A total of 47,590 North Dakota deer hunters took approximately 25,093 deer during the 2022 deer gun hunting season, according to a post-season survey.
Game and Fish made available 64,200 deer gun licenses last year. Overall hunter success was 53%, with each hunter spending an average of 4.4 days in the field.
“The lower success was due, in part, to deteriorating weather conditions during the beginning of the season,” said Casey Anderson, wildlife chief. “We were met with high winds immediately followed by blizzard conditions, producing measurable snow amounts and below normal temperatures for most of the season.”
Hunter success for antlered white-tailed deer was 43% and 40% for antlerless whitetails.
Mule deer buck success was 64% and 70% for antlerless mule deer.
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 54%, while doe hunters had a success rate of 56%.
Game and Fish issued 10,822 gratis licenses in 2022, and 8,301 hunters harvested 3,578 deer for a success rate of 43%.
A total of 1,168 muzzleloader licenses were issued and 1,018 hunters harvested 461 white-tailed deer (223 antlered, 238 antlerless). Hunter success was 45%.
A total of 27,720 archery licenses (24,414 resident, 3,306 nonresident) were issued in 2022. In total, 22,985 bowhunters harvested 7,780 deer (6,491 whitetails, 1,289 mule deer) for a success rate of 34%.
The department is in the process of determining recommendations for licenses in 2023. 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.