South Dakota Hunting & Fishing

South Dakota is the undisputed pheasant capital of America, and that reputation alone draws upland hunters from every state each fall. Hunting guides in South Dakota run wild pheasant hunts across the corn and grassland country of the central and eastern parts of the state, while the Black Hills and western prairie add elk, mule deer, whitetail, and pronghorn. The fall waterfowl migration through the prairie potholes is excellent.

Fishing in South Dakota centers on the Missouri River reservoirs, the great walleye factories of the Plains. Lakes Oahe, Sharpe, and Francis Case produce trophy walleye, smallmouth bass, and northern pike, with a strong guide presence on each. Glacial lakes in the northeast add perch and walleye. Between the world-class bird hunting and the big-water walleye, South Dakota is a Plains sportsman's dream.