mi_fiveo

Planning a diy South Dakota archery hunt this november. I have read a lot about blue tongue killing a large number of the deer population. Any truth to this? Kinda hesitant to go if all the deer are dead, haha.

Wingbone

Went out deer hunting West River, in an area where blue tongue is common last year. I am going again this year. Blue tongue may be getting some of them, but there seems to be plenty left. I say go for it.

mi_fiveo

Anyone from SD? How is the current deer population?

sdhunter11

Better than last year, does are having alot of twins and triplets. last year was the worst year i had seen and i am born and raised here. One thing i have noticed is the bucks are not as big, at least not in my area. One good thing is it kinda leveled the buck to doe ratio which could help in the next few years, and i dont think it is bluetongue, everyone is saying EHD.

mortalcare

I have no idea about south dakota, but i know that one year in kentucky it got really bad and you could seriously tell. saw very few deer that year and it was one of the worst seasons ive ever had. i would reschedule haha

FlDeerman

I thought blue tongue was caused by sand fleas.I know a man who had a deer farm and tried to bring in some Northern deer and they died within a year from blue tongue.That's what he told me caused them.We call them "nosee'm"and if you have the little devils God help you.

thehart_cwc

Just out to our farm this weekend in south central SD and was working in only about a 100 acre area around a drying up stock dam and found 4 dead deer that looked like they had all died within the last week....Heard similar stories from other people in the area too

Valentine

It just devastates a herd and gets sparce publicity, except locally. Seems to travel with droughts, from my non expert status.
In a drought I expect the worse. Maybe the internet will spread the word. Out of state hunts cost too much money.