mountain lion zone · South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks
Prairie (outside the Fire Protection District)
South Dakota, United States
The map opens on this unit. Turn on Hunting units in Layers to see its boundary with public land, your pins and the forecast.
About Prairie (outside the Fire Protection District)
Prairie (outside the Fire Protection District) is a mountain lion zone in South Dakota, United States, set by South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks. It covers about 192,006 km² (74,134 mi²). Towns inside it include Sioux Falls, Aberdeen, Brookings, Watertown, Yankton and Mitchell.
HuntGrid draws its boundary from South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks's data for the 2026 season. The agency uses this unit system for Cougar (mountain lion).
- Unit code
- Prairie
- Area
- 192,006 km²
- Area (miles)
- 74,134 mi²
- Boundaries
- 2026
Public and protected land mapped inside it
HuntGrid's public land layers map about 12,616 km² of public or protected land inside it, 7% of the unit. Some protected land is privately owned (a conservation group's, for one). By manager, as the source names it:
| Manager | km² | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 4,247 | 2% |
| Forest Service Region 02 Rocky Mountain | 2,844 | 1% |
| Omaha | 2,106 | 1% |
| Bureau of Land Management | 1,064 | under 1% |
| Forest Service Region 01 Northern | 925 | under 1% |
| National Park Service | 451 | under 1% |
| Unknown | 103 | under 1% |
| MCPHERSON COUNTY WATERFOWL PRODUCTION AREA | 85 | under 1% |
| Other or unnamed managers | 1,674 | under 1% |
Boundaries are approximate and aren't legal descriptions. Public land doesn't always mean you can hunt there: check your local regulations and posted signs.
Public land: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gap Analysis Project (GAP), 2025, Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US) 4.1
Seasons and regulations
Seasons for this unit that a person has checked against South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks's regulations:
| Species | Dates | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Cougar (mountain lion) | Dec 26, 2026 to Dec 25, 2027 | residents source |
The official regulations have the final word: check them before you hunt.
Units around it
Next to it in the same unit system
Other hunting units that cover part of it
- Prairie turkey unit 24A (Dewey, Ziebach) (turkey hunting unit)
- Archery deer unit ER1 (East River) (archery and muzzleloader deer unit)
- Prairie elk unit ERA (East River) (elk hunting unit)
- East River zone (bobcat zone)
- High Plains Mallard Management Unit (duck zone)
- Low Plains middle zone (duck zone)
- Low Plains north zone (duck zone)
- Nonresident waterfowl unit NRW-00B
- Nonresident 3-day waterfowl unit NRW-00V (nonresident waterfowl unit)
- Nonresident 3-day waterfowl unit NRW-00X (private land only) (nonresident waterfowl unit)
- Nonresident 3-day waterfowl unit NRW-00Y (nonresident waterfowl unit)
- Nonresident 3-day waterfowl unit NRW-00Z (private land only) (nonresident waterfowl unit)
- Sandhill crane open unit (sandhill crane unit)
- Archery and muzzleloader deer unit ST1 (statewide except Custer State Park)
- Tundra swan unit TSW-00A
- Dark goose Unit 1 (goose hunting unit)
- Dark goose Unit 2 (goose hunting unit)
- Archery deer unit WR1 (West River) (archery and muzzleloader deer unit)
- Prairie elk unit WRA (West River) (elk hunting unit)
- West River zone (west of the Missouri River, outside the Black Hills Fire Protection District) (bobcat zone)
What HuntGrid shows for Prairie (outside the Fire Protection District)
- Its boundary on the map; tap inside it for the unit's card with the agency's regulations link.
- Public land and the other hunting units in the same view, each with its source.
- Season dates once a person has checked them, and legal shooting hours where the rule is checked.
- Hourly wind with a scent cone for every stand, and official weather alerts.
- Offline maps: download the area and use the map, your pins and the forecast with no signal.
Questions
How big is Prairie (outside the Fire Protection District) (mountain lion zone)?
About 192,006 km² (74,134 mi²), as HuntGrid maps South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks's boundary.
How much public or protected land is in Prairie (outside the Fire Protection District)?
HuntGrid's public land layers map about 12,616 km² of public or protected land, 7% of the unit; the largest share is managed by Unknown. Public land doesn't always mean you can hunt there.
Where are the season dates for Prairie (outside the Fire Protection District)?
This page lists 1 season a person has checked against South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks's regulations; the official regulations have the final word.
Which units are next to Prairie (outside the Fire Protection District)?
In the same unit system: Black Hills Fire Protection District.
More on huntgrid.net
Sources
Unit boundary: South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (zone definitions); U.S. Census Bureau; U.S. Geological Survey. Licence: Zones as described by South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks and the Black Hills Fire Protection District law; geometry public domain (U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line, USGS NHD). Boundaries for the 2026 season.
HuntGrid isn't affiliated with South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks. The official regulations and maps have the final word.