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North Dakota

Game and Fish Halts Antlerless Deer Harvest

North Dakota restricts antlerless white-tailed deer hunting in four units as epizootic hemorrhagic disease spreads through the state's herd.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Hunting

Weathered wooden fence line crossing dry prairie grass toward a row of cottonwoods and a lone empty hunting stand under pale winter sunlight.
North Dakota Game and Fish has banned harvest of antlerless white-tailed deer in four units after epizootic hemorrhagic disease spread through the state's herd, with automatic refunds for affected licenses. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Should North Dakota keep antlerless deer hunting open despite the EHD outbreak?

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department has prohibited the harvest of antlerless white-tailed deer in deer gun units 3C, 3E1, 3E2 and 3F2 due to epizootic hemorrhagic disease. Hunters holding invalid antlerless gun licenses for those units will be automatically refunded.

Why it matters

The state is taking conservative measures to protect a white-tailed deer population that is already slow to rebound. Every doe that survives this season gives North Dakota a better chance to rebuild the herd.

Game and Fish staff have received nearly 160 reports of EHD-related mortalities since early August, tallying nearly 350 dead ungulates, mostly white-tailed deer. The 2021 outbreak was on par with the worst EHD mortality biologists had experienced, and how far the current outbreak will spread remains unknown.

The players

North Dakota Game and Fish Department

The state agency that manages wildlife and hunting regulations in North Dakota and is leading the EHD response.

The details

The prohibition applies to all license types, including youth, muzzleloader, deer gun, deer bow and gratis licenses. Hunters with whitetail or muzzleloader licenses in listed units may turn in licenses for a refund and restored bonus points, or donate the license fee and earn a bonus point, before the deer gun season.

Timeline

  1. 2021: Last severe EHD outbreak in North Dakota.

  2. Early August 2026: Game and Fish began receiving EHD mortality reports.

  3. November 3, 2026: Deer season changes announced effective immediately.

  4. Before deer gun season: Deadline for hunters to turn in licenses.

Seasonal Patterns

The 2021 North Dakota EHD outbreak was among the most severe the state's biologists had recorded, and the current outbreak is following a similar pattern of mortality concentrated in late summer and fall. Because EHD is a naturally occurring virus spread by biting midges, its recurrence tracks warm-season conditions that favor the midges.

Hunters holding antlerless gun licenses for units 3C, 3E1, 3E2 and 3F2 will be refunded automatically, while those with whitetail or muzzleloader licenses in listed units must turn them in before the deer gun season. Those who want to keep their hunt can check the Game and Fish EHD map to see whether their unit is affected.

The takeaway

Hunters in affected units should check their license status now and turn in eligible licenses before the deer gun season to receive a refund and restored bonus points.

Further reading

Explore more Hunting coverage for context on how disease outbreaks shape North Dakota's deer seasons.

More information

Check the Game and Fish EHD map and deer season changes for the latest unit-by-unit details.

Live Poll

Should North Dakota keep antlerless deer hunting open despite the EHD outbreak?