South Dakota deer hunters returned 2,624 licenses for refunds – 143 for the archery season – due to the widespread whitetail mortality in regions of the state this year from an outbreak of Epizootic Hemorrhagic disease.
The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Department extended the refund offer, returning $176,670 in license fees. The agency also removed hundreds of unsold licenses from sale in specific counties with a high EHD mortality.
Counties where licenses were reduced included 114 from Bon Homme, 212 in Charles Mix, 276 in Clay, 279 in Hutchinson, 65 in Union and 115 in Yankton. The breakdown for licenses returned for refunds by season are: Archery, 143; Black Hills, 61; East River, 1,130; Special buck East River, 20; Landowner, nine; Refuge, 11; Muzzleloader, 70; West River, 1,126; Special buck West River, 35; Youth, 12; and Mentored Youth, seven.