Things To Do

Archery and Shooting Ranges

Several South Dakota state parks offer opportunities for archers to practice their sport, from endurance-testing archery trails to traditional ranges of several targets.  Search for State Parks with Archery

Remember: Bows must be cased while walking to and from the archery areas or trails. Please keep safety in mind and always look before you shoot.

Lower Oahe Downstream Archery and Shooting Complex

The shooting complex is now ADA compliant and comprised of ten 100-yard shooting stations, two 50-yard shooting stations, two 300-yard shooting stations, two handgun bays with six shooting benches and room for standing shooting within the 25-yard handgun bays. The complex development includes a dedicated shotgun/trap area to eliminate the conflict that would often occur when shotgunners and long-rifles were firing from the same firing line. A total of 20 new concrete shooting benches were constructed and are protected by overhang structures.

The archery complex features both a practice archery range and 14-target archery trail located west of the of the park, off of SD Hwy 1806. The archery trail meets NFAA standards for a field archery ½ course, consisting of 14 targets in various terrain and various distances. The practice range consists of 3 targets varying from 20 yards to 50 yards, along with a broadhead practice range with shooting yardages from 5 – 60 yards. Field tip and target pointed arrows are acceptable (no broad heads are allowed) on the field course and practice ranges. Broadhead tipped arrows are permitted on the broadhead sand pit range only.  The field course trail is a 1 mile loop and surfaced with wood chips. The trail is signed and all archers should follow the signs as indicated and proceed along the trail in a counter-clockwise manner. 

Operating hours for the archery range is year-round sun up to sun down. See range signage for specific shooting hours of operation.

North Point Recreation Area Archery and Shooting Range

The shooting range at North Point Recreation area contains 4 shooting lanes; 1 at 25 yards, 1 at 50 yards and 2 at 100 yards. All lanes have a shooting bench and are not ADA compliant. There is also a trap shooting area but bring your own thrower. 

The archery range consists of 7 shooting lanes with 10-70 yard targets that are ADA accessible and 28 target walk through course that is not ADA accessible. 

Operating hours are year-round sun up to sun down.

Farm Island Recreation Area Archery Range

The Farm Island Archer Range is nestled on the northwest side of the park, just west of the Farm Island Welcome Center. It has an ADA accessible path to a 80ft long and 14ft wide Picnic Shelter which has an aggregate and concrete base. Arrows can be retrieved from 2 broad head targets at 20 and 40 yards from concrete lanes providing ADA accessibility. 10 other targets which allow field tip only, range from 20 to 70 yards throughout the rest of the range. A firing line is provided along with picnic tables, arrow holders and hooks to hang your bows. Archery Range rules and regulations are located at the range entrance.
Operating hours are sun up to sun down.

Lewis and Clark Recreation Area Archery Range

The range features both a practice range and 28-target archery trail located in the Gavins Section of the park.  The GPS coordinates for the range are: 42.862053N – 97.553673W. The archery trail meets NFAA standards consisting of 28 targets in various terrain. The practice range consists of 8 targets varying from 15 yards to 80 yards, along with two elevated shooting platforms. A Park Entrance License is required.

There is a SVT near the practice range and a modern comfort station near the 28-target trail. Field tip arrows are acceptable (no broad heads are allowed).  

Operating hours are April 2 - September 30, sun up to sundown. The range and trail is closed for hunting October 1 - April 1.

Pelican Lake Recreation Area Archery Range 

At the park entrance of Pelican Lake Recreation Area there is an archery range where archers can sight in their bows and practice shooting distances from 10 to 70 yards from the ground or from our shooting platform. We also offer a 14 target NFAA course that winds through rolling prairie. The range and course are not ADA and there is no SVT available. A Park Entrance License is required.

Operating hours are year-round 7 a.m. - 11 p.m. 

Revheim Bay Recreation Area Archery Range

Located in a remote section of the Revheim Bay Recreational Area off 287th Avenue, (look for signage), the Revheim archery range includes a small parking area, eight practice bag targets out to 80 yards and 16 walking path targets with bag backstops and a burlap animal target on them. In the middle of the walking path is an elevated shooting platform that allows for an elevated shot of six feet or twelve feet. The archery range is cooperative effort between South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks and the Oahe Bowman’s Club. The club has league night during the summer months and hosts their annual 3D shoot once a year. Park entrance licenses are not required.

