Coyotes

coyote hunting in south dakota

Coyotes are located throughout the state in almost every habitat. Coyotes tend to be secretive and are most active from dusk to dawn. They often rest during the day and only move when disturbed. They remain active throughout the winter.

The western two-thirds of South Dakota is where most of the hunting occurs. These areas offer river drainages and larger private holdings - terrain well-suited for coyote hunting. There are many large tracts of public land open to hunting in the western half South Dakota.

National Grasslands hunting

National Grasslands in western South Dakota, managed by the U.S. Forest Service, are popular hunting destinations. If this is your destination, please contact the grassland offices for information on travel restrictions.

Tribal Lands hunting

Native American Tribal lands also host coyote hunting opportunities. State licenses are not valid on tribal trust lands, unless authorized by the tribal council. Individual tribes may require a tribal permit to hunt on their lands. Contact the individual tribes to find out what licenses they offer and the cost. Not all the land inside the South Dakota reservations is under tribal jurisdiction. If you hunt on private land deeded to non-Indians you must have a state license.