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41:03:03:03.01. Park entrance license exemptions fee exceptions. Park entrance license
exemptions fee exceptions are as follows:
(1) A person who enters a state park or state recreation area in volunteer service to the
park or as a volunteer worker with an assigned role at an event requiring a special permit
pursuant to § 41:03:01:04 is exempt from payment of the daily park entrance license fee, if the
person has received a special free park entrance license from the secretary;
(2) A park entrance license is not required at Custer State Park on the day of the fall
buffalo roundup or on the day of the annual buffalo auction;
(3) A recreational motorhome towing one other vehicle is considered one unit and
requires only one park entrance license. The second vehicle must be issued a free park entrance
license that is dated to expire on the last day of the visitor's stay;
(4) Enrolled Crow Creek tribal members and their families are not required to purchase a
park entrance license to enter the West Bend Recreational Area;
(5) Enrolled Yankton Sioux tribal members and their families are not required to
purchase a park entrance license to enter the North Point Recreation Area, the Fort Randall South
Shore Recreation Area, the Randall Creek Recreation Area, or the Fort Randall Spillway
Lakeside Use Area;
(6) A resident nonprofit youth group that enters a state park or state recreation area is not
required to purchase a park entrance license, if the group obtains an approved nonprofit youth
group permit from the park manager before entering the park. The park manager shall issue a
special free park entrance license for any vehicle used by the youth group. The nonprofit youth
group shall obtain the permit at least five days prior to entering the park;
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(7) Members and guests of a South Dakota veterans organization or group, members of
the South Dakota National Guard or a military reserve unit and their guests, and patients
currently admitted to a veterans hospital in this state and their attendants, who enter a state park
or state recreation area for a non-competitive special event that is hosted by the organization,
group, unit, or hospital, are not required to purchase a park entrance license, if an approved
special event permit has been obtained from the park manger at least five days before the special
event. The park manager shall issue a special free park entrance license for any vehicle used by a
participant of the approved non-competitive special event; and
(8) A park entrance license is not required at any state park, recreation area, or lakeside
use area from 6:00 a.m. on Friday through 11:00 p.m. on Sunday of the weekend in May
preceding Memorial Day weekend.
A resident of this state who is entitled to a free lifetime park entrance license as provided
in SDCL 41-17-13.4 shall fill out a form provided by the Division of Parks and Recreation and
mail it to the Pierre office with a photocopy of the veteran's "K" award or a letter from the
Veteran's Administration indicating that the veteran receives an allotment for total disability,
which is deemed a service-connected injury, or that the veteran was held as a prisoner of war.
A resident of this state who is a recipient of the Purple Heart is also entitled to a free
lifetime park entrance license. The resident shall fill out a form provided by the Division of
Parks and Recreation and mail it to the Pierre office with a photocopy of the Purple Heart
citation or award certificate.
The lifetime park entrance license allows the licensee and any passenger accompanying
the licensee in the vehicle to enter any South Dakota state park, state recreation area, or lakeside
use area, which requires a park entrance license.
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Source: 11 SDR 22, effective August 9, 1984; 17 SDR 188, effective June 13, 1991, and
July 1, 1991; 18 SDR 223, effective July 13, 1992; 19 SDR 128, effective March 9, 1993; 19
SDR 190, effective June 15, 1993; 20 SDR 150, effective March 23, 1994; 21 SDR 207,
effective June 5, 1995; 23 SDR 87, effective December 3, 1996; 24 SDR 99, effective February
2, 1998; 27 SDR 13, effective August 27, 2000; 28 SDR 24, effective August 28, 2001; 28 SDR
103, effective January 30, 2002; 29 SDR 107, effective February 3, 2003; 31 SDR 39, effective
September 23, 2004; 31 SDR 89, effective December 27, 2004; 31 SDR 191, effective June, 7,
2005; 32 SDR 183, effective May 9, 2006; 32 SDR 225, effective July 3, 2006; 33 SDR 225,
effective June 25, 2007; 36 SDR 39, effective September 23, 2009; 40 SDR 14, effective July 29,
2013; 43 SDR 131, effective April 19, 2017; 45 SDR 155, effective June 24, 2019; 46 SDR 74,
effective December 2, 2019; 47 SDR 27, effective September 15, 2020; 50 SDR 62, effective
November 27, 2023.
