Deer hunting season in North Dakota 2026-27 starts with bows on September 4 and ends with bows on January 3, but the part most hunters care about is the 17-day gun season from November 6 through November 22. It is also a lottery season, which makes timing a different problem than in most states.
The state’s licensing is tighter than it has been in decades. North Dakota’s 2026 deer season has 39,100 licenses available, down 3,200 from last year and the lowest total in over a half century. This article covers dates, license types, unit rules, access, CWD requirements, and the best times to be in the field.
Deer Hunting Season Dates in North Dakota 2026-27
North Dakota runs four deer seasons, and the 2026-2027 Deer Hunting Proclamation from the Game and Fish Department is the controlling document. Dates below match the figures published by the department and repeated by season trackers.
| Season | Opens | Closes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deer Bow | September 4, 2026 | January 3, 2027 | Statewide |
| Youth Deer | September 18, 2026 | September 27, 2026 | Statewide |
| Deer Gun | November 6, 2026 | November 22, 2026 | Lottery licenses, unit-specific |
| Muzzleloader | November 27, 2026 | December 13, 2026 | White-tailed deer only |
The state’s season announcement confirms the gun season opens November 6 and continues through November 22. Both the youth and muzzleloader seasons open at noon central time.
Pro Tip: Today is November 5, 2026, so the gun opener is tomorrow. If you hold a gun license, check your unit and deer type printed on the license before you leave the house.
For a broader look at state rules beyond deer, see our North Dakota hunting laws overview.
Archery and Crossbow Deer Season in North Dakota
Archery is the longest window you get. Archery runs September 4 through January 3 and works statewide. That is roughly four months of opportunity, and it is the most realistic route to a tag for many nonresidents.
Residents get the most flexibility. Resident bow hunters may take any deer, with no unit restrictions. Nonresidents are restricted to the species of deer described on their license, also with no unit restrictions.
Nonresident bow hunters face a hard cap and an access rule. Only 240 nonresident any-deer archery licenses exist for 2026, down 60, and nonresidents may only hunt private land, excluding PLOTS acres, during the first 9 1/2 days of the bow season.
The department also flagged a possible change ahead. It will keep working with stakeholders on measures including limiting adult archery tags to antlered only in the upcoming seasons. Our bow hunting laws in North Dakota page covers equipment rules in more detail.
Muzzleloader Deer Season in North Dakota
The muzzleloader season is a short late-fall window with fewer hunters and less pressure. It is restricted to white-tailed deer only, and to the type of deer described on your license. It runs November 27 through December 13, 2026.
Licenses are scarce. A total of 750 muzzleloader licenses will be available in 2026, 56 fewer than last year. Orange clothing is required.
Muzzleloader hunters pick up where gun season leaves off. Deer are warier by then, so expect to put in more time glassing field edges and shelterbelts than you would in early November.
Firearm Deer Season in North Dakota (Rifle and Shotgun)
Gun season is November 6 through November 22, and it is lottery only. For the 2026 Deer Gun season, 39,100 licenses, including gratis licenses, will be issued. The application deadline passed on June 3, 2026.
North Dakota’s own department notes that Deer Gun, Youth Deer, Muzzleloader and Deer Bow hunters will have their license number printed on their certificate. That printed license also controls what you can shoot.
Some units carry a first-days restriction. White-tailed deer license holders for units 4B and 4C must hunt in their assigned unit for the first 2½ days, November 6-8, 2026. The same applies to units 4D and 4E.
Centerfire rifles are barred in a few places. DeerSeason.org’s summary lists select zones near Bismarck, Mandan, Devils Lake (Six Mile Bay), and posted wildlife management areas, so read the proclamation for your unit before you load up.
Key Insight: All 2026 deer gun licenses have been sold, according to the Game and Fish deer hunting page’s search listing. If you do not hold one, your remaining 2026 options are bow, or a leftover license if the department posts any.
Youth and Disabled Hunter Deer Seasons in North Dakota
The youth deer season runs September 18 (noon) through September 27, 2026, statewide. It gives young hunters time in the field before the general seasons start.
Age sets what is legal. 11-, 12- and 13-year-olds may take any antlerless deer. 14- and 15-year-olds may take any deer. The state’s 2026 deer hunting guide lists the exact eligibility and prior-license conditions.
For hunters with disabilities, the Game and Fish Department handles accommodations through its licensing office rather than a separate calendar season. Contact the department directly at 701-328-6300 before applying so your license and any permit are matched to your situation.
Antlerless, Late and Holiday Deer Seasons in North Dakota
Antlerless opportunity shrank this year. Antlerless deer gun licenses are not available in several units. A formal amendment went further: antlerless white-tailed deer licenses in select hunting units are being withdrawn from the 2026-2027 season.
