Sioux Falls Deer Population Culled

The Sioux Falls Police Department is expected to remove 70 deer in Sioux Falls in the annual harvest.

According to police, the culling of the city's deer population has begun. The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Department has issued a special permit to the Sioux Falls Police Department to remove the highest number of deer since 2015.

This is the sixth year that Sioux Falls has harvested deer to reduce property damage and improve the health of the city's deer population.

Officials say high deer populations lead to increased competition among deer for food and a higher potential of spreading disease. Some of the most populated herds are in the southeast part of Sioux Falls and on north Rice Street.

In 2019, a total of 60 deer were removed from southeastern and northeastern Sioux Falls. This year's removal will focus on southeastern, western and northeastern parts of the city.