General Authority: SDCL 41-17-1.1(2)(10), 41-17-13, 41-17-13.4.
Law Implemented: SDCL 41-17-1.1, 41-17-13, 41-17-13.2, 41-17-13.4.
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41:03:04:03. Camping permit fees. The daily fee for the use of a campground site by one camper
unit is as follows:
(1) Custer State Park modern campground fee, twenty-seven dollars, at State Game Lodge,
Sylvan Lake, Grace Coolidge, Legion Lake, Stockade North, Stockade South, and Blue Bell:
(a) Blue Bell;
(b) Grace Coolidge;
(c) Legion Lake;
(d) State Game Lodge;
(e) Stockade North;
(f) Stockade South; and
(g) Sylvan Lake;
(2) Modern campground fee, twenty-three dollars, at Platte Creek; Swan Creek; West
Whitlock; Indian Creek; Okobojo Point; Cow Creek; West Pollock; Fisher Grove; Buryanek; Oahe
Downstream; Springfield; West Bend; Lewis and Clark; Chief White Crane; Angostura, including
Sheps Canyon; Palisades; Big Sioux; Lake Vermillion; Rocky Point; Mina Lake; Lake Herman;
North Point; Walker's Point; Lake Poinsett; South Pelican; Shadehill Ketterlings Point; Pickerel
Lake; Lake Cochrane; Sandy Shore; Pierson Ranch; Richmond Lake; Pease Creek; Lake
Thompson; Farm Island; Snake Creek; Lake Louise; Randall Creek; Center Lake Campground at
Custer State Park; Hartford Beach; Newton Hills; Oakwood Lakes; Palisades; Roy Lake; Union
Grove; and Fort Sisseton, except during the Fort Sisseton Festival in accordance with subdivision
(5):
(a) Angostura, including Sheps Canyon;
(b) Big Sioux;
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(c) Buryanek;
(d) Center Lake Campground at Custer State Park;
(e) Chief White Crane;
(f) Cow Creek;
(g) Farm Island;
(h) Fisher Grove;
(i) Fort Sisseton, except during the Fort Sisseton Festival in accordance with
subdivision (5);
(j) Hartford Beach;
(k) Indian Creek;
(l) Lake Cochrane;
(m) Lak Herman;
(n) Lake Louise;
(o) Lake Poinsett;
(p) Lake Thompson;
(q) Lake Vermillion;
(r) Lewis and Clark;
(s) Mina Lake;
(t) Newton Hills;
(u) North Point;
(v) Oahe Downstream;
(w) Oakwood Lakes;
(x) Okobojo Point;
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(y) Palisades;
(z) Pease Creek;
(aa) Pickerel Lake;
(ab) Pierson Ranch;
(ac) Platte Creek;
(ad) Randall Creek;
(ae) Richmond Lake;
(af) Rocky Point;
(ag) Roy Lake;
(ah) Sandy Shore;
(ai) Shadehill Ketterlings Point;
(aj) Snake Creek;
(ak) South Pelican;
(al) Springfield;
(am) Swan Creek;
(an) Union Grove;
(ao) Walker's Point;
(ap) West Bend;
(aq) West Pollock;
(ar) West Whitlock;
(3) Basic campground fee, sixteen dollars, at Burke Lake Recreation Area, Shadehill-
Llewellyn Johns Memorial Recreation Area, Bear Butte Lakeside Use Area, Lake Hiddenwood
Recreation Area, Sand Creek Lakeside Use Area, East Whitlock Lakeside Use Area, Tabor
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Lakeside Use Area, North Wheeler Recreation Area, Lake Carthage Lakeside Use Area, South
Shore Lakeside Use Area, Whetstone Bay Lakeside Use Area, Star Valley Lakeside Use Area,
White Swan Lakeside Use Area, Walth Bay Lakeside Use Area, Dude Ranch Lakeside Use Area,
Sica Hollow State Park, Elm Creek Lakeside Use Area, Sheps Canyon Lakeside Use Area,
Amsden Dam Lakeside Use Area, Bailey's Lakeside Use Area, Hugh Glass Lakeside Use Area,
Minneconjou Lakeside Use Area, Little Bend Lakeside Use Area, Little Moreau Recreation Area,
and Twin Lakes Lakeside Use Area:
(a) Amsden Dam Lakeside Use Area;
(b) Bailey's Lakeside Use Area;
(c) Bear Butte Lakeside Use Area;
(d) Burke Lake Recreation Area;
(e) Dude Ranch Lakeside Use Area
(f) East Whitlock Lakeside Use Area;
(g) Elm Creek Lakeside Use Area;
(h) Hugh Glass Lakeside Use Area;
(i) Lake Carthage Lakeside Use Area;
(j) Lake Hiddenwood Recreation Area;
(k) Little Bend Lakeside Use Area;
(l) Little Moreau Recreation Area;
