Unit-by-unit draw odds from official South Dakota wildlife-agency data. Use applicant counts and tags available to gauge real competition before you burn points.
56
with draw data
21.3%
2025 season
1
units ≥100% odds
2025
most recent
Across South Dakota's 56 elk units with published draw data, odds range widely. 1 unit is effectively over-the-counter (100% or better odds, meaning every applicant draws), while the most sought-after limited-entry units can take years of preference points to pull. That split is the heart of a South Dakota elk strategy: bank points for a low-odds trophy tag, or hunt a high-odds unit this season.
Draw odds are the ratio of tags available to applicants, so a low number means heavy competition, not a bad hunt. Read them next to the applicants and points required before you commit. Every figure below comes from official South Dakota wildlife-agency draw results; the table sorts hardest-draw first.
What are the draw odds for South Dakota elk?
Across the 56 South Dakota elk units with published draw data, average draw odds are 21.3% for the 2025 season. Odds vary widely by unit, so review each unit's applicants and tags available before applying. Figures come from official South Dakota wildlife-agency draw results.
Which South Dakota elk unit is the hardest to draw?
Unit CU121 is among the hardest South Dakota elk draws, at roughly 0.1% odds in 2025. Low-odds units typically produce higher-quality animals but take years of points to draw.
What is the easiest South Dakota elk unit to draw?
Unit 15B23 has among the best South Dakota elk draw odds, around 100.0% in 2023. Higher-odds units are good options for hunters who want to hunt sooner rather than bank points for a premium tag.
Want point projections and a draw timeline for this species?
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Last updated Apr 25, 2026 from official South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks draw results.
| WRA21 |
| 1.0% |
| 2,992 |
| 30 |
| – |
| +14.9% |
| H2A21 | 1.6% | 29,805 | 475 | – | +18.7% |
| 11B21 | 1.8% | 885 | 16 | – | +6.5% |
| 27A21 | 2.0% | 1,465 | 30 | – | +2.5% |
| 15A23 | 2.1% | 235 | 5 | – | +42.0% |
| 35D23 | 2.3% | 667 | 15 | – | – |
| H1A21 | 2.6% | 4,300 | 110 | – | +26.7% |
| 09A21 | 2.8% | 291 | 8 | – | +12.2% |
| H3A21 | 3.3% | 4,881 | 160 | – | +11.2% |
| H7A21 | 3.5% | 1,297 | 45 | – | +11.2% |
| 15A21 | 3.6% | 223 | 8 | – | +3.8% |
| H1A23 | 3.7% | 434 | 16 | – | -95.9% |
| 49A23 | 3.7% | 405 | 15 | – | -33.0% |
| H5A21 | 3.9% | 179 | 7 | – | -6.7% |
| 49A21 | 4.1% | 244 | 10 | – | +0.7% |
| 11C21 | 4.6% | 349 | 16 | – | +13.4% |
| H2A23 | 4.6% | 1,574 | 73 | – | -92.8% |
| H3A23 | 4.7% | 663 | 31 | – | +106.2% |
| H2C23 | 5.2% | 1,954 | 102 | – | -93.0% |
| H7A23 | 5.6% | 179 | 10 | – | – |
| H2D23 | 5.8% | 882 | 51 | – | – |
| H2G23 | 6.4% | 1,953 | 125 | – | +204.8% |
| 09A23 | 6.5% | 459 | 30 | – | +128.7% |
| H2H23 | 8.9% | 135 | 12 | – | +530.5% |
| H2J23 | 11.6% | 86 | 10 | – | +168.6% |
| H2F23 | 11.9% | 1,054 | 126 | – | -81.5% |
| H2E23 | 12.4% | 1,019 | 126 | – | -78.0% |
| H3C23 | 12.8% | 351 | 45 | – | +137.4% |
| H3G23 | 12.8% | 468 | 60 | – | +93.9% |
| H3D23 | 13.0% | 355 | 46 | – | +89.2% |
| H3F23 | 13.1% | 457 | 60 | – | +90.6% |
| H7B23 | 14.0% | 356 | 50 | – | -81.0% |
| H3B23 | 14.5% | 310 | 45 | – | +133.4% |
| H3E23 | 15.3% | 398 | 61 | – | +20.9% |
| H1B23 | 17.5% | 572 | 100 | – | -75.5% |
| H9A21 | 18.5% | 81 | 15 | – | +13.6% |
| H2I23 | 18.9% | 53 | 10 | – | +1072.0% |
| H4A23 | 21.7% | 46 | 10 | – | +1233.7% |
| H4B23 | 25.0% | 160 | 40 | – | +23.2% |
| 11A23 | 29.4% | 17 | 5 | – | – |
| 35E23 | 33.9% | 59 | 20 | – | – |
| H9B23 | 37.4% | 107 | 40 | – | +51.4% |
| H2B23 | 49.5% | 202 | 100 | – | +115.8% |
| 35C23 | 50.0% | 30 | 15 | – | – |
| 35B23 | 52.0% | 77 | 40 | – | +41.6% |
| H4A21 | 56.2% | 89 | 50 | – | +91.0% |
| 11D23 | 58.8% | 51 | 30 | – | +15.7% |
| 35F23 | 69.0% | 29 | 20 | – | – |
| 11E23 | 76.9% | 13 | 10 | – | +84.6% |
| WRA23 | 80.0% | 100 | 80 | – | +74.0% |
| 35A23 | 81.1% | 37 | 30 | – | +67.6% |
| 27A23 | 90.9% | 44 | 40 | – | +21.2% |
| 15B23 | 100.0% | 5 | 5 | – | +10001.0% |
