North Dakota Game and Fish offering license refunds due to EHD-related mortality in western part of state

Bismarck, N.D. — The North Dakota Game and Fish Department is allowing hunters with whitetail or any-deer gun licenses in five units in western North Dakota the option of turning those licenses in for refunds.

Hunters with antlered whitetail, antlerless whitetail, any-antlered and any-antlerless licenses are eligible for refunds in units 3E1, 3F1, 3F2, 4E, and 4F. Hunters who return their licenses will have their bonus points restored, if applicable, to the same number of points prior to the 2025 deer gun lottery.

Mason Ryckman, wildlife health biologist, said the decision is based on scattered reports of white-tailed deer mortality caused by epizootic hemorrhagic disease that began in early September.

“This outbreak appears mild,” Ryckman said. “We see a low level of EHD most years. It typically stays fairly localized, but every so often it can intensify into a significant die-off.

The combined outbreak in 2020 and 2021 was probably the worst in memory, with extensive mortality across much of western North Dakota. Similar to 2024, we’re nowhere close to that level, but we have received around 20 reports, primarily focused across Bowman and Adams counties. We’re hopeful that the few nights with temperatures in the 20s this past week helped slow things down, but it typically takes a series of hard frosts to kill the gnats and completely end an outbreak.”

NDG&F staff will continue to monitor reports to determine if licenses in additional units should become eligible for refunds due to the EHD outbreak. Hunters and landowners should report any dead deer, along with photos, if possible, to the department through the online wildlife mortality reporting system, at gf.nd.gov/mortality-report

EHD, a viral disease transmitted by biting gnats, primarily affects white-tailed deer, but other big-game species are susceptible. The virus is not a danger to humans, but hunters should not shoot or consume a deer that appears sick.

— NDG&F Report

MONTANA

N.D. Man Charged with Poaching Elk

Helena, Mont. — A North Dakota man has been charged in Fergus County District Court with a series of wildlife violations centering around the killing of two bull elk in November 2024, in that central-Montana county.

The man is accused of multiple misdemeanor and felony charges after an investigation by Montana game wardens showed that he allegedly killed two bull elk in Hunting District 417 without possessing a proper permit. He later hid and abandoned one elk carcass after being questioned by game wardens, and he was unable to retrieve the carcass of another bull elk after killing it on private land. He is also accused of driving off-road on state land.

Potential penalties for the violations include more than $60,000 in fines and restitution, jail time, and loss of privileges to hunt, fish, and trap.

— Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Department Report

ARKANSAS

Harvest Record Set During Alligator Season

Little Rock, Ark. — Arkansas’s two-weekend alligator season wrapped up last month, and when the last harvested alligator was checked, hunters had tallied 205 alligators, narrowly edging the previous record of 202 harvested in 2023.

According to Arkansas Game and Fish Commission herpetologist Amanda Bryant, hunters surpassed the initial quota of 204 with one additional harvest.

“We’re really happy with the outcome this year. We always want 100% of the quota to be filled, so it’s great when that happens,” Bryant said. “The quota is exceeded when multiple hunters take an animal in the same night and only one or two animals remain to close the season. It’s pretty common. We set the quota a few animals short of the total needed harvest with this in mind.”

Hunters on public land filled 26 of the 38 drawn public-land tags available. The success rate of 68% was an improvement puts in some time on the water in Arkansas’s public alligator hunting areas will see a legal alligator to harvest. Getting over last year’s 58% hunter within snare or harpoon range success on public land.

“Almost every hunter who can be tricky, especially with some of the larger ones,” Bryant said. “And a lot of unfilled tags are the result of hunters holding out for a larger alligator and running out of time, but hunters were actually more successful this year than last year.”

— Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Report