Deer License Numbers to be Lowest Since 1992

[LMITOUT]

"There is going to be 20 to 30 thousand people who are going to get a rejection letter this year."

The North Dakota Game & Fish is proposing the lowest number of deer licenses since 1992.

A decrease in almost 45 thousand tags.

Randy Kreil with the Game and Fish Department says,"Three successive very difficult winters, and an aggressive harvest approach by our department leading up to those winters has reduced deer populations to a point that we felt this reduction was necessary in order to give deer the opportunity to rebound."

Game and Fish say hunters success rates last year were the lowest they've ever documented at 51%.

But this proposal along with an ideal winter and spring has them optimistic.

"This past winter there was almost zero adult mortality on deer and all the does that were pregnant last fall are going to come through in great shape and they are going to have a great reproductive year and we felt that cutting deer licenses this year would give us a head start on that recovery and move it forward a lot quicker," says Kreil.

And a quick recovery for the deer is what many are wanting.

The numbers the Game and Fish are proposing do have a one more stop along the way.

Kreil says, "We've gotten support for these numbers. It seems to make sense to people. This will be our recommendation to the governor and that will be sent to the governors office at the end of this month."

And as we move through spring and summer toward next fall and hunting season, Kreil offers a suggestion.

"This year if you are really serious about deer hunting and you want to hunt in your home unit. You may want to consider a doe as a first choice, because there may not be does as a second choice available after the lottery..."

[TylerS]

Well, guess that means it's time to bust out the stick and string! Heck, the success rate for bowhunters is getting better every year. Since there aren't any limits on bow tags, I guess that might be my only shot at filling the freezer...

[harvey lee]

Happy the Game & Fish cut the tags. That does mean our group will not get a rifle or ML buck tag for years but if it helps the herd rebound from it's low, then let's go for it.

Guess I will ML in Minnesota and find elsewhere to go rifle hunting.

Still have my archery license and one can still hunt all fall and just get a bit picky on what one shoots or simply enjoy the hunt for 3-4 weekends without shooting a deer. Always fun to simply spend time outdoors in the woods watching differnt game.

[holmsvc]

Well, guess that means it's time to bust out the stick and string! Heck, the success rate for bowhunters is getting better every year. Since there aren't any limits on bow tags, I guess that might be my only shot at filling the freezer...

Where aren't there limits on bow tags? In ND you get one. When there used to be deer you could get extra doe tags and shoot them with a bow, but that won't be the case anymore.

Also keep in mind that the number of tags they are talking about include gratis tags. After the pull 17,000 gratis tags out there is very little left in the lottery.

[Jameson]

It's good to see such warm responses to a buck lottery. It seems every one is very understanding. Amazing....

For how many of you will this just mean more time hunting a different animal? Ducks, Pheasant, Grouse, Fish, etc...?

[harvey lee]

For me, simply less trips to ND.

Holmsvc, no there are no limits on the archery whitetail tags but there is a limit on the any deer archery tags.

[KEN W]

Well, guess that means it's time to bust out the stick and string! Heck, the success rate for bowhunters is getting better every year. Since there aren't any limits on bow tags, I guess that might be my only shot at filling the freezer...

1 of my biggest complaints about what our GNF is doing.....4 years ago there were 150,000 rifle tags......now around 60,000.Why are the rifle hunters taking the brunt of restrictions and with bow hunters,it's game as usual????

Why are some allowed to possibly take 3 bucks when there is a really good chance that rifle hunters may not even get 1 buck or doe tag????

[harvey lee]

My guess Ken is that there are far less archery hunters and kills than the rifle hunters. The ML hunters will also take a hit. I understand your question though, archery tags will not be reduced.

With this reduction in licenses, I am sure I will not recieve a rifle or Ml tag for at least 4 years. For me, not the greatest but I guess I will have to go elsewhere. At this point, I do not know for sure if I will even go archery at the ranch in ND as the herd is down bad and I may just take another archery season off to give the deer a break.

Just my guess.

I remember years ago when I was happy to be able to shoot 1 deer in ND. Then the herd went way up and we had tons of tags to reduce the herd. I said to the other guys in our group, we should enjoy this as one day, the herd will be down and we will be back to hoping we could pull 1 tag. Here we are.

I am not sure how some can take 3 even if they archery hunt. I guess if one archery hunts and is the luckiest person in this worls with a rabbit foot in thier pocket they could pull a rifle and ML tag in the lottery.

[KEN W]

Harvey.....bow hunters have been averaging a little over 20% success.Last year rifle hunters averaged around 50%.Not that far apart.My problem with this is I don't think that rifle hunters should be the only ones with cuts.Especially since some can get 3 bucks tags and others can't get any tag at all.

Hopefully the herd can make a comeback.With all the CRP going under the plow that seems unlikely.

