Deer Summary

Zogman

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2015
Posts
4,487
Likes
1,558
Points
528
Location
NW Angle, MN and Grand Forks, ND
From NDGF

April 20, 2022
2021 Deer Season Summarized


A total of 57,086 North Dakota deer hunters took approximately 32,793 deer during the 2021 deer gun hunting season, according to a post-season survey conducted by the state Game and Fish Department.

Game and Fish made available 72,200 deer gun licenses last year. Overall hunter success was 57%, with each hunter spending an average of 4.5 days in the field.

Hunter success for antlered white-tailed deer was 40%, and antlerless whitetail was 48%.

Mule deer buck success was 72%, and antlerless mule deer was 80%.

Hunters with any-antlered or any-antlerless licenses generally harvest white-tailed deer, as these licenses are predominantly in units with mostly whitetails. Buck hunters had a success rate of 63%, while doe hunters had a success rate of 57%.

Game and Fish issued 12,113 gratis licenses in 2021, and 9,311 hunters harvested 4,713 deer, for a success rate of 51%.

A total of 1,336 muzzleloader licenses were issued, and 1,049 hunters harvested 492 white-tailed deer (258 antlered, 234 antlerless). Hunter success was 47%.

A total of 29,762 archery licenses (26,251 resident, 3,511 nonresident) were issued in 2021. In total, 23,466 bowhunters harvested 7,251 deer (6,144 whitetails, 1,107 mule deer), for a success rate of 31%.

The department is in the process of determining recommendations for licenses in 2022. In addition to harvest rates and winter aerial surveys, Game and Fish staff monitor other population indices to determine license numbers, including depredation reports, hunter observations, input at advisory board meetings, and comments from the public, landowners and department field staff.
 


db-2

★★★★★ Legendary Member
Joined
Sep 28, 2016
Posts
4,105
Likes
1,097
Points
473
Location
ND
I gave my recommendation in writing for elk in the turtle mt. but they said no and will not even consider my numbers.
In time they will listen to me. db
 

KDM

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2015
Posts
9,650
Likes
1,582
Points
563
Location
Valley City
I'd kind of like to see how the youngsters did. I know some of them can use their tag during the regular season, but it would still be nice to know how they did.
 

jdinny

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
May 20, 2015
Posts
2,240
Likes
131
Points
288
I gave my recommendation in writing for elk in the turtle mt. but they said no and will not even consider my numbers.
In time they will listen to me. db
db you are not the only one.
my old man is very good friends with a farmer/rancher in E1E pembina hills he wintered between 250-300. The GF at the recent meetings estimates that hers at 350-400 when the landowners up and down the pembina hills figure it’s closer to 2k but you know the GF know best…….. growing up in the area I can tell you there is well over 400 elk up there but wtf do the locals know……..

- - - Updated - - -

Db the GF is also aware of an active wolf pack not strays, not lost males but an active pack of wolfs in the turtle mountains but they keep that hush hush too.
 

CatDaddy

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
May 16, 2015
Posts
3,587
Likes
1,572
Points
588
Location
Casselton
I'd kind of like to see how the youngsters did. I know some of them can use their tag during the regular season, but it would still be nice to know how they did.

I was thinking the same thing KDM. Not a day goes by without thinking about the memories you helped my boys make last fall. I am curious how many others were successful in their endeavors. Not that harvest defines success by any means, just happy for those who were able to close the deal too!
 


db-2

★★★★★ Legendary Member
Joined
Sep 28, 2016
Posts
4,105
Likes
1,097
Points
473
Location
ND
jdinny

yes, what the hell do the locals know and then game and fish does not believe or will they come and count. Hell no.
A warden did tell a friend about the wolves up there. db
 

ktm450

★★ Legendary Member
Joined
Jan 30, 2018
Posts
365
Likes
47
Points
158
Im curious how many tags were giving back to the game and fish and they paid out because of the blue tongue shit that went on and destroyed whitetail populations. I know i gave my muzzy tag back wondering where that is in the statistics.
 

Bfishn

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2015
Posts
3,849
Likes
251
Points
333
Im curious how many tags were giving back to the game and fish and they paid out because of the blue tongue shit that went on and destroyed whitetail populations. I know i gave my muzzy tag back wondering where that is in the statistics.
I thought I had seen a while back how many tags were returned or at least the percent. I don't think it was enough to really matter to be honest. Most people with a tag still went out and gave it the college try even if they ended up throwing in the towel after a few days because of lack deer.
 