(m) Minneconjou Lakeside Use Area;
(n) North Wheeler Recreation Area;
(o) Sand Creek Lakeside Use Area
(p) Shadehill-Llewellyn Johns Memorial Recreation Area;
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(q) Sheps Canyon Lakeside Use Area
(r) Sica Hollow State Park;
(s) South Shore Lakeside Use Area;
(t) Star Valley Lakeside Use Area;
(u) Tabor Lakeside Use Area;
(v) Twin Lakes Lakeside Use Area;
(w) Walth Bay Lakeside Use Area;
(x) Whetstone Bay Lakeside Use Area;
(y) White Swan Lakeside Use Area;
(4) Custer State Park French Creek natural area, eight dollars per person;
(5) Use of a campground site at Fort Sisseton during the annual Fort Sisseton Festival,
twenty-five dollars, provided that participants and festival campers are exempt from paying the
camping fee;
(6) Custer State Park, French Creek Horse Camp fee, thirty-seven dollars; and
(7) Campsites designated for tent camping only, regardless of campground designation,
sixteen dollars.
An additional charge of seven dollars per unit applies to all campground sites with
electricity.
A resident of this state who may purchase a camping permit and, campsite electrical
service, and camping cabin permit for one-half price pursuant to SDCL 41-17-13.4 shall submit
provide written verification of that status from the United States Veterans Administration. The
resident shall fill out a form provided by the Division of Parks and Recreation and mail it to the
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licensing office of the department in Pierre. The licensing office shall send the resident a billfold-
size card to use as proof of eligibility for half-price camping fees.
A resident of this state who is a recipient of the Purple Heart is also entitled to purchase a
camping permit, campsite electrical service, and camping cabin permit for one-half price upon
completion of a form provided by the Division of Parks and Recreation accompanied by a
photocopy of the Purple Heart citation or award certificate. These discounts are for the use of the
recipient only, and are not transferable.
The nonprofit youth group camping fee is fifty cents per person or six dollars, whichever
is greater.
The Custer State Park group camping area fee is eight dollars per person for overnight use,
with a minimum fee of one hundred forty dollars.
Source: SL 1975, ch 16, § 1; 1 SDR 30, effective October 13, 1974; 2 SDR 90, effective
July 11, 1976; 3 SDR 73, effective April 25, 1977; 6 SDR 96, effective April 1, 1980; 7 SDR 69,
effective January 25, 1981; 8 SDR 170, effective June 20, 1982; 9 SDR 147, effective May 22,
1983; 10 SDR 73, effective January 17, 1984; 10 SDR 76, 10 SDR 102, effective July 1, 1984; 11
SDR 156, effective May 27, 1985; 13 SDR 128, effective March 22, 1987; 13 SDR 192, effective
June 22, 1987; 14 SDR 14, effective August 6, 1987; 14 SDR 81, effective December 10, 1987;
14 SDR 114, effective March 9, 1988; 14 SDR 164, effective June 16, 1988; 15 SDR 139, effective
March 20, 1989; 16 SDR 114, effective January 18, 1990; 16 SDR 135, effective February 18,
1990; 17 SDR 12, effective July 31, 1990; 17 SDR 139, effective March 21, 1991; 17 SDR 170,
effective May 14, 1991; 17 SDR 188, effective June 13, 1991, and July 1, 1991; 18 SDR 98,
effective December 12, 1991; 18 SDR 144, effective March 15, 1992; 19 SDR 82, effective
December 7, 1992; 19 SDR 190, effective June 15, 1993; 20 SDR 150, effective March 23, 1994;
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21 SDR 86, effective November 10, 1994; 21 SDR 148, effective March 6, 1995; 22 SDR 82,
effective December 10, 1995; 22 SDR 89, effective December 26, 1995; 23 SDR 87, effective
December 3, 1996; 23 SDR 197, effective May 27, 1997; 24 SDR 99, effective February 2, 1998;