[TylerS]

I hear ya Ken. My response was a bit tongue-in-cheek (only a bit) because I find it laughable when one part of the population is supposed to take the brunt of the license pain, while another, albeit smaller, population suffers nothing. Even though archery success may be less than gun hunters, I find it strange that they aren't affected whatsoever by the cuts. Seems highly liberal to force one group of individuals to suffer while another group stays high and dry...

holmsvc,

There are no limits in that anyone can go up to a counter and purchase a bow tag: no lotteries or drawings to worry about. If I want to fill my freezer this year with venison, and I get snubbed in the rifle drawing, I'll just purchase an archery tag instead.

Full disclosure: I am in no way a trophy hunter. I go out every year with two or three tags (one buck, if I'm lucky, and two does) in an effort to fill them the first weekend so I can get back to focusing on hunting birds the rest of the fall. I typically stop at two tags and leave the third one unfilled, simply for the fact that butchering three deer in a weekend is a LOT of work. After two, I'm spent.

I love to hunt, and I get out nearly every weekend of the season, if possible. Because of this, my wife and I eat wild game at least five days a week. I honestly can't remember the last time we've actually purchased meat from the grocery store. Would it be cheaper to go that rout? Undoubtedly. But I'd be going hunting anyway, so having a freezer full of high quality protein is a pleasant bonus gleaned from the pastime I am so passionate about.

[holmsvc]

1 of my biggest complaints about what our GNF is doing.....4 years ago there were 150,000 rifle tags......now around 60,000.Why are the rifle hunters taking the brunt of restrictions and with bow hunters,it's game as usual????

Why are some allowed to possibly take 3 bucks when there is a really good chance that rifle hunters may not even get 1 buck or doe tag????

Everyone is allowed to buy a bow tag, some choose not to.

I bow hunt and I am afraid this type of question is going to be coming up a lot with the numbers down. The first thing that better be addressed before anything is done with resident bow tags is to eliminate NR any antlered tags and then limit the amount of whitetail tags.

I know some people are asking for a one buck system where everyone gets one buck tag and it can be shot with a bow, rifle, or ML. I think this would be terrible for our quality of deer.

A lot of the bow hunters I know are much more selective with what they shoot. They let young bucks walk and don't shoot does with fawns. If everyone got a buck tag our hunting would go to dump. The only people with quality deer would be people that own large amounts of land.

[harvey lee]

Ken, I would have no problem with cutting the archery tags a percentage to match the percentage in rifle and ML tags. I just do not see them doing that as mentioned above, anyone can go bow hunting if they so choose.

I remember years when some zones could not even get rid of all the tags offered. When the herd was very large, I use to let more hunters on our land to simply cut the population a bit as they would die without enough food for that larger herd in a very hard winter. Much rather see a hunter eat the deer than the yotes.

When the Game & Fish could not sell all the tags in our zones not that far back, I asked the head of the Game & Fish why they would not sell more licenses espically the ones that could not sell to nr hunters. he said they simply did not need the money and the residents of ND would be very upset if they increase the licenses for NR hunters.

So, I guess I now have to go for the landowner-gratis tags. That's one way of getting a license for sure. Never applied for one before but this season could be the first. I believe there are so many per acre.

There was a season years ago when our deer herd was a bit low so we did not hunt at all in ND to give the deer herd a rest. After the fawning, I will have to wait and see how that went before I will even consider hunting in ND. I would rather miss a season and let the deer herd and bucks increase in size.

[marine_man]

Here's the "formal" update:

North Dakota’s Deer Season Set, Online Apps Available May 9

North Dakota’s 2012 deer season is set, with 65,300 licenses available to hunters this fall, 44,650 fewer than last year and the lowest since 1988.

Randy Kreil, wildlife chief for the State Game and Fish Department, said the decline in the deer population is a result of increased adult mortality and reduced fawn production following the severe winters of 2008-10. In addition, the extreme winter conditions followed nearly a decade of aggressive deer management featuring large numbers of antlerless licenses in many units.

“It is expected there will be very few, if any licenses remaining after the initial lottery,” Kreil said. “Therefore, there is not a concurrent season this year.”

Hunters are able to draw one license for the deer gun season and one for the muzzleloader season, and purchase an archery license. Unlike the past several years, however, Kreil said a hunter will not be able to receive more than one license for the deer gun season.

Low deer numbers are evident in all portions of North Dakota, Kreil said, as all but two hunting units are below management goals. The statewide hunter success rate in 2011 was 52 percent, the lowest on record and well below the typical 70-75 percent success rate experienced by North Dakota deer hunters.

“The large decrease of licenses in 2012 is necessary to allow the deer population to grow toward management goals,” Kreil said.

The mule deer population in the badlands was also stung by three consecutive harsh winters, with the three lowest years of fawn production observed from 2009-11. Survey numbers indicate mule deer in the badlands are down 23 percent from last year and 52 percent below 2007.

