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Big jump this year for North Dakota deer hunting licenses

Category: article

 May 4th, 2019 by Keith Worrall  405

Modified May 4th, 2019 at 1:03 PM

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Deer hunting licenses in North Dakota are taking a big jump this year, and state wildlife officials are fully lifting restrictions on mule deer doe hunting in the west that were implemented eight years ago.

The Game and Fish Department announced Thursday that it will issue 65,500 licenses for white-tailed deer and mule deer for the fall season, an increase of nearly 19% from 2018 . It’s the fourth consecutive year for an increase, as the agency moves closer to a goal of 75,000 licenses as early as 2020.
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That level would be considered the new normal due to loss of wildlife habitat in recent years because of oil development and reduced grassland areas resulting from changes in farming practices. The state doesn’t expect a return anytime soon to the days of more than 100,000 annual deer licenses, which Game and Fish issued for 11 straight years beginning in 2001, peaking at just under 150,000 in 2008.

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