Dirty

★★★★★ Legendary Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2019
Posts
1,897
Likes
33
Points
181
Location
Bismarck
I know quite a few folks who did not return their tag but also did not try to fill it. I’m one of those and I’d say I personally know about 10 people who did the same without thinking too hard about it.
I guess I just considered it a donation…you know…for the elk restoration project up in the Turtle Mountain and Pembina hills area. :;:thumbsup
:;:
 
Last edited:

1lessdog

★★★★★ Legendary Member
Joined
Oct 29, 2019
Posts
1,358
Likes
358
Points
253
I gave my recommendation in writing for elk in the turtle mt. but they said no and will not even consider my numbers.
In time they will listen to me. db


There are 2 units in the Turtle mts area. You have E1W and E5. As much as you complain about the Elk have you ever invited a hunter up to your area to hunt. Im sure if you opened your area to hunting you would have hunters knocking at your door
 


db-2

★★★★★ Legendary Member
Joined
Sep 28, 2016
Posts
4,105
Likes
1,097
Points
473
Location
ND
one less dog:

I own 1.8 acres up there on an abandon RR track that is 100 feet wide to add up to the 1.8 acres.
Elk come at mid night and go back to Canada by early morning before light. Of all the pictures i have gotten over the last many years only a handful in the day at the most. Land around me is all posted by the landowners and there not about to open and have tried to run me out.

I have nothing to offer on my 1.8 acres but have help others to hunt were i know i can get on. I am sure an elk hunter could sit every day on those 1.8 acres in my stand and just may see one.
I have spent many hours in that stand over feed and have yet to see one. They come late at night and there was a herd of about 100 last year eating on the soybean plot.
So yes, i have offer my assistance and the warden has my number in Jamestown to refer hunters to. He told me to be prepared. db
 

wjschmaltz

★★★★★ Legendary Member
Joined
Jun 26, 2018
Posts
989
Likes
376
Points
218
Location
Southcentral ND - Southcentral AK
What don't you guys particularly believe about these numbers? They're very telling and outline a known/suspected trend. The department made a public announcement in August saying EHD die offs were substantial and requested public input and documentation; so what are you suggesting they're hiding here? EHD is most prevalent in white tail bucks. Harvest success rate for antlered whitetail was 40% (down 30% from 2020) compared to 70% in antlered mule deer. I'm genuinely curious, what's not to believe here?

I have family that I know didn't even bother to hunt probably a dozen tags.
 

zoops

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
May 17, 2015
Posts
1,796
Likes
155
Points
268
What don't you guys particularly believe about these numbers? They're very telling and outline a known/suspected trend. The department made a public announcement in August saying EHD die offs were substantial and requested public input and documentation; so what are you suggesting they're hiding here? EHD is most prevalent in white tail bucks. Harvest success rate for antlered whitetail was 40% (down 30% from 2020) compared to 70% in antlered mule deer. I'm genuinely curious, what's not to believe here?

I have family that I know didn't even bother to hunt probably a dozen tags.

No kidding, tough crowd here. Kind of standard though, anyone posts anything related to gnf and deer and here comes the complaints.
 


Dirty

★★★★★ Legendary Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2019
Posts
1,897
Likes
33
Points
181
Location
Bismarck
I looked back through all the posts. I only see one person questioning “the numbers” and I can’t tell if he was talking about the deer harvest numbers from the article or the Northeastern ND elk population estimates that most of these posts refer to.

I’d say the article is about what I expected…a drastic reduction in whitetail harvest for several reasons that are all linked to the EHD outbreak.
 
Last edited:

lunkerslayer

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Apr 12, 2015
Posts
18,956
Likes
2,960
Points
748
Location
Cavalier, ND
If the ndgf wanted to have a real harvest numbers make it mandatory to fill out the questionnaire. This year was the first time ndgf sent me an email with the survey questionnaire, I like that option myself.
 

wjschmaltz

★★★★★ Legendary Member
Joined
Jun 26, 2018
Posts
989
Likes
376
Points
218
Location
Southcentral ND - Southcentral AK
If the ndgf wanted to have a real harvest numbers make it mandatory to fill out the questionnaire.
I 100% agree. Hunter success can't be calculated unless the number of people that actually hunted is known. When AKFG releases their numbers, they include that so you can extrapolate true success of people that hunted the tag and not just overall percentage of tags filled.

Where I live now they require all tags to be reported within a certain time after the season is closed and if you don't, your draw tag entries for the following season are thrown out. I am very supportive of that. I would imagine we would see a complete meltdown by about 50% of folks if NDGF implemented something like that. It would make the numbers more accurate/transparent and that would mean less to bitch about I suppose.
 

Dirty

★★★★★ Legendary Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2019
Posts
1,897
Likes
33
Points
181
Location
Bismarck
ND is way behind in this regard. Any other state that I've hunted in has required a hunter success report/survey. Some even do it through a personal phone call. Making it mandatory would rub some folks the wrong way I'm sure but I would definitely not be one of them...I am in favor. Every survey I have filled out has taken me less than two minutes. Anyone smart enough to remember the deadline for an application submission or the start date of a hunting season is smart enough to remember the deadline for a mandatory harvest report as well.
 


Recent Posts

Friends of NDA

Top Posters of the Month

  • This month: 161
  • This month: 136
  • This month: 121
  • This month: 110
  • This month: 105
  • This month: 87
  • This month: 84
  • This month: 79
  • This month: 76
  • This month: 76
Top Bottom