SD West River Deer advise?

[Muskeez]

Hey guys, my daughter is a student at SDSU and can get tags as a resident. Time to take advantage of this. We have never hunted mule deer but would like to give it a try, and no better way to learn than on a $40 resident tag! I would not apply for a tag, just go along with her. Can anyone point us in a general direction? I have looked at some units west of Mobridge and west of Chamberlain, but they seem to take at least 2 years to draw even for residents. She would be applying for an "any deer" tag in the rifle season. Thanks for any help!

 

[teamhoyt]

My experience in SD is limited but I would recommend applying for an any deer tag and then picking up a leftover wt tag if unsuccessful. I think a sd resident can end up with multiple tags a year.

 

[rjlefty3]

My experience there is limited too, but for mulies the NW corner is where I would go. More public land there than you'll be able to see in the season. NW corner also has more mulies compared to other parts of the state.

I've hunted a little more east than there in a unit along the Cheyenne River. I had no points and found a unit that was pretty close to 100% odds (for NR - whitetail only tag though) with a lot of public land. Might be an option if you'd like to pick up a tag too. Saw plenty of deer in the few days I was out there, despite spending a day or two just trying to figure out the country. Ended up getting a decent buck and had a blast. If you're interested send me a PM and I'll give you what I know!

 

[T Bone]

NW corner.