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South Dakota’s wild, wide-open places evoke the spectacular majesty of the nation’s original west.

Wild public lands with names like Red Shirt, Indian Creek, and Chalk Hills — windswept tablelands, sheer cliffs, stark buttes, and waving prairies—are part of what makes our state unique and special. But less and less of the once vast prairie remains, given over to cropland and development.

Across the state, citizens are working to designate these three special places as wilderness, protected from off-road vehicle abuse, oil and gas drilling, mining and roadbuilding. The South Dakota National Grassland Heritage Act would preserve approximately 50,000 acres of public land (8.4 percent of Buffalo Gap National Grassland, or 5.8 percent of South Dakota's three national grasslands).

Nearly 200 years ago, Lewis and Clark found golden eagles soaring, bighorn sheep grazing and antelope at play when they passed through South Dakota’s expansive, untamed grasslands en route to the Pacific Ocean. Today, we have a chance to preserve some of this amazing prairie for future generations.

Together, we can ensure that some of this wild land remains a legacy for future generations, by creating America’s first national grassland wilderness.

Hunting in South Dakota

Nearly 20 percent of South Dakotans hunt annually, and together with visitors to the state, in 2001 spent $223 million on hunting. It is estimated that these hunters bring almost $13 million in state sales and motor fuel taxes to South Dakota. There are over 5,500 jobs related to hunting activities resulting in over $100 million in salaries and wages. In addition, based on 2001 data, 358,000 people (both residents and non-residents) spent an estimated $92 million on wildlife-watching activities.

Source: http://www.sdgfp.info/Wildlife/BasicFacts.htm

Frequently Asked Questions

Economic Values of Wilderness Designation

What's Allowed in Wilderness Areas

Wilderness.net