Unit 63A

Sand Lake, Spring Lake, and Swan Lake are the dominant water features, offering navigation anchors across the open prairie. Lake Hurley and Lake Pocasse provide additional reference points and potential water sources for hunting camps. The string of shallow bays—Dodge, Pollock, Vanderlaan, and Hanson—mark the eastern portion of the unit near the population centers.

Shaw Creek, Swan Creek, and Hiddenwood Creek trace north-south corridors useful for travel and finding pronghorn. These waterways and lakes are critical for orientation in country where landmarks are sparse and distances deceive.

The entire unit sits below 2,300 feet, creating a single habitat zone of grassland prairie. Vegetation is predominantly native and introduced grasses with scattered shrubs and willows along drainage corridors. Lakes and wetlands create pockets of emergent vegetation and open water, breaking the monotony of the grassland.

The absence of timber is nearly complete, making this exposed country where thermal cover is limited and pronghorn rely on distance for security. Water availability from lakes and reservoirs influences where animals congregate and move seasonally.

The unit is crisscrossed by approximately 1.8 miles of road per square mile, creating a well-connected network linking small towns and rural properties. Highway corridors and major county roads provide easy navigation, though 96% private ownership means access is permission-dependent. Communities like Gettysburg, Forest City, and Pollock serve as natural bases with lodging and supplies.

The flat, open nature of the country means hunters can glass and hunt from public roads where allowed, but accessing productive private ground requires landowner cooperation. Road density suggests moderate hunting pressure where access is gained, with potential for solitude on restricted properties.

This vast unit covers northeastern South Dakota between Gettysburg and Pollock, spanning roughly 2,400 square miles of prairie country. The landscape is defined by agricultural land, grasslands, and a network of shallow lakes and reservoirs that dot the region. Gettysburg and Forest City anchor the western portion, while Pollock and Selby sit in the eastern reaches.

Small communities like Mound City, Akaska, and Artas are scattered throughout, serving as logical staging points. The terrain is uniformly low-elevation prairie with minimal topographic relief—this is open country where you can see for miles.

Water is abundant throughout the unit, with multiple lakes, reservoirs, and permanent springs supporting reliable drinking sources. Sand Lake and Spring Lake are expansive shallow systems that attract wildlife and hunters alike. Smaller reservoirs like Lake Pocasse, Molstad Lake, and Mutske Lake provide scattered water access across the prairie.

Creeks including Shaw, Swan, and Hiddenwood hold water seasonally and support riparian vegetation where pronghorn find browse and cover. This water abundance is a key asset for extended hunts in otherwise dry-looking grassland.

Pronghorn is the primary species for this unit, thriving in the open grassland prairie where visibility and speed are their advantages. Early season hunting focuses on water sources—lakes and reservoirs attract animals during warm weather, making these areas productive glassing zones. Mid-season pronghorn often hold in drier prairie swales and benches away from heavy pressure.

The lack of cover means success depends on glassing from distance, understanding wind and approach angles, and utilizing the road network to position for stalks. Terrain complexity is minimal, so strategy hinges on finding accessible land, locating animals through glassing, and executing clean stalks across open ground.