South Dakota West River

[hoyt422]

Hey guys. This is my first post on here. I'm looking at a west river rifle hunt in South Dakota for the first time. I've made multiple trips to South Dakota for archery. I'd love to go where I bow hunt but I only have 1 preference point and I'm positive I won't draw. Just looking for some pointers on which zones I could draw with one point if at all. I also would consider a whitetail only tag as well. Thanks for your time!

 

[Cheese Curd]

Get a map of the West River units and start going through last years draw results to get an idea of where you could possibly draw with 1 point and how many points it would take to draw where you bow hunt. Since you already have knowledge of where you bow hunt you might want to try and draw that unit at some point (but that could take a few years depending on which unit it is).

I believe SD has a weighted draw system so even if you accumulate 2+ points there is still no guarantee you would draw a tag in a year you applied for the tag.

 

[beagle001]

If you're not afraid of getting a whitetail tag, you should be able to draw that with a little luck in a lot of areas.

Not to discourage you, but if you have bowhunted an area like I have, you probably haven't seen many other hunters there. That will not be the case when it comes to rifle hunting. The area we have bowhunted for a few years, seeing maybe 10-12 other hunters in there total... well during rifle, we figured there to be 30+ in there opening day last year.

 

[Keeptrying]

Each point is a ticket in the draw. High value west river any deer tags need a minimum of two preference points to be added to the drawing.

Whitetail only tags are much easier to get.

 

[Redman]

I have drawn twice with only one point. I also know of others that haven't. I would put in and see. If you don't draw you can always bow hunt.

 

[hoyt422]

Thanks for the info guys! I'll just keep doing my research and give it a shot!

 

[jzeck2]

Any whitetail tags are easier to draw, Any Deer tags can take a few more preference points in popular units. Not a ton of public land in most units so you would need to arrange access $$.

 

[Keeptrying]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3cU5OaVSZbQ

Here is a great explanation of the South Dakota deer draw. Not sure who has the stomach to listen to the whole thing, but I bet this crowd has a few.

 

[Riz]

All great advice so far. A lot of the traffic problems can be mitigated by going out after opening weekend...if your schedule allows.

 

[SFR292]

I hunt south dakota every year for the last 9 years. I'm considered a resident through their military program so I cannot speak to the draw but I can speak to the units as I rifle hunt it every year and find really good animals, both whitetail and muley's every year. I hunt either unit 27a or 27b. Theres plenty of public in both with good access if you're willing to walk. There is a ton of Forest land in 27a and lots of WIA, national grasslands and BLM in 27 B. As a side note theres a bunch of really good bull elk in most of the areas in 27a where I hunt as well which makes for a fun deer hunt to at least watch the bulls. I rarely see other hunters at all. If I see 5 in the entire season I consider that a lot and then most of the encounters are passing each other in the trucks on the roads through the area. The northern units are known more for large deer but I find them in these units every year. There's been a lot of toads pulled out of unit 49 and unit 41 as well. I've never hunted there myself. I usually see 160-170 inch muleys and have killed two whitetails over 150 inch in the river bottoms as well. The deer numbers have been really suffering the last 3 years but my brother in law who works DOT there has been keeping me informed of seeing a lot more deer so far this year than he has in the past few years.

Hope this helps and feel free to contact me and I'll share some more information if you want it. Good luck on the draw!

V/R
Ben

 

[bjochem]

I didn't look at the video link by Keeptrying but there is one on the SD Game and Fish website that explains the whole process, probably the same one. Following watching that whole video I emailed the GFP and asked if I understood correctly how the process works. What I was told is that the preference points move you to different pools or groups. Once in the pools/groups it is a random draw. So the way that I understand it after 2 points you gain nothing from having more preference. Really through a damper on my dad and I's plan for 2018. Fully expected to have enough points to draw but now it looks like there is a possibility that a person could apply and never draw a tag. Coming from WI with a bear preference system and having read a lot about elk systems in all the western states this year, the SD system doesn't make much sense to me.

 

[beagle001]

I didn't look at the video link by Keeptrying but there is one on the SD Game and Fish website that explains the whole process, probably the same one. Following watching that whole video I emailed the GFP and asked if I understood correctly how the process works. What I was told is that the preference points move you to different pools or groups. Once in the pools/groups it is a random draw. So the way that I understand it after 2 points you gain nothing from having more preference. Really through a damper on my dad and I's plan for 2018. Fully expected to have enough points to draw but now it looks like there is a possibility that a person could apply and never draw a tag. Coming from WI with a bear preference system and having read a lot about elk systems in all the western states this year, the SD system doesn't make much sense to me.

I believe Black Hills tags are different, but as far as NR West River rifle tags, they draw from the highest point "pools" first and if there are tags leftover from that pool, they go to the next pool down. True preference point system.

 

[SD-Esox]

You will draw SD point creep is not a big issue as in other states.

 

[Keeptrying]

I didn't look at the video link by Keeptrying but there is one on the SD Game and Fish website that explains the whole process, probably the same one. Following watching that whole video I emailed the GFP and asked if I understood correctly how the process works. What I was told is that the preference points move you to different pools or groups. Once in the pools/groups it is a random draw. So the way that I understand it after 2 points you gain nothing from having more preference. Really through a damper on my dad and I's plan for 2018. Fully expected to have enough points to draw but now it looks like there is a possibility that a person could apply and never draw a tag. Coming from WI with a bear preference system and having read a lot about elk systems in all the western states this year, the SD system doesn't make much sense to me.

Each point is a ticket in the draw, so more PP do gain you something.

Have you gone onto SDGFP site and looked at the "Past Draw Statistics" page? It now shows PP breakdown of who drew tags. They didn't use to show that. Very interesting.

Some people with 2 points will draw, some with 10 won't. Just how it is.

 

[Uvaldehunter]

That is some great feedback. If you need a place to hunt in Texas you are always welcome at my ranches. Thanks for your service...PM me for details

 

[OKED]

South Dakota changed the preference point system this year . Now your points are cubed so for example if u have 3 points u cube 3 and u would have 9 chances in the draw whereas 1 cubed is still 1 . I got a email from game fish and parks the other day. U can read about this on the website. I'm sitting on 7 points and gonna try to cash in this year.