South Dakota Unit 21A Unit Profile // GOHUNT. The Hunting Company
South Dakota Unit 21A
Updated Jul 22, 2026
At a Glance
1,095Square Miles
13%Public Land
2,300 - 3,600Elevation Range
Quick Tips
Bring your shotgun for pheasants, sharptail grouse, and possibly a greater prairie chicken
Mount Rushmore, which is southwest of Rapid City, is approximately 45 miles from the northwest corner of this unit
Sturgis is approximately 45 miles to the west down Interstate 90
This unit is located in the southwestern portion of the state below Interstate 90 and to the southeast of Rapid City, which is the largest city in the area. There are small townships down US Hwy 79 on the western boundary. The unit is primarily private land with the exception of two large sections of public land. One is a section of the Buffalo Grassland of over 16,000 acres and the other is a section of the Nebraska National Forest spanning a little over 27,000 acres. The Cheyenne River makes up the bulk of the eastern border, and three other major drainages, the Rapid, Battle, and Spring Creek stretch from east to west across the unit. This unit offers a good opportunity to hunt either mule deer or whitetails.
There are more and more whitetails encroaching into this unit over the years, particularly in and around the agriculture and river bottoms.