As a result, no antlerless mule deer licenses are available for the 2012 deer season in units 3B1, 3B2, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E and 4F, Kreil said. “This restriction applies to regular gun, resident and nonresident any-deer bow, gratis and youth licenses,” he added.

The number of licenses available for 2012 is 1,200 antlered mule deer, a decrease of 3,350 mule deer licenses from last year; 1,282 for muzzleloader, down 826 from last year; and 120 restricted youth antlered mule deer, a decrease of 130 from last year.

North Dakota’s 2012 deer gun season opens Nov. 9 at noon and continues through Nov. 25. Online applications for the regular deer gun, youth, muzzleloader, and resident gratis and nonresident landowner seasons will be available about May 9 through the Game and Fish Department’s HSOforum at gf.nd.gov. Also, paper applications will be at vendors throughout the state the week of May 14. The deadline for applying is June 6.

Total deer licenses are determined by harvest rates, aerial surveys, deer-vehicle collision reports, depredation reports, hunter observations, input at advisory board meetings, and comments from the public, landowners and department field staff.

2012 Deer License Questions and Answers

In past years, hunters have been able to receive more than one license that is valid during the deer gun season. Will that be the case this year?

No. The number of licenses remaining after the first drawing will be small, if any at all. Therefore, hunters can receive only one license for the deer gun season. If any licenses remain after the first and second lotteries, they will only be available to those who applied in the first lottery and still have not received a license, or for those who did not submit an application for the first lottery.

If I receive a deer gun license, will I still be able to receive a muzzleloader license or purchase an archery license?

Yes, hunters can draw one license for the deer gun season and one for the muzzleloader season, and purchase an archery license. However, there won’t be any additional antlerless deer licenses available this year, that in the past could be used during the archery or muzzleloader season in the unit designated on the license.

Can I use my deer gun license during the muzzleloader or archery season?

No. The deer gun license is valid for only the regular deer gun season. That option in past years was only available for second, third, or additional antlerless licenses.

I want a deer license this year so I want to increase my odds and apply for a doe license as a first choice. If I receive the license, will I lose my preference points?

Yes, preference points are based on your first choice. If you receive your first choice, you lose your preference points.

Can I use my gratis license to take a mule deer doe?

Gratis hunters whose land is located in 3B1, 3B2, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E and 4F may not take a mule deer doe with their gratis license. Gratis hunters in all other units may take any deer, including mule deer does.

As a landowner, if I apply in the regular lottery for a buck license as my first choice and a doe for my second choice, and receive a doe license, can I still submit a gratis application to get a license to hunt a buck?

No. If you submit a regular lottery application and receive a deer gun license, regardless if it is for a buck or doe, you are not able to receive a gratis license, as only one deer gun season license per hunter is allowed this year.

Since only one deer gun season license is available this year, does that mean landowners can receive either a gratis license or a lottery license, but not both?

That’s correct. If a landowner applies for and receives a license in the regular lottery, he or she cannot also receive a gratis license. Landowners who apply in the regular lottery and are not drawn for a license can still receive a gratis license as long as there are unissued licenses.

I am a landowner, and often delay submitting a gratis license application until I know if I will have time to hunt deer. If I wait until later in summer to apply, will I still be able to get a gratis license?

Gratis licenses can be issued as long as licenses remain. However, with the dramatic reduction in licenses this year there is no guarantee that any licenses will be available after the initial lottery. Once all licenses are issued, Game and Fish is not able to provide further gratis licenses. Therefore, we suggest that landowners eligible for gratis licenses submit their application prior to the June 6 deadline to ensure receiving a license.

[TylerS]

Antlerless first choice it is! Going to be the best chance at drawing a tag. Might go in for an archery tag, too...if I can pry myself away from bird hunting long enough to pick up the ol' stick and string.

[harvey lee]

Anterless could be tough to get also as I believe many will be doing the same thing as you Tyler.

I will apply but as a non res I can forget about a tag for a few years for rifle or ML with the numbers this low.

I am ok with that and just appy and get my preference up for about 4 years from now. Archery until then.

[TylerS]

Anterless could be tough to get also as I believe many will be doing the same thing as you Tyler

You know, I thought about that. But the rack obsession in North Dakota may be the worst I've ever seen. I'm willing to bet LOTS of guys will go first choice buck, second choice antlerless simply because they want to bag some horns. That, and a lot of people in tough units don't want to risk losing their preference points if they choose antlerless for their first choice and get drawn.

[harvey lee]

I agree. What some of those rack dudes have to remember is that when those last 3 winters came along, seems the big bucks are always the first to go. They ran themselves to almost nothing during the rut when all the does and fawns were fattening up for the winter.

I know our big buck population is way down from 5 years ago so if I have to go without a tag or harvest a doe with the bow, fine with me as the bucks will rebound faster if we leave them alone for a few years.

Good luck in the lottery.

[TylerS]

Good luck in the lottery.

Same to you!