The department’s reasoning is herd recovery. The spring mule deer survey showed western North Dakota’s population is 31% higher than last year, attributed to high over-winter survival. Conservative license allocations remain to support continued population rebound.
North Dakota does not run a separate holiday deer season. Your late options are muzzleloader through December 13 and bow through January 3, both inside the main framework.
Special herd-reduction bow licenses exist for restricted areas. Hunters must obtain an access permission permit from the base, then purchase a Special Deer-Bow Herd Reduction license online from the Game and Fish Department.
North Dakota Deer Hunting Zones, Units and Counties
Gun and muzzleloader licenses are tied to hunting units, so the unit map is as important as the date. The proclamation lists each management unit and hunting unit, along with deer types A through F for each.
- Type A: any antlered deer, either species
- Type B: any antlerless deer, either species
- Type C: antlered white-tailed deer
- Type D: antlerless white-tailed deer
- Type E: antlered mule deer
- Type F: antlerless mule deer
Those type definitions come straight from the Game and Fish proclamation table. Bow licenses, by contrast, have no unit restrictions.
Because county lines do not match hunting unit boundaries, use the department’s unit map instead of guessing by county. Our hunting license requirements guide explains how licenses connect to units.
Deer Bag Limits in North Dakota
The basic rule is one deer per license. Your license defines the species and sex of that deer, and tags are not interchangeable.
Bow hunting has its own limits. The state deer guide says resident deer bow license holders may take and possess one deer, with separate wording for herd reduction areas. Nonresident bow license holders also may take and possess one deer, within the species on their license.
Two points to watch:
- Only one regular bow license is allowed per hunter per year, per DeerSeason.org’s summary of the proclamation.
- Licenses cannot be transferred, gifted, bartered, or sold.
Antler Point Restrictions and Buck Rules in North Dakota
North Dakota does not use a statewide minimum antler point rule. The definition that matters is simpler: any deer with at least one visible antler is considered an antlered deer.
Your license decides the rest. A Type C license covers antlered white-tailed deer, and a Type E covers antlered mule deer. Shooting a doe or the wrong species on a restricted license is a violation, no matter how small the antlers are.
Check the proclamation each year, since the department has signaled possible antler-related changes to archery tags. If you hunt with a youth, remember the age rules above control what is legal, not antler size.
Deer Hunting License, Tag and Permit Requirements in North Dakota
Every deer hunter needs a valid license, and the license number is printed on your certificate. Applications for gun, gratis, youth and muzzleloader licenses closed June 3, 2026, and applications are made online at gf.nd.gov.
Fees depend on residency. A hunting guide site lists the 2026 deer gun license at $35.00 for residents and $355.00 for nonresidents, but confirm the fee on the department’s licensing page when you buy.
You also need to meet general hunter requirements, such as hunter education for younger hunters. Our full license requirements article covers those prerequisites, and the Game and Fish office can confirm anything unusual for your situation.
Nonresident Deer Hunting in North Dakota
Nonresidents can hunt deer, but only through bow or a drawn license. The pool is small. There are only 240 nonresident any-deer archery licenses for 2026.
Timing rules limit where you can go. Nonresident bow hunters are confined to private land for the first 9½ days of archery season, and PLOTS acres are excluded unless you are the enrolled landowner.
A second statewide restriction hits nonresidents in October. Under N.D.C.C. 20.1-08-04.9, nonresidents are prohibited from hunting October 10 through October 16, 2026 on Game and Fish wildlife management areas or PLOTS areas. That week falls between the bow and gun seasons, but it still affects any nonresident planning a bow trip.
If you are also planning small game on the trip, our pheasant hunting season guide can help you build a longer itinerary.
Where to Hunt Deer in North Dakota: Public and Private Land
North Dakota is mostly private land, so permission matters. Public options include Game and Fish wildlife management areas and PLOTS (Private Land Open To Sportsmen) acres, which are leased from landowners and open to hunters.
Know the rules for each. Baiting is illegal on WMAs: it shall be unlawful to hunt big game over bait or place bait on any Game and Fish Department Wildlife Management Areas. Standing crops and established food plots are not treated as bait.
Read land signs before you step out. Landowners can post their land, and a nonresident’s rights on PLOTS and WMAs change during the October closure and the early bow period.
For a hunter planning multiple seasons, our turkey hunting season article covers how public land access differs in spring.
Hunting Deer on Your Own Property in North Dakota
Landowner status does not exempt you from licensing. You still need the proper deer license, and gun and muzzleloader licenses still come from the lottery unless you receive a gratis license through the landowner program, which the department says is included in the total of 39,100.
