Experience the thrill of pheasant season in Brookings County. Wide-open fields, rolling prairies and a dependable bird population make this a great spot for hunters. After a day in the field, head back into Brookings for a hearty meal, a cold drink and a cozy place to rest before your next outing.
South Dakota Pheasant Hunting
If you are ready to take aim at pheasant hunting in Brookings County, here are a few pointers to get you started. This year is expected to have a good bird population, which will make hunting favorable. Hunting in and around Brookings County is available on public shooting areas, private land with permission and through guide services.
Nearby Guides
Al’s Dream, Flandreau (20 minutes from Brookings) – Offering guided hunts
Black’s Pheasant Fields, Estelline (35 minutes from Brookings) – Offering a day hunt guide for groups of 2+ hunters
Double P Ranch, Clark (1.5 hours from Brookings) – Offering a premium guided hunt
SoDak Outfitters, Bruce (20 minutes from Brookings) – Offering guided and unguided hunts
For additional guides in our area visit Glacial Lakes and Prairies and Southeast South Dakota.
Things to Do in Brookings
Bringing friends or family who aren’t hunting? Brookings has plenty for them to enjoy.
Take a stroll in Downtown Brookings, with more than 30 shops and boutiques, you can find Jackrabbit gear, home decor, a new book and so much more.
Explore our many museums, including the free South Dakota Art Museum and the South Dakota Agricultural Heritage Museum. If you are traveling with young ones, the Children’s Museum of South Dakota offers endless play for all ages.
Brookings offers a variety for the foodies from Kool Beans Coffee & Roasterie to Cook’s Kitchen, the Pheasant Restaurant & Lounge to George’s Pizza and everything in between. Find a complete listing of restaurants here.
Pet-Friendly Hotels
FAQs
The South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks requires all hunters to be licensed.
Residents need a Small Game, Combination, Youth or Mentored Youth Small Game, or 1-Day Small Game License.
Nonresidents need a Nonresident Small Game or Nonresident Youth/Mentored Youth Small Game License. Each nonresident license covers two 5-day hunting periods (dates chosen at purchase), and additional licenses may be bought for more time in the field.
South Dakota offers over 5 million acres of hunting opportunities on both public lands and private lands leased for public hunting.
The South Dakota Public Hunting Atlas is a hunter’s guide to all lands open to public access, including federal and state-owned lands as well as private properties leased for hunting. The 2025 Atlas is available at Visit Brookings (1321 6th Street, Brookings, SD 57006).
In addition to Brookings County, neighboring counties such as Clark, Deuel, Hamlin, Kingsbury, Lake and Moody also offer excellent opportunities for pheasant hunting.
Traditional Pheasant Season begins October 18, 2025 and ends January 31, 2026.
Additional seasons include:
Resident only October 11 – 13, 2025
Youth and Mentored only September 27 – October 5, 2025
For a complete list of rules and regulations, visit https://gfp.sd.gov/pages/regulations/.
The daily limit is 3 rooster pheasants, with a possession limit of 15.
The possession limit accrues at a rate of 3 birds per day, meaning you cannot possess more than 15 birds until after your fifth day of hunting.
Shooting hours begin at 10am central time to sunset all season. Central time is used for opening shooting hours statewide.