Mule Deer Hunting Guides & Outfitters in South Dakota

88 guides and outfitters running mule deer trips across South Dakota.

Browse all 88 listings SD GFP — Licenses & Regulations

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Booking a Mule Deer Hunt in South Dakota

Gray Bear lists 88 hunting operations in South Dakota that run mule deer trips — 88 guide & outfitter listings. They are concentrated around Pierre, Chamberlain, Gregory, Kimball, and other towns across the state.

A South Dakota license is required before you hunt or fish with any of these outfitters. Check current mule deer seasons, tag availability, and draw rules with SD GFP before booking — season dates and quotas change year to year.

South Dakota Mule Deer Seasons, Tags & Licenses (2026-27)

South Dakota mule deer season dates, 2026-27
Season	Dates
Archery	Sep 1, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027Statewide, any buck license. Nonresidents on public land start Oct 1. Custer State Park is closed to archery deer hunting.
Youth, mentored and apprentice (antlerless only)	Sep 12, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027The any antlerless deer tag, which can be a mule deer, is valid only in West River units 02A, 15A, 15B, 31A, 35A, 35C, 35L, 49A, 49B, 53A, 53C and 64A. Elsewhere the tag is antlerless whitetail. Apprentice licenses are residents only.
Black Hills firearm	Nov 1 to Nov 30, 2026Unit BH1. Only the any buck license allows a mule deer. The other BH1 license is whitetail buck only.
West River firearm	Nov 14 to Nov 29, 2026Gregory County unit 30A: Nov 7 to Nov 10 and Nov 23 to Nov 29. Antlerless tags are also valid Dec 12 to Dec 20. Residents and nonresidents can apply for most units.
East River firearm	Nov 21 to Dec 6, 2026Residents only in the draw. Nonresidents can get only leftover licenses. Antlerless tags are also valid Dec 12 to Dec 20.
Muzzleloader	Dec 1, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027Statewide any buck license, 1,000 listed for residents, by draw. Nonresident muzzleloader licenses are antlerless whitetail only. No telescopic sights.

Bag limit: One deer per tag, of the type printed on the license. Any deer and any buck tags allow a mule deer. Any whitetail and whitetail buck tags do not. In 2026 the archery and muzzleloader any deer licenses became any buck licenses.
Draw or lottery: Yes. Firearm licenses for West River, East River and the Black Hills, and the statewide muzzleloader any buck license, come from the combined deer draw. The 2026 first draw closed June 23, 2026. Leftover licenses were offered from Sep 9, 2026, with sales ending Nov 29 (West River), Nov 30 (Black Hills) and Dec 6 (East River). Resident archery any buck licenses are unlimited and sold over the counter. Nonresident archery licenses for private land only are sold over the counter. The nonresident archery license for public and private land is drawn (2,200 licenses).
Resident cost: $55 (Deer license $45 (one any deer or one any buck, firearm, archery or muzzleloader), plus habitat stamp $10)
Nonresident cost: $400 (Deer license $375 (one any deer or one any buck, firearm or archery), plus habitat stamp $25)

Source: South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks 2026 Big Game Application Information (deer season PDFs). Last checked Nov 2, 2026. Dates, fees and limits change every year and some seasons vary by zone or county, so confirm with the agency before you book.