The vast array of wildlife in the Black Hills attracts tourists and hunters alike. This area has many unique hunting experiences like bison in Custer State Park, mountain lion, and pronghorn. Hunting is the Black Hills is vastly different than hunting on the nearby plains. This area provides prairie hunters a new experience that can only be found in South Dakota’s Black Hills.
A small number hunting licenses are issued for individuals to hunt bison in Custer State Park accompanied by a state park official, who will inform the hunter which bison are eligible to be killed. These hunts often cost several thousand dollars and are used as a management tool by the park to remove old breeding bulls.
The Black Hills is popular with both local and visiting hunters with the abundance of deer, mountain lion, turkey, bighorn sheep, and mountain goat. Only South Dakota residents can hunt elk, mountain goat, mountain lion, and bighorn sheep.
The state hunting license does not permit hunting on tribal lands. For individuals wanting to hunt on a reservation, a license must first be obtained from that reservation’s game & fish department.
Stop in at local stores that stock hunting equipment. For all your hunting needs, go to First Stop Guns in Rapid City, Sturgis Guns in Sturgis, and Cabela’s in Rapid City.