Sioux Falls, SD Animal Ordinances: Coyote Management (2026)
Key Facts
- Rule
- No unnatural food sources that attract deer
- Defense
- Food kept 5+ feet up, inaccessible to deer
- Hunting
- Banned citywide, § 90.014
- Trapping
- Requires police chief permission, § 90.013
- Max penalty
- $500 fine or 30 days jail
Summary
Sioux Falls bans placing unnatural food sources that attract deer on any property in city limits, the code's main tool for managing urban deer and the wildlife they draw, including coyotes.
No person being the owner or occupant of any parcel of real property within the corporate limits of the city shall place thereon, or allow to remain thereon, any unnatural food source, nor shall any person place such unnatural food source upon the real property of another or upon any public property. It shall be an affirmative defense to any prosecution hereunder that the unnatural food source was placed not less than five feet above the ground and was not accessible to deer, or that the unnatural food source was placed in good faith for the purpose of feeding domestic livestock or pets by or at the request of a person owning or having responsibility for the domestic livestock or pets, or that the unnatural food source was placed in good faith for a purpose other than attracting deer and that the attraction of deer is only an incidental result.
(b) Nothing in this section shall be construed to apply to any act by a governmental agency or to any employee or authorized agent thereof in the course of his or her employment or agency. Specifically, nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the baiting of deer by authorized government agents in furtherance of an approved plan to reduce deer population or in furtherance of an approved plan to entice deer out of the urban environment into a less urban and more natural environment. (Ord. 80-14, passed 11-4-2014) Penalty, see § 10.999
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-135: Current through local ordinance 54-26, passed 7-14-2026).
Full Breakdown
City Code § 90.016 makes it unlawful for a property owner or occupant to place or allow any "unnatural food source" on their land, on someone else's, or on public property if it draws deer. It's an affirmative defense if the food was kept 5+ feet off the ground and inaccessible to deer, fed to livestock or pets in good faith, or placed for a purpose other than attracting deer with only incidental deer draw. Government agents may still bait deer under an approved population-reduction or relocation plan. Hunting is separately banned citywide under § 90.014, and § 90.013 requires police chief permission before setting any trap that could injure or kill an animal.
Violations & Fines
General penalty under § 10.999: up to a $500 fine, up to 30 days in the county jail, or both; each day the food source remains is a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put out corn or a salt lick for deer in my yard?
Does Sioux Falls run its own coyote culls?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sioux Falls
Compare Sioux Falls to another location·View the South Dakota animal ordinances overview
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