Deer lottery

[harvey lee]

Don't forget, the lottery deadline for rifle and ML for deer is June 6th.

[marine_man]

I was just headed here to mention the same! Is anyone changing what they put in for, based on the reduction of licenses this year?

marine_man

[TylerS]

I put in doe as my first choice. From what I hear, those who do buck first and don't get it likely won't get a tag, period.

I'd rather get a chance to hunt than sit home and twiddle my thumbs. Racks are overrated, anyway.

[harvey lee]

I could apply for anything and with the numbers where they are for NR hunters and the fact I drew both rifle and ML last fall, I will simply be applying for preference points for at least the next 2-3 years.

I am fine with this as it will give the herd and the bucks time to grow.

Buck-Buck for me.

[LMITOUT]

Only 500 buck tags in my unit and NR's get less than 1% of that. Almost 50 NR's applied last year. Don't care, still applying for a buck.

[harvey lee]

Never know, one can always get drawn. Preference points mean alot and many may not apply as NS due to the fact the deer numbers are down.

I know I have had times when I drew 3 tags in 4 years so it can happen.

[jeff127]

LMITOUT, how did you find out about how many NR's applied for your zone?. I get ND outdoors and in february's issue it just gives res. info. I am also trying for a buck tag but preference points is what I am really after with the low deer numbers.

[harvey lee]

Here you go Jeff, it is listed withing the big game section under deer. They list this every year and the numbers for app's do not vary much from year to year. There may be another area to find these stats but this is where I go. Hope this helps you.

http://gf.nd.gov/sites/default/files/Licenses/docs/2012-deer-licenses-by%20unit.pdf

[LMITOUT]

That's the link I used to find those numbers as well.

[jeff127]

Thanks guys-----I have always wondered what I was up against when applying(NR). Pretty slim odds in the zone I am applying in.

[MidCoast]

I came to ND to fish and I saw deer everywhere. They were alllllllll over in ND. Now I am interested in hunting for deer there. But where can one hunt? I don't see public land hunting signs at all while I was in ND.

I also did not see a lot of forests. I suppose the deer hunting will be different then from what I am used too.

[TylerS]

Deer hunting in North Dakota is a lot different in that a large majority of people either don't get out of their pickups or don't stand still for more than 30 seconds at a time. For a lot of guys, if you're not kicking up deer and shooting them in the rear end, you're not hunting.

Not my cup-o-tea, but to each their own.

If you do your homework, there are lots of areas to hunt deer. You're probably late for this year, though, as there will be very little to no licenses available by the time the lottery results come out. You could still get an archery tag, but that's probably about it.

[harvey lee]

I agree Tyler, I cannot believe the hunters wqho do all thier hunting from a truck window.

I had one guy in town at the bar one year ask me why I hunted in a tree stand, he said just pop them from the road. I see guys doing it alot by us.

To the poster that asked about areas to hunt. In zone 2G1 or others nearby, you can get on public land on the Cheyenne river or the Cheyenn National grasslands and the hunting there is pretty good. Numbers are at a 15 year low but deer can still be had. You could get a archery license for this area or maybe a doe tag in the later lotteries in zone 2g as they may have some left after the first drawing.

[LMITOUT]

I would think that the lottery results should be out soon.

[harvey lee]

My guess the drawing will start next Thursday and results at the latest the following Monday. Seems the end of a week is typically when it happens the last few years.

Hopefully I can get at least a flattop tag.

[LMITOUT]

Got a letter from the G&F today...but it was just a survey.

[harvey lee]

I was told that the Game & Fish is doing this survey to see how much impact the out state hunters have on local economies while hunting in thier state. They typically do not care for us.

I hope everyone from outstate wrote down they spend alot of funds when hunting in North Dakota. That may up the % for NR licenses.

[LMITOUT]

Last year the results came out July 7th so I would expect something next week if they follow suit. A person I spoke to that works at the G&F said they won't announce the actual draw date but wasn't sure why.

In trying to get a NR tag in a unit with about two NR's tags available I'm not expecting much other than "better luck next year", but the anticipation is still fun.

[harvey lee]

Lottery in process. Results should be online Monday at the latest. Monday is typicallt the day they come out.

[harvey lee]

My guess the drawing will start next Thursday and results at the latest the following Monday. Seems the end of a week is typically when it happens the last few years.

Hopefully I can get at least a flattop tag.

Guess I missed the date by 1 day. Typically it is Thursday but who cares.

Good luck to all in the lottery and I hope you all get the buck of your dreams.