North Dakota
Unknown
Est. Whitetail Population
48,000
No. Licenses Sold Annually
$51
$30 deer permit, $20 hunting permit, and $1 hunting certificate.
Resident hunting license and deer permit
$272 (archery) and $277 (gun)
$250 archery deer permit or $255 gun deer permit, $20 hunting permit and $2 hunting certificate.
Non-resident hunting license and deer permit
195 2/8"
Taken by Kevin Bruner in Pierce County in 1994, it currently ranks No. 61.
Record B&C Typical Stat
91
Total B&C Typical Entries
254 6/8"
Taken by Rodger Ritchie in Mountrail County in 1968, it currently ranks No. 83.
Record B&C Non-Typical Stat
57
Record B&C Non-Typical Entries
Check out the latest info for North Dakota. Image by Tom Reichner
Season Dates (2024):
Archery season is Aug. 30-Jan. 5. Youth season is Sept. 9-13. Gun season is Nov. 8-24, and muzzleloader season is Nov. 29-Dec. 15. Youth season is Sept. 15 through 24. Check the state DNR’s WEBSITE to confirm.
The Grade: C
The secret is out about NoDak among DIY deer hunters. It has an early archery season, low hunter densities, plenty of public hunting opportunities, affordable licenses, and good success rates on trophy whitetails. Unfortunately, the deer herd has taken it on the chin the past few years due to extreme winter weather, with biologists noting population declines of more than 50% in some areas of state following the winter of 2023. That drops the grade to a C for now, but we do expect that to be temporary as herds recover.
Deer tags are issued in a lottery system. Bowhunters enjoy higher odds of getting the green light. Rifle tags are extremely difficult to draw, even for residents. Muzzleloader tags are moderately difficult to obtain. With season dates beginning in early September for archery hunters, North Dakota offers excellent opportunities to bag a heavy velvet-antlered buck. Fortunately for North Dakota hunters, it's legal to enter posted land (without a firearm or bow) to recover game shot on land where the hunter had a lawful right to hunt.
Antler Nation Knowledge:
The west-central portion of North Dakota cranks out the most record book bucks. Burleigh, McHenry, McKenzie, McLean, Mountrail, Ward, and Williams counties are some of the best. Public-land hunters should take advantage of the North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s PLOTS PROGRAM. This is private land open to sportsmen. There are other types of public, too, totaling about 2 million acres. In the eastern region of the state, it’s hard to beat the Sheyenne National Grassland.