Operating hours are May 1 - September 30,  6 a.m. - 11 p.m. and October 1 - April 30, 6 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Rocky Point Recreation Area Archery Range

The range is located 1/2 mile east of the entrance of the park. The range includes two picnic tables, a single vault toilet, a 6-target sight-in range and a 14-target walk through course. The walk through course is approximately one mile long and runs adjacent to the Belle Fourche Reservoir. A Park Entrance License is required.

Operating hours are year-round 6 a.m. - 11 p.m. 

Wildlife Ranges

Lake Alvin GPA Archery Range

The range is on 40 acres surrounded by homes and is not safe for using firearms.  I plan to take down the archery targets around the time archery deer season opens.  We will see how well it utilized is by the public but I am confident its location on a busy road and with a neighborhood surrounding it that it will be respected.

Spearfish Archery Range 

The range provides an open area target area and a 20 station range consisting of different distances and topography for archery only. It is located on the Beilage Game Production area, adjacent to the Spearfish Farm and Field Station - 2130 Christensen Drive, Spearfish SD. 

Operating hours are year-round sun up to sun down other than when snow limits the access to the parking area. The range is maintained by the Northern Hills Archery Club.

Brule Bottom Firearm Range 

The firearm range consists of 3 shooting benches at 100, 200, and 300 yards. The range has a dirt berm that’s safe for pistol, shotgun, and rifle shooting.

Directions: Travel north of Chamberlain on Hwy 50 approximately 3 miles. Turn left (west) on 242nd St and 344th Ave. Travel north on 344th Ave for 2 miles. Take a left (west) on 240th St. Take your first right (north) on the Brule Bottom Game Production designated trail. Keep right, following the trail until you reach the firearm range. 

Fall River Gun Range 

This range offers a 10 lane, covered pistol shooting area, a 10 lane 50 yard and 100 yard covered range and a 10 lane 200 yard covered range. The rifle ranges feature concrete shooting bench with height and position adjustable seats. Target backers are maintained and stored in a small garden shed at the front of the range. Paper targets can be purchased at the same location the backers are kept. Ranges Rules are prominently posted in several locations at the site.

Directions: 1.5 miles north of the intersection of Highway 79 and Highway 18 in Fall River County.

Operating hours are Wednesday - Sunday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday and Tuesday the range is open to “Gun Club Members Only”. Annual memberships to the Fall River Gun Club are available online.   

Louis Smith Rifle Range 

The Louis Smith Rifle Range complex includes both a pistol/rimfire range for hand guns and .22 caliber, and a range for rifles. The pistol/rimfire range has a partially enclosed 20x100’ structure comprised of ten shooting lanes out to 100 yards. Targets on the range consist of two standing backstops spaced at 25 and 50 yards. Five sand berms are set up for metal swing targets and a 100 yard down range target platform. Ten concrete shooting benches accommodate both left and right handed shooters. The rifle range is a similar enclosure with five shooting lanes, five concrete shooting benches and three standing backstop targets spaced at 50-100-200 yards. Both ranges include security lights and electrical outlets, work benches and gun racks.  There is an ADA accessible single vault restroom on site next to the parking lot. The Louis Smith Rifle range complex is north of Mobridge on 285th Avenue. Park entrance licenses are not required

Operating hours are sun up to sun down.

Rollings GPA Shooting Range 

The range is currently only set up for firearms. The west side of the range has a standard concrete trap shooting range with a single concrete block trap house. The center bay has a large dirt berm and is set up for longer distance rifle or pistol shooting. There are two permanent covered wooden shooting benches located approximately 100 yards from the target area of the center shooting bay. Located directly adjacent to the center bay is a smaller berm used for close range rifle/pistol shooting. 

The shooting range is open to the public during the months of June and July from sunrise to sunset daily.

South Shore Gun Range 

This range is open to the use of rifle, shotgun and pistol shooting. I Accommodations include two wooden shooting benches located at 50 and 100 yards. 

Directions: 1 mile east of the intersection 158th Street and 464th Avenue in Codington County or 1 mile south and 1 mile east of South Shore.

Operating hours are 6 a.m. - 11 p.m. Shooters are advised to bring something to pack their garbage up with when they leave. 

 

State Parks that have Archery and Shooting Ranges