The Opener

 
By: Gov. Larry Rhoden

October 17, 2025  

For some across the state, it’s like Christmas. The opening weekend of pheasant season is full of family traditions. Folks come home from across the country to shoot our state bird, and great times are had by all!

I’ve always enjoyed pheasant hunting, but growing up West River, pheasants are few and far between. Since serving as Lieutenant Governor, and now as Governor, it’s something I’ve gotten to enjoy more and more!

For over 100 years, pheasant hunting has been a major pastime in our state. Under the Noem-Rhoden Administration, we launched the Second Century Initiative to make sure that the second century of pheasant hunting in South Dakota was as excellent as the first. We’ve continued that work since I took over as Governor, and the results have been very good.

Last year, over 1.3 million pheasants were harvested in South Dakota, plus another 400,000 birds on licensed shooting preserves. That was our best year in a decade, and this season is shaping up to be as good of – or even better – of a year!

Hunters averaged nine birds apiece last year. Roughly 58,000 resident and 82,000 nonresident hunters shouted “ROOSTER,” fired their shotguns, and took down our state birds. These are all phenomenal numbers, and they’re indicative of the importance of pheasant hunting to our tourism industry, as well. In fact, South Dakota harvested more birds in two weeks than in all of our neighboring states combined.

Weather conditions, both this year and last, have set the stage for another great season. Between a mild winter and timely rains, circumstances have been very good for our pheasant population. And our focus on both habitat availability and predator control has allowed plenty of opportunities for the birds to reproduce and survive to adulthood.

Abundant habitat access is the number one key to pheasant population growth. We’ve placed a high priority on this through the Second Century Initiative, and those efforts are paying dividends. My Department of Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) has built strong relationships with landowners, and we’ve greatly expanded the number of acres available for public hunting, as well.

If you’re hoping to hunt this weekend or this year, it’s pretty easy – use the online or printed version of GFP’s “Public Hunting Atlas” to find somewhere near you. And there’s plenty of time! The season runs from October 18 through January 31. And you can maximize your time outdoors by bringing a fishing rod, as well. South Dakota has great fall fishing, and fish tend to return to shallower waters when the weather gets cooler.

I’m really looking forward to walking the fields and hunting down our state bird, and I hope to see you out there!

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