The full picture · 4 sources

North Dakota closes four hunting units, offers refunds due to EHD outbreak

Updated Oct 19, 9:09 PM CT. Every fact below links to the source that reported it.

What the primary sources show

The North Dakota Game and Fish closed four hunting units to antlerless whitetail harvest due to an epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) outbreak. [Bismarck Tribune] [KFYR-TV] [KX News]
Roughly 400 deer have been affected by EHD this year, with disease transmission linked to small biting midges in areas near drinking water during hot and dry weather. [KFYR-TV] [KX News]
Roughly 350 hunters in the closed units are sidelined from taking antlerless deer, with licenses in 13 additional units now eligible for refunds. [KFYR-TV]
Hunters must return their tags to the department before the November 6th deer gun season opener to receive refunds. [KX News]
Governor Kelly Armstrong and Game and Fish Director Jeb Williams began discussing protective measures in August. [KFYR-TV]
In 2021, a similar EHD outbreak led to more than a thousand license refund requests, but this year has fewer dead deer. [KFYR-TV]
The overall deer population remains down due to drought and extreme summer conditions. [KFYR-TV]

What is the long-term management strategy for EHD control or prevention beyond this season's closures?
When would the four closed units reopen for antlerless harvest?
Are other hunting seasons such as archery or muzzleloader hunting affected in the closed units?

Bismarck Community Buzz (public group): Promoted a video of officials Armstrong and Williams discussing the upcoming deer season changes. Read it →
Bismarck Tribune: Announced the four-unit closure citing EHD as the reason. Read it → · Paywall
KFYR-TV: Reported comprehensive details including 400 affected deer, 350 impacted hunters, disease biology, comparison to the 2021 outbreak, and quotes from officials and local hunters. Read it → · Ads
KX News: Detailed the specific affected units, refund process, disease transmission via biting midges, and the November 6 gun season opening date. Read it → · Ads

701 News writes these summaries from the sources above and checks every sentence against them. Read the originals for the full reporting. Corrections