South Dakota’s West River deer hunts remain some of the most sought-after hunting opportunities in the state. Every year, thousands of resident and nonresident hunters apply for West River Special Buck licenses, hoping to hunt the famous mule deer and whitetail deer populations found west of the Missouri River.
The 2025 draw statistics provide valuable insight into how competitive these licenses have become and what hunters can expect when planning future applications.
For hunters considering a West River deer hunt, understanding the difference between the WR101 Any Deer license and the WR111 Any Whitetail Deer license can significantly improve application strategy and draw success.
Understanding West River Special Buck Licenses
The West River Special Buck draw includes several license options, with the two most popular being:
WR101 – One Any Deer
This license allows hunters to harvest either a mule deer or a whitetail deer buck where legal within the hunt area.
Because of its flexibility and the opportunity to hunt South Dakota’s renowned mule deer country, WR101 is one of the most competitive deer licenses in the state.
WR111 – One Any Whitetail Deer
This license is restricted to whitetail deer but often provides significantly better draw odds than the Any Deer option.
For hunters primarily interested in harvesting a whitetail deer, WR111 can offer an excellent alternative.
WR101 Any Deer Draw Results
The 2025 draw statistics show that demand for WR101 licenses remains extremely strong among both residents and nonresidents.
Resident Draw Statistics
| Preference Group | Applicants | Licenses Issued |
| 2+ Preference Points | 180 | 180 |
| 1 Preference Point | 338 | 320 |
| 0 Preference Points | 222 | 0 |
What This Means
Every resident applicant with two or more preference points successfully drew a license.
Hunters with one preference point also had excellent odds, with 320 of 338 applicants receiving tags.
However, no resident applicants with zero preference points were successful.
This indicates that preference points are becoming increasingly important for hunters pursuing the WR101 Any Deer license.
Nonresident Draw Statistics
| Preference Group | Applicants | Licenses Issued |
| 2+ Preference Points | 422 | 422 |
| 1 Preference Point | 298 | 78 |
| 0 Preference Points | 284 | 0 |
What This Means
The nonresident draw was substantially more competitive.
Every applicant with two or more preference points drew successfully, but hunters with only one point saw much lower success rates.
Only 78 of 298 applicants with one point received a license, while no applicants with zero points were successful.
For nonresidents hoping to hunt mule deer or whitetail deer under the WR101 license, building preference points is becoming increasingly important.
WR111 Any Whitetail Deer Draw Results
While the WR101 draw was highly competitive, the WR111 Any Whitetail Deer license told a very different story.
First Application Period
Resident Applicants
| Preference Group | Applicants | Licenses Issued |
| 2+ Preference Points | 8 | 8 |
| 1 Preference Point | 14 | 14 |
| 0 Preference Points | 53 | 53 |
| Second Choice Applicants | 186 | 186 |
Total Resident Applicants: 75
Total Resident Licenses Issued: 75
Nonresident Applicants
| Preference Group | Applicants | Licenses Issued |
| 2+ Preference Points | 40 | 40 |
| 1 Preference Point | 78 | 78 |
| 0 Preference Points | 244 | 244 |
Total Non Resident Applicants: 362
Total Non Resident Licenses Issued: 362
What This Means
Unlike WR101, every eligible applicant drew a license during the first application period.
Even hunters with zero preference points were successful.
This demonstrates that WR111 was significantly easier to draw than WR101 during the 2025 season.
Second Application Period
One of the most interesting findings from the 2025 statistics was the number of licenses still available after the initial draw.
Resident Draw Results
| Preference Group | Applicants | Licenses Issued |
| 2+ Preference Points | 22 | 22 |
| 1 Preference Point | 24 | 24 |
| 0 Preference Points | 194 | 194 |
Total Applicants: 240
Total Licenses Issued: 240
What This Means
Every resident applicant successfully drew a license during the second application period.
This is a strong indication that demand for WR111 licenses was well below the available license allocation.
Third Application Period
Even after two application periods, a small number of licenses remained available.
Resident Draw Results
| Preference Group | Applicants | Licenses Issued |
| 2+ Preference Points | 9 | 5 |
| 1 Preference Point | 5 | 0 |
| 0 Preference Points | 69 | 0 |
Only five licenses remained available during the third application period, and competition finally exceeded supply.
What Hunters Should Expect Going Forward
The 2025 statistics reveal a significant difference between the two license types.
WR101 Any Deer Remains Highly Competitive
Hunters pursuing mule deer opportunities through the WR101 license should expect strong competition.
The data shows that:
- Residents generally need at least one preference point.
- Nonresidents are increasingly benefiting from multiple preference points.
- Zero-point applicants have little chance of drawing.
Hunters targeting mule deer in South Dakota should plan their applications well in advance and consider building preference points.
WR111 Any Whitetail Deer Offers Excellent Opportunity
The WR111 license remains one of the best opportunities for hunters looking to experience South Dakota deer hunting without years of preference point accumulation.
In 2025:
- Every resident applicant drew during the first application period.
- Every nonresident applicant drew during the first application period.
- Additional licenses remained available for second and third application periods.
For hunters whose primary goal is harvesting a whitetail deer rather than specifically pursuing mule deer, WR111 represents an excellent option.
Understanding Your Hunting Goals
The draw statistics highlight the importance of matching your application strategy to your hunting objectives.
Hunters focused on:
- Mule deer hunting
- Maximum flexibility
- West River trophy opportunities
will likely prefer the WR101 license and should expect greater competition.
Hunters primarily interested in:
- Whitetail deer hunting
- Better draw odds
- More immediate hunting opportunities
may find the WR111 license a more practical choice.
Wrapping Up
The 2025 West River Special Buck draw statistics show that South Dakota continues to offer outstanding deer hunting opportunities, but competition varies significantly depending on the license type.
The WR101 Any Deer license remains one of the state’s most competitive draws, particularly for nonresident hunters seeking access to mule deer country west of the Missouri River.
Meanwhile, the WR111 Any Whitetail Deer license continues to provide excellent draw odds and abundant opportunity for hunters looking to experience South Dakota’s productive whitetail hunting.
Understanding these trends can help hunters build a smarter application strategy and increase their chances of securing a license in future draw cycles.