Antelope numbers are down in South Dakota, and state wildlife officials say the harsh winter is to blame.

The annual census by the Game, Fish and Parks Department shows that the herd dropped by 20 percent from last year's all-time high.

Perkins and Harding counties were hit hardest. Resource biologist Luke Meduna says many animals that didn't die in those counties migrated south, bumping up the antelope population in Fall River and Butte counties.

Meduna says the decline statewide won't affect this fall's hunting season. He says there should be enough fawns to replace the animals lost over the winter.

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