Even some at NDGF thought it was a good plan until they caved to the pressure from bow hunters, who with this plan had the best of both worlds.
One deer per hunter plan proposed
Photo by Craig Bihrle, ND Game and Fish/ About 30,000 people who applied for deer tags this year didn’t get one. The Game and Fish Department is proposing a one license-per-deer hunter system to provide more opportunity.
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department Thursday announced a proposed plan allowing deer hunters only one deer license per year starting in 2015.
Officials say it’s a response to a dwindling deer population and a way to more fairly distribute available licenses.
This year, 48,000 deer gun licenses were issued, the lowest number since 1980. About 30,000 hunters who applied for a license this year did not get one.
Winters take toll
In 2007, nearly 150,000 deer licenses were available. But three consecutive harsh winters took a toll on the state’s deer population and fawn production. That, coupled with a loss of habitat, has led to a steady decline in numbers since that time.
Under the current licensing structure, hunters can legally harvest three deer, if they are lucky enough to draw into tags in the lottery and purchase an archery license.
The proposal would mean hunters would get only one license a year — either gun, archery or muzzleloader.
Last winter, the Game and Fish Department conducted regional meetings around the state looking for input regarding deer management.
The issue was also a hot topic at spring advisory board meetings.
Jeb Williams, wildlife division chief for the department, said the new plan will make for a more equitable system.
“After evaluating all the input we received last winter, the general feedback we heard is that hunters understand there is no longer enough licenses so that everyone can get one for the gun season,” Williams said.
“But at the same time, they don’t feel the current system is equitably distributing licenses, since some hunters can get two or even three licenses when thousands of hunters get none,” he said.
The plan requires approval from the governor and, if implemented, would not guarantee a license for all who apply, Williams said.
But it would eliminate hunters getting multiple licenses.
How it could work
In the preferred option, a hunter who is successful in the deer gun lottery would not be able to purchase a bow license or receive a muzzleloader license.
However, a hunter with a lottery gun license could also hunt with a bow any time during the open archery season, but only for the deer and unit specified on the license.
Resident hunters who apply in the deer gun lottery and do not receive a license, will still be able to purchase a bow license that is valid statewide for any deer.
Another part of the plan is hunters would be able to apply simultaneously for the deer gun and muzzleloader lotteries. The application would allow choice of a preference, so, if the hunter’s name is drawn and both muzzleloader and deer gun licenses are available at that time, the computer would issue the hunter’s preferred license.
In that case, the computer would remove the hunter’s name from the other lottery. Williams said a hunter would maintain the accumulated bonus points for the application that was removed from the lottery.
Williams said hunters will not lose any bonus points if they choose not to apply for a particular license and the department would do away with the current one-year grace period.
That means hunters who do not apply for two or more years would keep their preference points.
If populations rebound in certain hunting units, Williams said concurrent seasons could be offered in those units.
Youth hunters younger than age 16 would be exempt under the preferred option and could get a bow license as well as a deer gun or youth season license.
Gratis license holders could hunt in any open season on their own land, but may only get one license per year.
Williams acknowledged the plan will not satisfy everyone.
“Not everyone is going to agree,” he said. “I expect the reaction to be mixed. Some might say it doesn’t go far enough.”
Reach reporter Brian Gehring at 701-250-8254 or brian.gehring@bismarcktribune.com.
