Deer, ring-necked pheasant, sharp-tailed grouse, and gray partridge may be hunted on Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge in accordance with state Sand Lake Refuge specific regulations. A Sand Lake Refuge deer license, issued by the South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks, is required to hunt deer on the refuge with a rifle or muzzleloader. There is now a Youth Deer Hunting season on parts of Sand Lake NWR as of 2023, see details below. Hunters with a state-issued archery license may hunt deer on the refuge during the refuge archery season, which his split into two periods to avoid overlap with gun hunters. The Refuge made some adjustments to the road closures in 2022, which are detailed below. Hunters are allowed to drive on all refuge roads during designated times to retrieve harvested deer. The refuge also offers a late-season upland game bird hunt that begins after the deer rifle seasons close. This December season has become a traditional “Second Opening Day” for many hunters who are seeking the challenge of hunting fresh birds in the thousands of acres of heavy cover on the refuge.
Sand Lake Hunting & Fishing Regulations
The Refuge archery season opens on September 1st, 2023 to align with the statewide archery season. The Refuge has updated dates and regulations on Refuge road closures for the hunting season.
ALL Refuge gates and roads north of SD HWY 10 will be closed starting September 1st. Traditional deer retrieval regulations will still be in effect and can be found in the Sand Lake Hunting and Fishing Regulations.
ALL Refuge gates and roads south of SD HWY 10 will remain open to all Refuge visitors, including bowhunters, through November 10th.
Deer
Resident Archery: September 1st, 2023 - November 10th, 2023 and December 11th, 2023 - January 1st, 2024
Non-resident Archery: October 1st, 2023 - November 10th, 2023 and December 11th, 2023 - January 1st, 2024
Youth/Mentor/Apprentice: September 9, 2023 - September 30, 2023, Refuge is only open north of SD Hwy 10 for this season
Muzzleloader ONLY November 11, 2023 - November 15, 2023 RFD-SL1
Rifle November 16, 2023 - November 20, 2023 RFD-SL2
Rifle November 21, 2023 - November 26, 2023 RFD-SL3
Muzzleloader ONLY November 27, 2023 - December 3, 2023 RFD-SL4
Rifle December 4, 2023 - December 10, 2023 RFD-SL5
Refuge deer habitat conditions and numbers have been negatively affected as a result of this years winter and the 2022 & 2023 spring and summer flooding. Hunters should not expect large numbers of deer in the Refuge this hunting season.
Upland Game
Ring-necked Pheasant December 11th, 2023 - January 31, 2024
Sharp-tailed Grouse, Grey Partridge December 11th, 2023 - January 1, 2024
2023 UPLAND GAME HABITAT AND POPULATION CONDITIONS, Update 12/04/2023
Refuge staff and deer hunters have reported seeing fair numbers of pheasants on Sand Lake NWR this fall. However, earlier predictions that Sand Lake NWR pheasant populations have dropped considerably from last year is accurate. It is still believed that the Refuge pheasant population is down 30-50% from fall of 2022. This is due to the wintery conditions of 22/23.
For those that don't like to hunt in cold or snow, weather and habitat conditions should be excellent for the upcoming Refuge Pheasant hunting opener on December 11, 2023. The Refuge pheasant season runs through January 31, 2024, while the more scarce Sharp-tailed Grouse and Grey Partridge season closes earlier, January 1, 2024.
There is a lot of excellent native grassland restorations scattered throughout the Refuge in addition to ample cattail cover. With mild weather and a lot of cover, hunters should expect the pheasants to be scattered across the entire Refuge, which can make hunting more difficult. Better concentrations of pheasants have been noted closer to Refuge Corn/Soy Bean fields. See the below link, 2023 Sand Lake Habitat Map, for those locations. Paper maps and Regulations can be picked up at the Sand Lake NWR Headquarters.
We have experienced very mild temperatures in recent weeks, including a couple of 50 degree days predicted for the week of 12/04/2023. Hunters should be aware that any ice on the Refuge should be considered unsafe and it would be quite risky to walk on all ice within Sand Lake NWR.
Finally, Refuge pheasant hunters should remember that they cannot drive on the Refuge. You must park outside the Refuge boundary at approaches, roadsides or in designated parking lots. Please do not block gates when parking. Refuge pheasant hunters must wait until 10am each day to enter the Refuge and as always, non-toxic shot is required.
