,312 | 221,264 | 222,875 |
| Resident licenses, tags, permits and stamps | 254,136 | 246,702 | 248,928 |
| Nonresident licenses, tags, permits and stamps | 132,728 | 126,374 | 132,367 |
| All licenses, tags, permits and stamps | 386,864 | 373,076 | 381,295 |
| Gross cost paid by residents | $8,199,028 | $8,331,393 | $8,897,057 |
| Gross cost paid by nonresidents | $15,561,869 | $14,825,435 | $15,295,889 |
| Gross cost, all buyers | $23,760,897 | $23,156,828 | $24,192,946 |
| Rank among the 50 states by license holders | 31st | 32nd | 32nd |
Source: USFWS license data, checked October 27, 2026. USFWS counts each license year in the apportionment year two years later (licenses sold in 2024 are apportionment year 2026). License holders are not a count of hunters: hunters exempt from buying a license are left out, and some hunters buy licenses in more than one state. Population: Census Bureau 2024 estimate.
How much South Dakota land has public access?
PAD-US 4.0 lists 4,316,458 acres of South Dakota with public access, 8.7% of the state's 49,354,169 acres: 3,889,416 acres open access and 427,042 acres restricted access (a permit, draw, season or other limit).
| Public access land, PAD-US 4.0 | Acres | Share of the state |
|---|---|---|
| Open access | 3,889,416 acres | 7.9% |
| Restricted access | 427,042 acres | 0.9% |
| Managed by federal agencies | 3,180,947 acres | 6.4% |
| Managed by state agencies | 1,122,810 acres | 2.3% |
| Managed by local, private, tribal and other managers | 12,700 acres | 0.0% |
| All public access land | 4,316,458 acres | 8.7% |
Source: PAD-US 4.0 (USGS), 2024 release, checked October 27, 2026. PAD-US does not record whether hunting is allowed: some of this land is closed to hunting, so check each property's rules with its manager.
What to do next
- Start the course on the agency's page: gfp.sd.gov. Rules change each season, so read the current page before you buy a license.
- Getting ready for deer season? Hunt Ready's 8-week whitetail track puts the course in week 1, with fitness, shooting practice and field skills after it.
- Hunting data for the state: South Dakota hunting.
- Hunter education in other states