2026 Deer Season Set

[LBrandt]

I know exactly where you live. About 14 or 15 yrs ago. You had a herd of close to 150 Deer about 5 miles North and 3 miles West of your place. There were lots of Coyotes in the area. But 60 - 70 where your located is a lot of Deer. And not much cover.

I get a group of bachelor bucks of about 6 or 7, some old bucks that tend to stay by themselves an now all the does spread out to have their fawns

 

[Rut2much]

NR archery tags for white tail are unlimited ….

Have read this thread up until this point thusfar and this is a major problem I've preached since us residents started getting the shaft decades ago. Makes no freaking sense whatsoever but should be crystal clear to all resident sportsmen and gnf who reside in this state. #frustratingAF

 

[lunkerslayer]

Nope. Was a slow death for most. Now those are swallowed up by the bto’s. That’s why you guys can bitch about farmers now. Your crp You love so much was the catalyst for the conditions you find now. Those big guys give two shits whether they leave habitat.

Yep and the insurance companies i can bet pushed the chronic waste disease bullshit because it gave the gnf reason to slaughter whole herds

 

[Fritz the Cat]

Yep and the insurance companies i can bet pushed the chronic waste disease bullshit because it gave the gnf reason to slaughter whole herds

In 2023 GnF asked the legislature for an appropriation to hire a grant writer for federal CWD money. Six million dollars per year. Less deer on the landscape equals less deer potentially shedding prions.

Also, in 2023 GnF asked the legislature for an appropriation to hire two grant writers for the Recovering Americas Wildlife Act. $26 million per year for more habitat. More habitat equals more deer.

When it comes to the money, NDGF will go both ways.

 

[Fritz the Cat]

35 of your ND deer herd may be dead soon.

https://www.facebook.com/chronic.wasting.dis.ease

 

[CatDaddy]

Montana requires a license to hunt rocks. Not kidding.

Whoops! Is it considered "capturing rocks" instead of "hunting rocks" if I didn't kill them?

 

[CatDaddy]

I maybe saw 60-70 all winter long total. Much different from before 2020 when you could see a field with 100-300 once herded up. Since the die off of 2023 it's not very common to see more than 10 together in the winter. Sure one rancher 5mi away had a fair number again around the farm but even he said there weren't that many and the neighbor 1mi away that rents our pasture didn't have very many in and around his cattle or bales, cousin 4mi away says numbers are still way down, father in-law and other in-laws over by Enderlin / Sheldon it's pretty bleak (all hunters), Walcott to Mcloud I heard the same story of much much lower numbers, pretty much all of these are ranchers out everyday with their cattle on open ground not feed lots.

The only way to correct this is to stop the youth hunt. Why can't they just apply like the rest of us when they reach an agreed upon age? They're destroying the herd and must be stopped!!

I'll be right back - grabbing my popcorn

 

[Davy Crockett]

I think they should add a senior citizens season and they should priority over license , them old timers only have a few hunts left , youth have a whole lifetime of hunts ahead of them.

 

[CatDaddy]

I think they should add a senior citizens season and they should priority over license , them old timers only have a few hunts left , youth have a whole lifetime of hunts ahead of them.

Well, I identify as both child and senior - would I get 2 tags to go along with my biological identity of middle-aged?

 

[Prairie Doggin']

Obviously, the middle aged guys who are just realizing they can’t do as much as they could a few years ago should get the tags. Old guys have had enough, young kids can get theirs later.

 

[Davy Crockett]

NDGF whitetail deer changes for 2027.

Two tag lottery for senior citizens only, any antlered deer, one to be given to youth of choice. Youth must accompany senior citizen and field dress dress and skin his/her deer for expierence before youth may shoot his/her deer. Senior citizens must also accompany and guide youth hunters but if seniors so choose, they may appoint a middle age hunter with at least 5 years of expierence. win win win that should make everyone happy.

 

[Lycanthrope]

not a fan of changing archery to buck only, most of the deer ive harvested with my bow have been for meat and herd reduction. I can see doing it in some units, where 0 doe tags are being offered, but statewide seems overly broad.