24 SDR 107, effective February 26, 1998; 24 SDR 156, effective May 17, 1998; 25 SDR 108,
effective February 28, 1999; 25 SDR 141, effective May 27, 1999; 26 SDR 41, effective September
28, 1999; 26 SDR 85, effective December 26, 1999; 26 SDR 117, effective March 16, 2000; 26
SDR 162, effective June 14, 2000; 27 SDR 49, effective November 16, 2000; 27 SDR 85, effective
February 26, 2001; 28 SDR 103, effective January 30, 2002; 29 SDR 80, effective December 10,
2002; 30 SDR 99, effective December 22, 2003; 30 SDR 171, effective May 11, 2004; 31 SDR
62, effective November 4, 2004; 32 SDR 109, effective December 27, 2005; 32 SDR 128, effective
January 31, 2006; 33 SDR 107, effective December 27, 2006; 33 SDR 180, effective May 7, 2007;
33 SDR 225, effective June 25, 2007; 34 SDR 179, effective December 24, 2007; 36 SDR 112,
effective January 11, 2010; 37 SDR 112, effective December 8, 2010; 38 SDR 101, effective
December 5, 2011; 39 SDR 32, effective September 5, 2012; 39 SDR 100, effective December 3,
2012; 39 SDR 204, effective June 11, 2013; 40 SDR 113, effective December 16, 2013; 41 SDR
93, effective December 3, 2014; 44 SDR 93, effective December 4, 2017; 45 SDR 89, effective
December 31, 2018; 46 SDR 74, effective December 2, 2019; 47 SDR 68, effective December 9,
2020; 48 SDR 60, effective December 8, 2021; 51 SDR 53, effective November 11, 2024.
General Authority: SDCL 41-17-1.1(7), 41-17-13.4.
Law Implemented: SDCL 41-2-24, 41-17-1.1(7), 41-17-13.4.
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41:07:02:01. Inland waters. Unless prohibited by § 41:07:01:05, all species of fish, other than
those listed in §§ 41:10:02:05 and 41:10:02:06, may be fished by hook and line year-round
within inland waters.
The following restrictions apply to inland waters:
(1) The waters of Lake Francis Case, between the railroad bridge and the Interstate 90 bridge
and causeway in Brule and Lyman Counties are open to fishing from May 1 through November
30, except that shore fishing from the Brule County side of this area remains open year-round;
(2) In Clark County, the waters of Indian Springs and Antelope Lake west of to 424th Avenue
from a line from between 42750 174th Street to and 42750 177th Street to 424th Avenue are
closed to fishing from a boat, from October 20 twentieth through December 31 thirty-first; and
(32) Baitfish may be taken year-round by licensed bait dealers and legal anglers in these waters,
except as provided in § 41:09:04:03.
Source: SL 1975, ch 16, § 1; 1 SDR 38, effective January 1, 1975; 7 SDR 69, effective January
25, 1981; 10 SDR 76, 10 SDR 102, effective July 1, 1984; 14 SDR 81, effective December 10,
1987; 21 SDR 102, effective December 8, 1994; 46 SDR 116, effective April 29, 2020; 48 SDR
132, effective July 5, 2022.
General Authority: SDCL 41-2-18(1)(2)(15)(17).
Law Implemented: SDCL 41-2-18(1)(2)(15)(17).
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41:08:01:02. Muskrat trapping season established. The West River muskrat trapping season
is open year-round to trap muskrat in all counties west of the Missouri River, except in the
portion of the Black Hills Fire Protection District south of Interstate 90, as described in SDCL
34-35-15.
The Black Hills muskrat trapping season is open from sunrise on November 1 first
through sunset on April 30, to trap muskrats thirtieth in the portion of the Black Hills Fire
Protection District south of Interstate 90 and west of State Highway 79. The season is open year-
round to trap muskrats in the portion of the Black Hills Fire Protection District north of Interstate
90 and all counties east of the Missouri River.
The East River muskrat trapping season is open from sunrise on November 1 through
sunset on April 30, to trap muskrats in the portion of the state lying east of the Missouri River.
