Ellsworth’s 2018 archery deer season begins
ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. -- Deer hunting season at Ellsworth Air Force Base will run from Sept. 1 through Jan. 1, 2019, and is open to those who have base access. Bow hunters who are interested in applying for a base-specific license must do so by Aug. 21 at 8 a.m.
Completed applications can be sent to gary.brundige@us.af.mil, the 28th Civil Engineer Squadron natural resource manager. A drawing will take place on Aug. 23 at 2 p.m. in the main 28th CES conference room, where 32 applicants will be randomly selected from a hat.
The first hunter picked will get to choose the hunting period they want. There are four periods, each representing the months of September through December, and each period has eight hunters assigned. Attendance is mandatory unless arrangements have been made with Brundige prior to the drawing.
“The primary reason we do this every year is to control the deer population on base, which helps mitigate aircraft hazards,” Brundige said. “It also provides a recreational opportunity for those with base access.”
Successful applicants will be provided a base-specific deer license, but they must also purchase a hunting permit from Outdoor Recreation.
“The rules for hunting on base run concurrently with the off-base state archery season,” Brundige said. “Additionally, the animal must be tagged immediately after harvest.”
The hunting season will also include weekends, holidays and wing down days. Archers will be able to hunt in all open hunting areas on the installation, to include new areas near the commercial gate, which will only be open when the gate is closed.
“The overall experience of hunting on base last year was great,” said Tech. Sgt. Christopher Crawford, the 28th Security Forces Squadron mobility noncommissioned officer in charge. “The directions and rules we received were very clear, and we even had to get qualified with the range master to prove we were proficient with a bow and arrow.”
For more information or to apply, call Brundige at (605) 385-2690 or visit http://ellsworthfss.com/.