Want to know the laws for hunting bobcats in South Dakota? This article covers many of the fundamental laws you will need to know to get started. It also provides information such as seasons, harvest limits, and required permits for bobcat hunting in South Dakota. It is not a legal document and is not intended to cover all hunting laws and regulations.
In South Dakota, there are three bobcat seasons; West River (Start: Dec 26, 2022 End: Feb 15, 2023), East River (Start: Dec 26, 2022 End: Feb 15, 2023), and the Nonresidents Season (Start: Jan 14, 2023 End: Feb 15, 2023). Bag Limits are West River (no limit) and East River (one per hunter).
Purchase a South Dakota hunting license here.
Check out all the South Dakota hunting seasons.
If this is your first time hunting bobcats, please give these two articles a read.
How to read and age bobcat sign.
Three vital tips for a successful bobcat hunt.
Related: You can also hunt coyotes in this state. Learn the rules for hunting coyotes in South Dakota.
Related: Learn the rules for hunting fox in South Dakota.
General rules for hunting bobcats in South Dakota.
Can you hunt with lights? All lights, and Infrared or Thermal riflescopes are prohibited for night bobcat hunting.
So, even though the shooting hours for bobcat are unrestricted, you are limited at night to hunting in moonlight or animals visible on snow.
Suppressors. Legal for use while hunting bobcats in South Dakota.
Furbearer license required? The Furbearer License is required to trap wolf, coyote, red fox, grey fox, jackrabbit, raccoon, badger, bobcat, river otter, opossum, mink, weasel, beaver, muskrat and skunk; and when and where allowed is required to hunt bobcat, river otter, opossum, mink, weasel, beaver and muskrat.
Bobcat pelt tagging. Any person harvesting a bobcat must submit the entire carcass, along with the detached pelt, to GFP personnel within five days of capture. Once the season has closed, an individual has 24 hours to notify a conservation officer or wildlife damage specialist of any untagged bobcats harvested during the season.
The pelt will be inspected, tagged and registered. The lower jaw will be removed from the carcass. The tagged pelt will be returned. The carcass may be returned upon request. No person may possess, purchase or sell raw bobcat pelts that are not legally tagged.
Using electronic callers and decoys when hunting bobcats in South Dakota.
Electronic callers. These are legal to use when hunting bobcats in South Dakota.
While electronic callers are expensive, mouth and hand callers are cheaper but harder to use.
Read this article and watch the video to learn how to use a closed reed rabbit squealer.
Follow along as call manufacturer Brian Rush shows you three open reed calls you can learn and use today.
You can check the price for an electronic caller on Amazon.
Decoys are legal. You can read about some highly effective but inexpensive ($20) coyotes decoys here.
