FYU
States / SD / Butte County

Butte County, South Dakota

Game found here
White-tailed DeerMule DeerPronghorn
East RiverSee on map →0 questions

Unit info

Game species
White-tailed Deer, Mule Deer, Pronghorn
Group
East River
Area
N/A
Public land
N/A
White-tailed Deer — season & harvest
Reported harvest
2,061

Draw odds for White-tailed Deeraren't on file for this unit yet. Check your state wildlife agency website for current draw statistics.

Season & harvest data is published for White-tailed Deer so far. Mule Deer, Pronghorn also occur here — that data can be added as the community contributes.

About this unit

AI-compiled · sourced
Sign in to contribute

Butte County anchors the far northwest corner of South Dakota, a landscape of open ponderosa pine ridges, prairie grasslands, and short-grass rangeland that bears little resemblance to the pheasant flats east of the river. Belle Fourche serves as the hub for hunters pursuing mule deer in the coulees and pronghorn across the open flats, with white-tailed deer occupying the creek drainages near town. The county sits at the northwest margin of the Black Hills, giving it access to a diverse western game menu.

Terrain & elevation

Open mixed-grass and short-grass prairie dominating the north and west with ponderosa pine ridges and cedar-filled coulees increasing toward the southeast near the Black Hills; Belle Fourche River provides bottomland habitat

Hunting pressure

Low to moderate; northwest South Dakota is lightly hunted compared to pheasant country east of the river

Tags & permits

OTC licenses for both white-tailed deer and mule deer; West River tag structure applies

Species & seasons

Pronghorn is a primary draw with generally good tag availability; mule deer occupy coulees and rougher terrain; some elk push into the southeast corner from Black Hills populations

Highlights

One of South Dakota better pronghorn counties in the northwest; diverse terrain mixes mule deer coulee habitat with open-flat pronghorn country

Questions, tips & discussion

Ask anything about Butte County— or drop a tip or trick: access points, where game holds, glassing spots, conditions, crowding, gear that worked. This is where the unit's species-specific intel gets built, hunter by hunter.

Nothing posted yet about Butte County.

Be the first — ask a question (“Best public access on the north end?”) or share a tip (“Glass the burn scars off the main ridge at first light”).

Boundaries: SDGFP county-based deer management units. Community info last updated 15d ago.