08-05-2025
Game and Fish announces reduction in North Dakota deer gun licenses
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May 7—BISMARCK — The North Dakota Game and Fish Department is offering 42,300 licenses for the 2025 deer gun season, down 7,800 from last year.
In addition, muzzleloader licenses decreased by 150 and restricted youth antlered mule deer licenses remained the same.
Game and Fish announced the license reduction — which wasn't unexpected — Wednesday, May 7, in a news release.
According to Casey Anderson, wildlife division chief for Game and Fish in Bismarck, population, harvest and survey data indicate the state's deer population is stable to decreasing throughout the state.
"The state's deer population continues to recover from the 2021 EHD (epizootic hemorrhagic disease) outbreak and the severe winter of 2022-23, which limited population growth despite reduced gun licenses during 2023 and 2024 hunting seasons," Anderson said. "Modest license allocations are intended to maintain hunting opportunities while encouraging population growth in the state."
High-quality deer habitat is not abundant, which has limited the potential for population recovery. If contracts for land enrolled in the federal Conservation Reserve Program continue to expire, Anderson said 85% of the once-3.4 million acres present in 2007 will be lost by 2026.
The spring mule deer survey showed western North Dakota's mulie population is 14% lower than last year, despite a reduced harvest and consecutive mild winters.
North Dakota's 2025 deer gun season opens at noon Nov. 7 and continues through Nov. 23.
Applicants for
regular deer gun, gratis, youth and muzzleloader
can apply online through the Game and Fish Department's website at
. The deadline for applying is midnight June 4.
Those who didn't apply last year will lose accrued points by not applying or purchasing a point this year, the department said.
State law allows residents ages 11, 12 and 13 to obtain any antlerless licenses, except in units 3B1, 3B2 and 4A through 4F, where mule deer doe licenses are restricted.
Total deer licenses are determined by harvest rates, aerial surveys, depredation reports, hunter observations, input at advisory board meetings and comments from the public, landowners and department field staff.
Game and Fish reported in March
that hunters shot approximately 23,300 deer during the 2024 gun season. Hunter success for antlered white-tailed deer was 49% and 44% for antlerless whitetails. Mule deer success was 80% for bucks and 78% for antlerless mule deer. Game and Fish offered 50,100 licenses for the 2024 deer gun season.
