South Dakota

Non-resident Waterfowl Stamps

Non-resident waterfowl stamps were required of all non-resident waterfowl hunters starting in 1970. A portion of the stamps were rubber stamped with a number or unit designation to control the number of persons allowed to hunt within a particular area or county each season. It is not presently known if unoverprinted stamps were regularly issued every year. Ed Nielson, former License Section Supervisor for South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks, recalls that the unoverprinted stamps were regularly issued for hunting in other areas of the state aside from the controlled areas or units. A very small sampling of used South Dakota non-resident waterfowl stamps has been recorded. Nearly all have been rubber stamped. Those that were not rubber stamped had the area or unit designation applied with a ballpoint pen. In addition, all used copies have had the month(s) and days of validity hole-punched.

The stamps were issued in panes of five (2x5) with a tab at the top. The panes were perforated 11 3/4 between the stamps and between the stamps and the tab, with the exception of the 1980 issue which was plain rouletted 7. In 1986, panes were stapled between covers to form a booklet.

Serial numbers were printed in red ink through 1978, with the exception of 1977 which was in black. One pane of 1970 stamps temporarily adhered to the previous pane during the serial number process, resulting in five stamps with the serial number missing. Serial numbers were printed in black after 1979. Nominally, all stamps were printed with serial numbers 4.5 mm tall. In 1976, a typesetting error resulted in all stamps from position four being printed with serial numbers 4.0 mm tall.

During the 1982 season, the fee was raised from $30 to $50. This necessitated the printing of a second stamp for the end of that year. The series was discontinued following the 1986 season, when non-resident hunters were no longer required to affix a special stamp to their license.

Estimated values for unsigned stamps are for any unused stamps (free from hole punches) that may have had their gum removed. Used examples of unoverprinted stamps would be valued slightly less than unsigned.