A Disabled Hunter Permit authorizes qualifying individuals with disabilities to lawfully shoot game animals from a stationary motor vehicle. This includes big game animals such as deer, antelope, elk, and turkey, and small game animals such as grouse, pheasants, partridge, rabbits, and waterfowl.
A Disabled Hunter Permit is issued free-of-cost by GFP to qualifying hunters and is valid for a four-year period. Individuals will need to reapply for a permit renewal at that time. The disabled hunter permit is intended for use in situations where an applicant's physical or medical condition makes it impossible, or causes severe pain or physical hardship on the applicant, when walking afield while hunting. Licensed hunters who are paraplegics or otherwise physically unable to walk with or without crutches, braces, or other mechanical support, and who have a Disabled Hunter Permit, may shoot in fields, woods, or from public roads from a stationary motor vehicle or all-terrain vehicle while hunting game animals or game birds in accordance with the conditions of the permit. The hunter will need to obtain the required state licenses for whatever species are to be hunted. Permit limitations or guidelines specify what a person legally can and cannot do while in possession of a Disabled Hunter Permit.
A Disabled Hunter Permit may be issued for a period not to exceed 12 months to any person with a temporary ambulatory injury. The disabled hunter application has a section that must be completed and signed by a licensed physician that will document the physical disabilities or medical condition limiting the applicant's walking ability. View and download application. contact information 605.223.7660 | wildinfo@state.sd.us
What are the qualifications to receive a Disabled Hunter Permit? A qualifying person must have at least one of the following physical disabilities or medical conditions: has lost one or both legs or who has temporarily or permanently lost the use of one or both legs; requires a wheelchair for mobility; is physically unable to walk without the assistance of another person, prosthetic aid, brace, crutch, or other device that is intended to support or assist the person while walking; is on portable oxygen; is unable to walk a distance of more than 300 feet without assistance or rest due to an arthritic, neurological or orthopedic condition; has been diagnosed with a neuromuscular disorder such as muscular dystrophy or multiple sclerosis; has been diagnosed with a Class III cardiac disease resulting in marked limitation of physical activity; has been diagnosed with a Class IV cardiac disease resulting in the inability to carry on any physical activity without discomfort; or is restricted by lung disease to such a degree that the person's forced expiratory volume in one second, when measured by a spirometer, is less than one liter; or the arterial oxygen tension is less than 60 mm/hg on room air at rest. What activities does a Disabled Hunter Permit authorize and what are the permit limitations?
A Disabled Hunter Permit authorizes the permittee to shoot from a stationary motor vehicle with the following exceptions or limitations: shooting from a federal or state highway or across any public road is prohibited; when hunting big game from public road rights-of-way, the permittee must obtain prior written permission from the owner or lessee of the immediate adjoining private lands; the permittee may shoot from a stationary all-terrain vehicle (ATV) and may lawfully transport a firearm on an ATV while hunting without having to unload and/or case the firearm; shooting from a snowmobile or the use of any motor vehicle to chase or pursue any game animal is prohibited; and the use of any motor vehicle is prohibited on lands owned, leased, or controlled by GFP, except on designated roads, trails, or parking areas.