Upland birds · South Dakota
Upland birds hunting outfitters and guides in South Dakota
Upland guides sell walk-up and dog-work hunts for species like quail, so dog quality, whether birds are wild or released, and how many hunters per group define the day.
- 19outfitters
- 5hunt types
- 4regions
- 0Sponsored
Hunting outfitters and guides in South Dakota, with the official wildlife agency and what we could confirm about outfitter and guide licensing.
Upland birds in South Dakota at a glance
- This directory currently shows 19 published listings for upland birds hunting in South Dakota.
- By service level: 3 guided and 16 fully outfitted.
- Species offered most often: upland birds, waterfowl, whitetail deer, and mule deer.
- Hunt types offered most often: wingshooting, archery, rifle, and youth and novice.
- Reported years active average about 25 years among listings that give it.
- All 19 listings are in states where we found no state outfitter license or no public state license lookup: they are labelled that way, with a link to the agency to confirm, and not shown as license-checked.
- Most recent listing check: October 24, 2026.
Service levels for upland birds in South Dakota
| Service level | What it means here | Outfitters | Who |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guided | A guide accompanies the hunter in the field. Lodging, meals and transport may or may not be included, so read the contract. | 3 | C & D Outfitters, Prairie Outfitters LLC, South Dakota Access |
| Fully outfitted | The outfitter supplies the guide plus camp or lodging, meals and field logistics (for example vehicles or boats) as one package. | 16 | Buffalo Butte Ranch, Dakota Prairie Lodge, Double P Ranch, EPO Lodge (Extreme Pheasant Outfitters), Falling Feathers Lodge, Firesteel Creek Lodge, High Prairie Lodge & Outfitters, Mike Kuchera's South Dakota Guide Service, Inc., Nedved Guide Service, Northern Plains Outfitters, Old Dominion Outfitters, Prairie Highlands Lodge, Ringnecks Lodge, SD Outfitters Unlimited, The Signature Lodge by Cheyenne Ridge Outfitters, Thunderstik Lodge |
| Semi-guided | Guide help is partial: for example scouting, a shared guide, or help only at set points such as stand placement or recovery. | – | none listed |
| Drop camp | The outfitter sets up or drops off a camp and transports hunters and gear, but does not guide the hunt. | – | none listed |
Hunt types offered
| Hunt type | Guided | Fully outfitted | Semi-guided | Drop camp | Listings | Sponsored |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wingshooting | 2 | 15 | – | – | 17 | – |
| Archery | 3 | 5 | – | – | 8 | – |
| Rifle | 3 | 3 | – | – | 6 | – |
| Youth and novice | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | – |
| Muzzleloader | 1 | – | – | – | 1 | – |
| Total (a listing counts in each row it matches) | 9 | 25 | – | – | 34 | – |
Home regions in South Dakota
- Northern South Dakota: Double P Ranch, Falling Feathers Lodge, Northern Plains Outfitters, Old Dominion Outfitters. Farmland, CRP grass and prairie potholes from Aberdeen and the James River east to the Glacial Lakes.
- Central South Dakota and the Missouri River: Buffalo Butte Ranch, Dakota Prairie Lodge, Nedved Guide Service, Prairie Outfitters LLC, Ringnecks Lodge, SD Outfitters Unlimited, The Signature Lodge by Cheyenne Ridge Outfitters, Thunderstik Lodge. Crop and grass country along the Missouri River, from Pierre down through Chamberlain, Winner and Gregory.
- Southeast South Dakota: EPO Lodge (Extreme Pheasant Outfitters), Mike Kuchera's South Dakota Guide Service, Inc., South Dakota Access. Farmland and river bottoms around Sioux Falls, Mitchell and the lower James River.
- West River and the Black Hills: C & D Outfitters, Firesteel Creek Lodge, High Prairie Lodge & Outfitters, Prairie Highlands Lodge. Rangeland, badlands and the forested Black Hills west of the Missouri River.
Outfitter and guide licensing in South Dakota
No state hunting-guide or outfitter license found on the pages we read
Licensing body: South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks. Where to check a license:GFP guide licensing FAQ.
- On 2026-10-24 South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks said it does not license hunting or fishing guides, so there is no state guide license to look up. GFP also said no hunting guide may guide on state-owned or managed lands, including Game Production Areas, state parks and recreation areas, Waterfowl Production Areas, federal refuges, private land leased to GFP for public access, and highway rights-of-way, except the right-of-way next to land the guide owns or leases. Ask each outfit which land a hunt is on. Source (read October 24, 2026)
Not a legal conclusion: finding no license on the pages we read does not mean none exists. Ask the agency what applies to paid hunting guides.
