South Dakota

Resident Game Bird Stamp

In 1959, South Dakota required all resident sportsmen who intended to hunt for various species of birds and small game, including waterfowl, to purchase a game bird stamp and affix it to their license. The stamps were printed on safety paper by the Eureka Specialty Printing Company, and cut into sheets of ten (2x5). The sheets were perforated 12 1/2 between the stamps and straight edged on all four sides. The stamps measure approximately 53 mm x 36 mm, were serial numbered in black and had shiny gum. After 1959, the resident game bird stamp was discontinued and superseded by the resident small game.

As with virtually all stamps printed on safety paper, if they are soaked in water for too long the paper is altered. Normally the safety paper appears to be an olive-yellow color with olive-tan lettering. The paper on washed-out unsigned and signed copies appears white with gray lettering, and such copies usually sell at a discount.