page_title: South Dakota Department of Game, Fish, and Parks
section_title: Wildlife Division
hierarchical_section_title: South Dakota Department of Game, Fish, and Parks / GFP Organization and divisions / Wildlife Division
context_page_description: The South Dakota Department of Game, Fish, and Parks is the U.S. State of South Dakota's State Agency charged with the management of the state's public recreational and outdoor resources. The GFP manages the 13 State Parks and 43 State Recreation Areas within the South Dakota State Parks System, totaling over 96,000 acres of public lands. The agency manages the hunting of game and the state's fisheries, manages several wildlife management areas and game production areas to restore or establish habitat for a variety of species. The agency conducts public outdoor education programs, typically focusing on hunting and boating safety. The department issues hunting and fishing licenses along with issuance of boat registrations. The agency is also charged with enforcement of fish and game laws, including invasive species regulations. The agency is headquartered in Pierre, South Dakota.
context_section_description: The Wildlife Division manages state wildlife areas, game production areas, and helps manage the various animal, fish, and plant species of South Dakota. The wildlife division helps monitor wildlife populations, establish hunting seasons, and manages state-owned lands for habitat for these species.
  Game species managed by the GFP in South Dakota include: pronghorn, bighorn sheep, white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk, mountain goat, Mountain lion, bison, turkey, common pheasant, prairie grouse, sage grouse, ruffed grouse, partridge, mourning dove, cottontail rabbit, common snipe, American crow, quail, tree squirrel, and various waterfowl including duck, Canada goose, and snow goose. The taking or hunting of these species requires a state-issued hunting license and may only be hunted during designated hunting seasons. The GFP also regulates the Trapping of furbearing animals such as coyote, raccoon, beaver, muskrat, bobcats, mink and red fox within the state.
caption: Common pheasant, the South Dakota State Bird, and a popular game species.
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