PIERRE, S.D. (MITCHELLNOW)
Senior upland game biologist Alex Solem analyzed the annual survey of pheasant hunters conducted by the Game Fish and Parks. The estimated pheasant harvest was the largest since 2015. Last year, state data reports that 1,244,878 pheasants were taken by hunters. That data does not include any hunter who paid to hunt on a preserve. Preserve numbers show that an additional 500,000 or so pheasants were successfully hunted on private hunting for profit acreage. The high mark for the pheasant harvest was 2007 when more than 2 million pheasants were taken.
Since 2002, South Dakota has seen more non-resident hunters than resident hunters participate during the annual pheasant season. Hunting is an important aspect of tourism in South Dakota. Statistics from the last data available show that resident hunters spent nearly $91 million and non-resident hunters spent $166.5 million over the course of the pheasant season.