Source: SL 1975, ch 16, § 1; 1 SDR 26, effective September 11, 1974; 5 SDR 19,
effective September 14, 1978; 6 SDR 14, effective August 23, 1979; 7 SDR 21, effective
September 15, 1980; 10 SDR 76, 10 SDR 102, effective July 1, 1984; 13 SDR 26, effective
September 10, 1986; 14 SDR 40, effective September 23, 1987; 39 SDR 10, effective August 1,
2012; 47 SDR 27, effective September 15, 2020.
General Authority: SDCL 41-2-18(2)(17), 41-8-20.
Law Implemented: SDCL 41-2-18(2)(17), 41-8-20.
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41:08:01:07. Beaver trapping and hunting season established. The season to catch, trap, or
hunt beaver is open statewide and year-round, except as provided in this section. The season is
open from sunrise on November 1 through sunset on April 30 to catch, trap, or hunt beaver
within the Black Hills Fire Protection District south of Interstate 90 and west of State Highway
79, except U. S. Forest Service lands where the beaver season is open from January 1 through
March 31 in the Black Hills Fire Protection District, as described in SDCL 34-35-15.
Source: SL 1975, ch 16, § 1; 1 SDR 26, effective September 11, 1974; 3 SDR 22,
effective September 23, 1976; 5 SDR 19, effective September 14, 1978; 6 SDR 14, effective
August 23, 1979; 7 SDR 21, effective September 15, 1980; 8 SDR 19, effective August 31, 1981;
9 SDR 30, effective September 13, 1982; 10 SDR 12, effective August 17, 1983; 10 SDR 76, 10
SDR 102, effective July 1, 1984; 11 SDR 30, effective August 30, 1984; 12 SDR 22, effective
August 21, 1985; 13 SDR 26, effective September 10, 1986; 14 SDR 40, effective September 23,
1987; 15 SDR 24, effective August 14, 1988; 16 SDR 32, effective August 20, 1989; 17 SDR 23,
effective August 16, 1990; 18 SDR 33, effective August 19, 1991; 23 SDR 20, effective August
13, 1996; 32 SDR 31, effective August 29, 2005; 35 SDR 47, effective September 8, 2008; 47
SDR 27, effective September 15, 2020; 48 SDR 14, effective August 22, 2021.
General Authority: SDCL 41-2-18(2)(17).
Law Implemented: SDCL 41-2-18(2)(17), 41-8-20.
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41:08:01:08.05. River otter trapping and hunting season established -- Harvest limit --
Tagging requirements. The river otter hunting and trapping season is open to residents in
Aurora, Beadle, Bon Homme, Brookings, Brown, Charles Mix, Clark, Clay, Codington, Davison,
Day, Deuel, Douglas, Grant, Hamlin, Hanson, Hutchinson, Jerauld, Kingsbury, Lake, Lincoln,
Marshall, McCook, Miner, Minnehaha, Moody, Roberts, Sanborn, Spink, Turner, Union, and
Yankton Counties. The season is from begins at sunrise on November 1 through first, and lasts
until sunset on December 31 thirty-first or until 20 thirty river otters have been harvested,
whichever occurs first. A person is limited to one river otter per season.
Any person harvesting a river otter during the season shall notify the department within
24 twenty-four hours of harvest. The entire carcass, along with the detached pelt, must be
submitted to the department representative within five days of harvest. Once the season has
closed, a person has 24 twenty-four hours to notify a department representative of any untagged
river otter harvested during the season. The tagged pelt must be returned. The carcass must be
surrendered to the department and may be returned upon request. A person may only possess,
purchase, or sell raw river otter pelts that are tagged through the eyeholes by the department, or,
if harvested from another jurisdiction, properly and securely tagged with a tag supplied by the
governmental entity issuing the license. If the governmental entity issuing the license does not
issue a tag, other proof that the river otter has been lawfully harvested is required. Any river otter
harvested 24 more than twenty-four hours after the close of the season will be is considered an
incidental harvest and must be surrendered to the department.
Source: 47 SDR 27, effective September 15, 2020; 48 SDR 14, effective August 22,
2021.
General Authority: SDCL 41-2-18(2)(17).
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Law Implemented: SDCL 41-2-18(2)(17).