What a about getting a whitetail rifle tag in badlands where you usually hunt mulies ? Guessing you could draw every year or every other ? And bring your bow with for mulies at same time unless you’ve tagged out already
definitely worth the wait!
They were hit super hard with EHD last year. We only saw a handful of whitetail one was a buck he was a small 3x3.
that is for your specific unit im guessing?
I hope this is the case because I 100% agree it would help with big buck numbers and pressure. Right now there is nothing to combat archery hunters pressuring areas other than randomness. With how popular western hunting is now, it doesn't make sense to have zero limits in place to alleviate pressure in great areas for mule deer.
From reading the regs I would assume no. You can only use your bow during the gun season if you draw rifle.
Nope you are correct, I help a lot with MDF in ND and we get a statewide tag every year.
FYI There's more Mule deer Bucks and does killed with a rifle than a bow in ND. Rifle hunters account for about 50% more dead Mule Deer bucks than bow hunters.
Yes but it is controlled. Also how many of those are "trophy" bucks? From my anecdotal experience and viewing "bucks and bulls" overwhelming amount are dinks with the exception of Landowner tags/private access.
Impossible to know. A couple years ago, at the big buck contest in beulah, a vast majority of the big mule deer on display had two things in common. 1. they were taken on private land ( I knew this because I either knew the folks that killed it or I saw a gratis tag on the antler). 2 They were taken with a rifle (Again, tags were visible). Again, like your example, very anecdotal. But I would imagine there is some year to year variability. In general, I think anyone would tell you your odds of killing a big buck are better in November for most people (especially ND Road hunters). Considering we have over 6,000 rifle hunters in the badlands over our 16.5 day rifle season, with a nearly 80% success rate, I find it hard to believe that bow hunters have more of an impact on populations and antler size than rifle hunters.
Yes I can agree to an extent, I just don't see the harm in making bowhunters pick a unit. If nothing else to analyze and limit the amount of pressure/harvest in great areas. People aren't dumb, most guys congregate around 5-6 areas south of I94. I am just of the proponent of letting that rifle tag be really special at the expense of people bowhunting any weekend they feel like it.
I think theres a fairly good size portion of North Dakotans who agree with that sentiment. But, there's a lot that don't. In a landscape of shrinking opportunity, the question for North Dakotan's is, do we want to decrease the only real opportunity we have? Which is followed by a substrate of questions. Questions like, how many bow hunters is too many? How big of a deer is big enough to satisfy rifle hunters? Why are archers asked to make a sacrifice when rifle hunters take more deer off the landscape? Why is it okay for there to be 6k+ rifle hunters in the badlands over 16.5 days but not have a potentially similar amount of bow hunters spread out through the fall? Why should bowhunters have to sacrifice so rifle hunters can shoot bigger bucks?
God willing im still around then and this site is still around i cant wait to hear the story! I have seen some truly remarkable animals out there on public and a lot on private. If you got the entire season and the ability to get into some of these areas you stand a good chance. When we were there last fall the majority of the people we saw were within eyesight of their vehicles parked off the roads. Unsure how far you are coming from but i believe if there are leftover turkey tags nonresidents can apply. Normally in the fall there are some units that have a good number of turkey tags left. Not sure if they are in your area where you are applying for deer or not. BUT it is a great foot in the door with locals. In my experience when talking with landowners out there about turkeys all have said yes, and almost every single one had one stipulation and that was shoot as many as i can haha. But something to think about to start a conversation and build a relationship with the locals. A lot have lost faith in hunters for alot of good reasons and bad experiences.
