OFFICIAL 2026 Deer Gun Lottery

[Bed Wetter]

Haven’t been around here for a minute. Just helping a Hunters Ed instructor get set up for a class at work next week. Figured I’d get this year’s bitch session started.

Results should drop any day now. Who got skunked and whose fault is it? GO!!

 

[measure-it]

No faults....just the luck of the draw!

 

[Iwhackwheat]

A few family members missed the deadline. I guess there’s been some rule changes in the last few years. The youth tag deadline used to go into the fall. can’t remember for sure but it might have been right up until the youth season. Also in the past, you could get a doe only gratis tag after the deadline. That is no longer the case.

No excuses missing the deadline but I was hoping those old rules still applied.

 

[Downrigger]

I'm just sitting here waiting for my Gratis tag

Good luck guys! Hope you draw your unit and shoot a monster or stack up the freezer with meat sticks!

 

[luvcatchingbass]

A few family members missed the deadline. I guess there’s been some rule changes in the last few years. The youth tag deadline used to go into the fall. can’t remember for sure but it might have been right up until the youth season. Also in the past, you could get a doe only gratis tag after the deadline. That is no longer the case.

No excuses missing the deadline but I was hoping those old rules still applied.

My in-laws missed the deadline I think. Pretty sure when I put in the youth tags for my daughter's they still had it until later into the summer to apply for both of them

 

[Iwhackwheat]

My in-laws missed the deadline I think. Pretty sure when I put in the youth tags for my daughter's they still had it until later into the summer to apply for both of them

I messaged gnf about the gratis situation and got confirmation. I’ve scoured their site about the youth deadline change but can’t find anything. I know 4 years ago the deadline for youth was in the fall. Maybe I missed an article when these things changed.

 

[sweeney]

You used to be able to get the youth WT doe tag after deadline as well as the youth non draw unit any deer tag, it was available after the initial lottery was completed if you missed the deadline.

 

[NDSportsman]

You used to be able to get 5 tags too but times change!

 

[KDM]

I'll summarize.......Bitch, Gripe, Grumble, roll on the floor kicking feet, Whine, Bitch again, add some frustration, Swear a little, call mom, Moan, Gripe, Blame someone, Gripe some more, Pout, point a finger or two, Grumble, Bitch some more, Cry, Whine some more, Yell a bit, Stick out the bottom lip, Whine, set up therapy appointment, and finish up with stomping feet and kicking the wall.......and I didn't even apply for a tag.

 

[wslayer]

^^^^ agreed, nobody is ever happy if "they" didn't get a license. I feel fortunate, if I am lucky enough to draw. Wouldn't hurt my feelings one bit if they closed seasons for a couple yrs and only allowed youth under 18 to acquire a license. That goes for all gun, bow, muzzle, gratis. My .02¢

 

[Downrigger]

^^^^ agreed, nobody is ever happy if "they" didn't get a license. I feel fortunate, if I am lucky enough to draw. Wouldn't hurt my feelings one bit if they closed seasons for a couple yrs and only allowed youth under 18 to acquire a license. That goes for all gun, bow, muzzle, gratis. My .02¢

If I couldn't get a tag because they were doing Youth Only I'd be at the local bar finding a parent that needed a spot to go sit in my stands. Wouldn't bother me at all!

 

[Duckslayer100]

Well crap -- so you had to apply for the youth tag this year -- even antlerless??

I guess we're hunting MN this year.

 

[Kurtr]

Damn i didnt get a tag up there either

 

[Tymurrey]

I wish they would get results out soon. I have been waiting to apply for West River in SD. Their season runs a week longer than ours but not sure i want to be limited to just their last week.

 

[Kurtr]

I wish they would get results out soon. I have been waiting to apply for West River in SD. Their season runs a week longer than ours but not sure i want to be limited to just their last week.

Ya having the whole time to hunt would be good as the deer numbers are garbage im not even applying this year again

 

[Bed Wetter]

^^^^ agreed, nobody is ever happy if "they" didn't get a license. I feel fortunate, if I am lucky enough to draw. Wouldn't hurt my feelings one bit if they closed seasons for a couple yrs and only allowed youth under 18 to acquire a license. That goes for all gun, bow, muzzle, gratis. My .02¢

Problem is closing the season wouldn’t bring back habitat. Doug Leier did a pretty good job addressing this suggestion. There are some areas that would benefit, such as the Missouri River corridor, but we wouldn’t see a substantial increase statewide if we shut down hunting for 2-3 years.

 

[wslayer]

Problem is closing the season wouldn’t bring back habitat. Doug Leier did a pretty good job addressing this suggestion. There are some areas that would benefit, such as the Missouri River corridor, but we wouldn’t see a substantial increase statewide if we shut down hunting for 2-3 years.

I realize that is the #1 reason, but possibly taking another 25,000 deer out of circulation including bow season, certainly does help either.

 

[luvcatchingbass]

Problem is closing the season wouldn’t bring back habitat. Doug Leier did a pretty good job addressing this suggestion. There are some areas that would benefit, such as the Missouri River corridor, but we wouldn’t see a substantial increase statewide if we shut down hunting for 2-3 years.

Lets say that end of this year going into next year there is magically 10,000 acres of fine prime ready for animals to move in tomorrow habitat. How long will it take to put 1 deer per 20 acres on those 10,000 acres so 500 deer? The if you build it they will come doesn't always work the way we think it should.
If the deer numbers are already low and the habitat is not strained the animals have no reason to move if their home is at a sustainable carrying capacity. If the animal numbers are higher you will see a movement, not overnight, but it will be a little faster. So while I agree that habit is important there needs to be other X Factors looked at and these factors differ from area to area in the state.

 

[Callem'In]

I realize that is the #1 reason, but possibly taking another 25,000 deer out of circulation including bow season, certainly does help either.

Yes this is true, but can our lack of habitat support the deer numbers? I'm sure there are areas in the state that would thrive from a year or 2 of no tags, but others would have more disease, starvation, death from environment (lack of habitat, vehicle accidents, etc).

 

[wslayer]

Yes this is true, but can our lack of habitat support the deer numbers? I'm sure there are areas in the state that would thrive from a year or 2 of no tags, but others would have more disease, starvation, death from environment (lack of habitat, vehicle accidents, etc).

That is the unknown . . .