Submitted Photo The 2024 spring index for mule deer in the Badlands was 1% higher than 2023, but 4% below the long-term average. NDGF photo by Ashley Peterson.

Not to catch you off guard, but North Dakota deer season began at the end of August this year – if you’re an archery hunter, that is. Have I got your attention?

Not to scare you, but if the regular deer gun season has snuck up on you let’s get you up to speed.

2024 North Dakota deer gun season

Regular deer gun season opens at noon on Friday, Nov. 8, and runs through Sunday, Nov 24. If you drew a muzzleloader tag the season will open on Friday, Nov. 29, and run through Dec. 15. For 2024, the Game and Fish Department made available 50,100 licenses for deer gun season, a decrease of 3,300 from 2023. Looking back to last year, the statewide hunter success for the 2023 regular gun season was slightly higher than 2022 at 55%.

Hunter observation and harvest indices indicate deer populations are stable to decreasing with populations below objectives in most units.

Big game biologists were unable to conduct winter aerial surveys last winter due to lack of conditions required to effectively survey for white-tailed deer. Fortunately, last winter’s mild conditions, along with an early green-up in spring, boded well for deer. These conditions generally equate to increased overwinter survival, healthier deer coming out of winter, and improved fawn production.

Loss of quality habitat continues to be a challenge for deer. These losses limit the potential for population growth and ultimately lower carrying capacity. Effects of this are most apparent in the eastern third of the state where CRP losses have been the greatest.

Deer licenses for 2024

– Any antlered licenses decreased by 1,000.

– Any antlerless licenses decreased by 2,000.

– Antlered white-tailed deer licenses remained the same.

– Antlerless white-tailed deer licenses decreased by 300.

– 956 muzzleloader licenses were made available – 478 antlered white-tailed deer licenses and 478 antlerless white-tailed deer licenses. This is a decrease of 66 muzzleloader licenses from 2023.

– 337 nonresident any deer archery licenses were made available, down 525 from 2023. The number of nonresident any deer archery licenses will remain at 337 in 2025.

Chronic wasting disease update

A total of 11 deer tested positive for CWD in 2023, nine of those were harvested by hunters during the regular gun season. All deer testing positive for CWD came from units where the disease was previously detected. Units include 3A1 (three mule deer), 3A2 (one white-tailed deer), 3E1 (one mule deer and one white-tailed deer), 3E2 (two mule deer), and 3F2 (two mule deer and one white-tailed deer).

CWD surveillance for the 2024 season will primarily focus on units in the northeastern portion of the state. Hunters wishing to have their deer tested regardless of hunting unit may request a sampling kit from Game and Fish, visit a Game and Fish district office, or drop the head off at one of the department’s drop-off sites. Baiting restrictions will remain in place for hunting units 1, 3A1, 3A2, 3A3, 3A4, 3B1, 3C, 3D1, 3D2, 3E1, 3E2, 3F1, 3F2, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E and 4F.

Landowners interested in having more antlerless deer harvested are encouraged to call the Game and Fish and department personnel will direct the number of doe hunters that landowners are comfortable hosting.

Mule deer

Mule deer densities remained the same in 2024 compared to 2023 following record low fawn production in 2023, reduced harvest and a very mild winter in 2023-24. The 2024 spring index for mule deer in the badlands was 1% higher than 2023, but 4% below the long-term average.

Licenses remained the same as last year with 1,600 antlered licenses and 650 antlerless licenses available for the 2024 season. A mule deer buck license remains one of the most difficult licenses to draw but for those lucky few, it should result in a very high-quality hunt.

Hunter success for mule deer bucks was 80% in 2023.

There remain many challenges facing the future population recovery of mule deer in the badlands. Encroachment of juniper in mule deer habitat, direct and indirect habitat loss due to oil development, predators and weather, including extreme winters, are all challenges facing long-term population recovery of mule deer in the Badlands.