A variety of species can be hunted on Big Stone NWR, but most hunters come here to pursue pheasant. On a good year, sportsmen find birds throughout the grassland habitat that surrounds the refuge's marshes and lakes. The first two weekends of the season can be crowded, but hunters who come later in the season will still find plenty of pheasant. A hunter willing to put in some effort should have a decent chance of taking a deer as well. An often-overlooked opportunity is turkey hunting. Few turkey hunters visit the refuge, but those who do have good success. Flocks of birds can be seen moving about the prairie in the fall, and in the spring, gobblers roost in the hardwood stands.
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