State wildlife agency: South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (link checked October 24, 2026). South Dakota rules change: check with the agency before booking a hunt or operating as a guide.
Full South Dakota licensing details and all species: hunting outfitters in South Dakota.
Questions to ask a South Dakota upland birds outfitter
- Are the birds wild, released, or both, and how does the outfit label each?
- Who supplies the dogs, and how many hunters per guide-and-dog team?
- What are the walking distance and terrain like?
Outfitters offering upland birds in South Dakota
Filter the 19 outfitters below. Pick one species and one hunt type; if nothing shows, no listing offers both.
| Outfitter | Service level | Species | Hunt types | License on file | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Butte Ranch | Fully outfitted | Upland birds | Wingshooting | ||
| C & D Outfitters | Guided | Whitetail deer, Turkey, Upland birds, Mule deer,… | Rifle, Archery, Muzzleloader | ||
| Dakota Prairie Lodge | Fully outfitted | Upland birds, Waterfowl, Small game and varmints | Wingshooting, Youth and novice | ||
| Double P Ranch | Fully outfitted | Upland birds, Waterfowl, Whitetail deer | Wingshooting, Archery | ||
| EPO Lodge (Extreme Pheasant Outfitters) | Fully outfitted | Upland birds | Wingshooting | ||
| Falling Feathers Lodge | Fully outfitted | Upland birds, Waterfowl | Wingshooting | ||
| Firesteel Creek Lodge | Fully outfitted | Upland birds | Wingshooting | ||
| High Prairie Lodge & Outfitters | Fully outfitted | Waterfowl, Upland birds, Whitetail deer, Turkey, Mule deer | Wingshooting, Archery, Rifle | ||
| Mike Kuchera's South Dakota Guide Service, Inc. | Fully outfitted | Upland birds | Wingshooting | ||
| Nedved Guide Service | Fully outfitted | Upland birds | Wingshooting | ||
| Northern Plains Outfitters | Fully outfitted | Upland birds, Whitetail deer, Waterfowl | Wingshooting, Archery | ||
| Old Dominion Outfitters | Fully outfitted | Upland birds, Waterfowl | Wingshooting | ||
| Prairie Highlands Lodge | Fully outfitted | Whitetail deer, Turkey, Upland birds, Mule deer,… | Rifle, Archery | ||
| Prairie Outfitters LLC | Guided | Upland birds, Whitetail deer, Mule deer | Wingshooting, Archery, Rifle | ||
| Ringnecks Lodge | Fully outfitted | Upland birds | Wingshooting | ||
| SD Outfitters Unlimited | Fully outfitted | Upland birds, Waterfowl, Turkey, Whitetail deer | Wingshooting, Archery, Rifle, Youth and novice | ||
| South Dakota Access | Guided | Whitetail deer, Turkey, Upland birds, Waterfowl, Mule… | Rifle, Archery, Wingshooting | ||
| The Signature Lodge by Cheyenne Ridge Outfitters | Fully outfitted | Upland birds | Wingshooting | ||
| Thunderstik Lodge | Fully outfitted | Upland birds, Small game and varmints | Wingshooting |
Keep comparing
- Turkey in South Dakota
- Whitetail deer in South Dakota
- Mule deer in South Dakota
- Pronghorn in South Dakota
- Predators in South Dakota
- Small game and varmints in South Dakota
- Waterfowl in South Dakota
- Upland birds in Georgia
- Upland birds in Texas
Frequently asked questions
Who offers guided upland birds hunts in South Dakota?
Buffalo Butte Ranch, C & D Outfitters, Dakota Prairie Lodge, Double P Ranch, EPO Lodge (Extreme Pheasant Outfitters), Falling Feathers Lodge, Firesteel Creek Lodge, High Prairie Lodge & Outfitters, Mike Kuchera's South Dakota Guide Service, Inc., Nedved Guide Service, Northern Plains Outfitters, Old Dominion Outfitters, Prairie Highlands Lodge, Prairie Outfitters LLC, Ringnecks Lodge, SD Outfitters Unlimited, South Dakota Access, The Signature Lodge by Cheyenne Ridge Outfitters, and Thunderstik Lodge. The service-level table above shows which are guided, fully outfitted, semi-guided or drop-camp.
What should I ask a South Dakota upland birds outfitter?
Are the birds wild, released, or both, and how does the outfit label each? Who supplies the dogs, and how many hunters per guide-and-dog team?
How do I check a South Dakota outfitter's license?
Start with South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (GFP guide licensing FAQ). See the South Dakota section on its state page for what we could confirm and the date we read it.