PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) — More hunters bought South Dakota licenses for pheasants last year while sales of fishing licenses remained strong too.
State Wildlife Division director Tom Kirschenmann delivered that positive report on Friday to the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Commission.
South Dakota promotes itself as the nation’s top place to hunt pheasants and the 2024 season lived up to the reputation, according to Kirschenmann.
The state Game, Fish and Parks Department sold 87,306 licenses to resident pheasant hunters, up from 85,526 in 2023. Nonresidents meanwhile bought 102,885 licenses, compared to 96,883.
“We had a fantastic year for license sales, both on the resident and nonresident side,” he told commissioners. “We had perfect, almost perfect, ideal conditions for pheasant production this last year. We saw high numbers of pheasants across the state. We’ve heard countless stories and examples of people doing extremely well at pheasant hunting this year. We couldn’t have asked for a better year.”
2024 was a good year for fishing in South Dakota and license sales reflected that. Residents bought 77,488, up from 75,035 in 2023 and the most in the past four years. Nonresidents bought 92,463, which was the fewest in the past four years.
“We probably couldn’t have asked for a better fishing year as well,” Kirschenmann said. “The Missouri River system was really strong. Lake Oahe in particular probably had the best year it had in the last couple years. License sales were very strong, both the resident and the nonresident side.”
It’s been a year that worth remembering.
“All in all we had a fantastic 2024 — couldn’t be more happier with how the year turned out,” Kirschenmann said. “We had great weather. And now, where we are today going into the winter months here, ice fishing has been good. We’re seeing a lot of participation out there across the state, we’ve heard some great reports. And we still have a couple weeks left of the pheasant hunting season as well as we wrap up at the end of January, and people are out there taking advantage of those opportunities.”
