Blog · October 14, 2026 · South Dakota
Custer County Hunting Map, South Dakota: a scouting guide
Good scouting near Dewey starts with knowing whose ground you're on.
Main page: Custer County, SD GIS & Parcel Viewer (official map link, county facts and neighboring maps).
Platbookmapper is an Amazon Associate. If you buy through an Amazon link on this page, we earn a commission. The link is a product, not the county map.
Planning a hunt near Hermosa? Think of the Custer County hunting map as two layers: where public access exists, and who owns everything else. Covered here for Custer County: state sources for public ground, using the parcel viewer for boundaries, and getting landowner permission the right way.
The Custer County hunting map: start here
Near Four Mile, public hunting areas are mapped by South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks, including wildlife management areas and other access programs where they exist.
The viewer Custer County publishes
Go first to the Custer County Beacon site; it maps each tax parcel from Four Mile to Cheyenne River. Without an address in hand, follow US Route 385 on the aerial and click the parcel itself, and that holds around Fairburn too. If you're looking near Hermosa, copy the parcel ID from that panel; every office in the county asks for it first.
Sections, lots and bearings
South Dakota uses the Public Land Survey System, which means a tract near Four Mile is described by section, township and range. Each section is nominally a mile square, about 640 acres, with 36 sections to a township, though corrections make some sections near Fairburn odd-sized. Write down the legal description for the tract near Four Mile when you talk to a surveyor.
Land on the county line
Custer County borders Fall River County, Oglala Lakota County, Pennington County, Niobrara County, WY, and Weston County, WY, all with their own assessor records. Ground near Black Hills National Forest that runs to the line may be split in two county records, so check the adjacent map as well. If the land is near Black Elk Wilderness, our state page lists every bordering county map across South Dakota.
Reading boundaries on the county map
Private boundaries come from the Custer County Beacon site, so you can see who owns the land near Fairburn.
Contacting owners
For a parcel near Black Elk Wilderness, offer details: who you are, when you'd hunt and how to reach you, and put any agreement in writing if the owner prefers.
Which office to call
Questions about value or the owner field for land near Pringle belong with the Director of Equalization, since that office keeps the assessment data. Questions about what you can build around Dewey need the planning or permitting office, town or county, depending on location.
Reading terrain
On the aerial around Four Mile, look for field edges, creek bottoms and timber lines; match each spot to its parcel.
Taking the map into the field
Most viewers work in a phone browser, useful out on a road near Pringle, though signal can drop in rural spots. A saved image of the lot near Dewey and its lines is a good backup.
Where the recorded documents are
For a tract near Pringle, the map is an index, not the title: deeds, subdivision plats and easements for parcels in the county are filed with the Register of Deeds. In and around Buffalo Gap, use the book and page shown in the record panel to skip a name search.
Staying legal
Check South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks for seasons and licensing, and trespass rules differ by state before hunting near Black Elk Wilderness.
Good habits afield
Respect livestock and crops around Black Elk Wilderness, and carry the owner's contact info; it keeps permission coming back.
Places you'll see on the map
Custer holds the county offices, where most land records are kept. You'll also find Buffalo Gap, Fairburn, Hermosa, and Pringle. Roughly 9,117 people live in Custer County (Census estimate, 2023) across roughly 1,557 square miles. Landmarks such as Cheyenne River and Black Hills National Forest help you orient on the aerial.
Before you lean on the lines
For a home near Black Hills National Forest, listed acreage is an estimate; just a licensed surveyor can set the real corners on the ground. If the land is near Fairburn, records update in batches, so a deed recorded last month might lag behind.
Questions about the Custer County hunting map
When is hunting season in South Dakota around Dewey?
With a lot near Fairburn, South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks sets seasons, licenses and regulations.
How do I find public hunting areas near Black Elk Wilderness?
For acreage around Buffalo Gap, start with South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks area listings.
Can I trust the map at the property line around Four Mile?
The map isn't a survey.
Can I see owners on the parcel map near Black Hills National Forest?
For a parcel near Black Hills National Forest, the parcel record lists the owner of record.
How is land described in South Dakota deeds around Black Elk Wilderness?
For acreage around Black Hills National Forest, it's the formal description of the land in the deed, and the parcel record often summarizes it.
Open the official Custer County, SD parcel map See it in the Platbookmapper directory
Not a survey. County GIS and tax parcel maps are assessment and planning layers. They are not a substitute for a recorded plat, deed, or licensed survey, especially for fences, setbacks, or boundary disputes.