U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Lacreek 

 National Wildlife

Refuge

Hunting and Fishing 

Information
This goose, 

designed by J.N. 

“Ding” Darling, 

is the symbol 

of the National 

Wildlife Refuge 

System.

Welcome to Lacreek National 

Wildlife Refuge (NWR). Managed 

by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service, the Refuge is one of 

over 565 refuges in the National 

Wildlife Refuge System – a 

network of lands set aside to 

conserve wildlife and habitat for 

people today and for generations 

to come.

The Refuge is open daily from 

sunrise to sunset. Refuge headquarters is located 

12 miles southeast of Martin, South Dakota and 

is open from 7:00 am to 3:30 pm, Monday through 

Friday, except Federal holidays. 

General Regulations

Hunting and fishing are allowed in accordance with 

State and Federal regulations, unless otherwise 

specified in this brochure. Please see the map for 

areas open to hunting and fishing.

■ Hunters may hunt only in the areas open to 

hunting, as shown on the map.

■ Legal shooting times are posted in the South 

Dakota Hunting and Trapping Handbook. ■ Persons possessing, transporting, or carrying 

firearms on National Wildlife Refuge System 

lands must comply with all provisions of State 

and local law. Persons may only use (discharge) 

firearms in accordance with refuge regulations 

(50 CFR 27.42 and specific regulations in 50 CFR 

Part 32).

■ Hunters, with the exception of youth hunters, 

may not use centerfire rifles while hunting.

■ Motor vehicles are allowed only on designated 

roads and in hunter parking areas. Hunters must 

enter and exit hunting areas from designated 

hunter parking areas only.

■ Hunters may leave portable tree stands and 

free-standing platforms on the Refuge from the 

first Saturday after August 25 through February 

15. All other personal property must be removed 

daily.

■ Hunters must close any gate opened for access.

■ Camping is allowed in the Little White River 

Recreation Area only. All other Refuge lands are 

closed to overnight use. 
Game Species

Deer, pheasants, and sharp-tailed grouse may be 

hunted on Lacreek NWR. All other animals are 

protected. Additional game species may be hunted 

only in the Little White River Recreation Area and 

include goose, duck, common snipe, sandhill crane, 

American crow, mourning dove, and turkey.

Deer Hunting

■ Hunting for white-tailed deer and mule deer is 

allowed in designated areas as shown on the map. 

■ Deer hunters may be on the Refuge from 1 hour 

before legal shooting time and until 1 hour after 

legal shooting time ends. 

■ Archery deer hunters must possess, sign, and 

carry a Refuge deer hunting permit, in addition 

to a valid State archery license. Archery permits 

are available at Refuge headquarters and are 

free of charge. 

■ The Refuge is closed to archery deer hunting 

during the Lacreek NWR muzzleloader seasons 

and after December 31. 

■ Muzzleloader deer hunters are required to 

possess a valid State muzzleloader deer hunting 

license specific to Lacreek NWR. 

Pheasant and Sharp-tailed Grouse Hunting

■ Hunting for pheasants and sharp-tailed grouse is 

allowed in designated areas as shown on the map. 

■ The Refuge is closed to the “Resident Only” 

pheasant season. 

■ The use of dogs is allowed and encouraged. 

■ Pheasant and grouse hunters may remain on the 

Refuge until one-half hour after legal shooting 

time ends. 

Youth Hunting Opportunities

Lacreek NWR staff encourages young people to 

participate in the hunting tradition, and learn about 

the valuable role that hunters contribute to wildlife 

conservation. 

■ The Refuge is open to youth deer and youth 

pheasant hunting according to State and Refuge 

regulations. 

■ Season dates are variable, so youth deer hunters 

must consult the refuge manager to obtain their 

free permit and specific refuge regulations.
Prohibited Activities

■ Entering the Refuge to retrieve game that was 

shot from adjacent land

■ Shooting over Refuge property from adjacent 

road rights-of-way or private land

■ Hunting from or with the aid of vehicles, except 

for hunters possessing a Disabled Hunter Permit 

and a special use permit issued by the Refuge 

Manager

■ Target shooting

■ Possession of toxic shot while hunting

■ Use of electronic or photographic trail 

monitoring cameras or other devices

■ Collecting or removing artifacts, historic items, 

shed antlers, and other natural objects

■ Dog training

■ Using horses to hunt or to retrieve game

■ Use, possession, or consumption of alcohol or 

controlled substances 

■ Open fires, except in designated sites at the 

Little White River Recreation Area

Signs and Boundaries

Please respect the following signs:

Refuge 

Boundary - 

authorized 

activities 

only.

Hunting, 

weapons, 

and game 

retrieval 

prohibited.

The entire 

Refuge 

is closed 

to the 

retrieval 

of game 

shot from 

adjacent land. Shooting 

over Refuge property 

from adjacent road 

rights-of-way or private 

land is prohibited.

Hunters must enter and 

exit the hunting area from 

designated hunter parking 

areas only.
Pool 

7

Martin

Tuthill

Trout

Ponds

Pool

8

Pool 

9

Pool

10

Little White River

Recreation Area

Little White River

Lake Creek

18

18 73

73

0 1 Miles 3 4

0 1 Kilometers 3 4

N

Refuge Road

228 Avenue 228 Avenue

227 Avenue

291 Street

293 Street

292 Street

296 Street

220 Avenue

221 Avenue

297 Street

298

Street

229 Avenue

298 Street

Cedar Creek Road

231 Avenue

225 Avenue

Pheasant Road

224 Avenue

Robin Road

to

Merriman,

NE

to

Eli, NE

to Highway

18

to

Mission, SD

to

Pine Ridge,

SD

222 Avenue

Lake

Cre e k

Pool 4

Pool 3

SD Game, Fish and Parks land

Designated hunter parking

Refuge headquarters

Information

Restroom

Linked symbols designate 

accessible features

Fishing

Camping

Refuge boundary

Federal highway

State highway

County road

Designated access road

Closed to all hunting

Open to hunting - 

consult regulations

Little White River Recreation 

Area - special regulations 

apply

Lacreek

National Wildlife Refuge

18

73

20

18

18

385

83

90 90

Martin

Lacreek

NWR

Not to Scale

Valentine

NEBRASKA

Chadron

Pine Ridge

Rapid City N

SOUTH DAKOTA
Fishing

■ The Refuge is open to fishing at the Trout Ponds, Little 

White River Recreation Area, and Pools 3, 4, 7, and 10.

■ Designated fishing areas are open one-half hour 

before sunrise until one-half hour after sunset except 

at Little White River Recreation Area.

■ The use or possession of live minnows or bait fish is 

prohibited on the Refuge except at Little White River 

Recreation Area.

■ Snapping turtles may be harvested in areas open to 

fishing and within 300 feet of any road open to public 

travel.

Accessibility Information 

Equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from 

programs and activities of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service is available to all individuals regardless 

of physical or mental ability. Dial 711 for a free 

connection to the State transfer relay service for 

TTY and voice calls to and from people with hearing 

and speech disabilities. For more information or to 

address accessibility needs, please contact the Refuge 

staff at 605 / 685 6508, or the U.S. Department of the 

Interior, Office of Equal Opportunity, 1849 C Street NW, 

Washington, D.C. 20240.

Lacreek National Wildlife Refuge 

29746 Bird Road

Martin, SD 57551-6006

605 / 685 6508

lacreek@fws.gov 

http://www.fws.gov/refuge/lacreek

For State relay service 

TTY / Voice: 711

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

http://www.fws.gov

For Refuge Information

1 800 / 344 WILD

September 2017