The department uses the word gratis for the license category tied to qualifying landowners, and the application deadline for gratis was the same June 3 date. Ask Game and Fish about eligibility if you farm or own acreage in a unit.
Property owners should also keep in mind the feeding rules. Our article on feeding deer in North Dakota explains why that matters before and during hunting season.
Blaze Orange, Shooting Hours and Legal Methods in North Dakota
Orange is mandatory in the firearm seasons. DeerSeason.org’s summary says blaze orange is required during gun, muzzleloader, and youth seasons for licensed hunters and non-licensee companions of apprentice and youth license holders. The Game and Fish summary of changes also states that orange clothing is required for muzzleloader.
Shooting hours follow the department’s published rules for big game, which begin at one-half hour before sunrise and end at one-half hour after sunset in the proclamation’s general provisions. Read them in the full proclamation before opening day.
Legal methods vary by season:
- Bow: archery equipment, statewide, with no unit limits
- Gun: rifle or shotgun, with centerfire rifles banned in some posted zones
- Muzzleloader: legal muzzleloading firearms, whitetail only
You must also make a reasonable effort to recover any wounded animal. The guide prohibits leaving big game without making a reasonable effort to retrieve it. For more on equipment rules, see our bow hunting laws page.
Sunday Deer Hunting in North Dakota
North Dakota does not have a statewide Sunday hunting ban for deer. The dates in the proclamation are continuous, so Sundays within the bow, youth, gun, and muzzleloader windows are open days, including Sunday, November 8 and Sunday, November 22 during gun season.
The only caveat is the unit restriction for some white-tailed licenses, which keeps hunters in their assigned unit through November 8. That rule applies on a Sunday exactly as it does on any other day.
Private landowners can still set their own policies, so ask first.
Chronic Wasting Disease Rules for Deer Hunters in North Dakota
North Dakota’s 2026-2027 CWD Proclamation restricts baiting and carcass imports. It is a precaution against the spread of CWD, and it applies to every hunter.
The import rule is the one that catches people. It is unlawful to transport into North Dakota the whole carcass or carcass parts of white-tailed deer, mule deer, moose, elk, or other cervids harvested outside the state, except specified lower-risk portions. Heads submitted for testing and carcasses taken to licensed processors or taxidermists are among the exceptions.
Dakota Edge reported in September 2026 that bait includes grain, salt, minerals, fruit, vegetables, hay and naturally derived scents or lures, including deer urine products. Hunters who want their deer tested can request a sampling kit from the department.
The penalty is modest but real. Violations are noncriminal with a fee of $200.
Important Note: If you hunt in South Dakota or another state and drive home with your deer, check the allowed lower-risk parts list in the CWD proclamation before crossing the border. Our South Dakota hunting content can help you plan cross-border trips.
Deer Harvest Reporting, Tagging and Transport in North Dakota
Your license number is printed on the certificate, which you carry in paper or electronic form and show to a game warden on request. Tag your deer according to the instructions printed on your license before you move it.
Inside the state, you can transport your harvest freely, with one exception: carcass waste leaving the state, and disposal of waste from taxidermy or processing, falls under the CWD proclamation. Taxidermists and game processors who accept intact North Dakota carcasses take on the disposal requirements.
Edible flesh must be kept. The guide defines it as both front quarters, both hind quarters and the other portions listed there, so do not leave the meat behind in the field.
Confirm any current harvest reporting or survey requirement in the proclamation, since the department adjusts these between years. Our coyote hunting laws article is a useful companion if you plan to predator hunt on the same trip.
Best Time to Hunt Deer in North Dakota
If you have a gun license, the answer is simple: the opener, November 6, and the first weekend, November 7-8. Rut-driven movement and a full-length season make the 17 days your prime window.
For bowhunters, the choice depends on your goal. Early September gives you pattern-able bean-field deer in warm weather, while late October through mid-November puts you in the rut and often the best bucks.
- Early bow (Sept 4 on): less pressure, but warm weather and thick cover
- Pre-rut and rut (late October to mid-November): peak buck movement
- Muzzleloader (Nov 27 to Dec 13): lower pressure, whitetail only
- Late bow (to Jan 3): cold, concentrated deer near food
HuntingLocator’s season guide points out that early season means deer haven’t been pressured yet, but you’ll deal with warm weather and thick cover. That is a fair read of the first weeks of September.
Whatever season you choose, have your license, a tested plan for recovering the deer, and the latest proclamation open on your phone. For more on regional hunting calendars, browse our dove season and duck hunting laws pages.