# Game and Fish to Hold Special Deer Season 111604



## BCougar (Sep 17, 2002)

It's not official yet until the Gov. signs it, but straight from the G&F website:

In an effort to encourage more white-tailed deer harvest in the state, the North Dakota Game and Fish Department will recommend to Governor John Hoeven that a special deer season be held in late December. This season will be for antlerless white-tailed deer only, and will be held statewide with the exception of several badlands units where whitetail deer populations are struggling to rebound from recent EHD disease outbreaks and remain below unit objectives.

So far this fall, the game and fish department has issued a record 139,000 deer licenses, already about 13,000 more than last year. However, as of November 15, more than 6,000 antlerless deer licenses were still available.

The supplemental season is scheduled for December 17 - 31, in all units except 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D and 4E. The season is open to those who purchase remaining licenses, and to hunters who have unfilled antlerless whitetail, or "any-antlerless" licenses from the regular deer gun season.

Hunters who have unfilled antlered (buck) deer licenses may not hunt in the supplemental season. As in the regular deer gun season, hunters must hunt only in the unit designated on their license.

"Some of these units have licenses remaining and others may be experiencing a lesser harvest due to a variety of reasons," said Randy Kreil, chief of the department's wildlife division. "We know we still might not issue all the remaining licenses and not everyone with a license will get a deer during the December season, but we needed to make an extra effort to provide additional opportunities for harvest."

The special season will also give landowners who may have experienced deer depredation problems in past winters, a chance to allow hunters to reduce deer numbers in localized areas, Kreil added.

The 2004 supplemental season marks only the third time in recent history that game and fish has added to the regular deer gun season. The last time was in 1996, primarily in the eastern part of the state, when a severe snowstorm during the second weekend of the season significantly limited travel and hunting activity. Prior to that, a supplemental season was held in 1986, also due to a significant snowstorm on opening weekend.

"This is a different set of circumstances, "Kreil said, "and hopefully we may never have to do it again. Deer numbers are above our management goals in some units. This supplemental season will help us get closer to those goals this year."

Following are additional supplemental season details.

*	Game and fish will issue remaining licenses to interested resident and nonresident hunters continuously through Dec. 31. These licenses can also be used by bow hunters during the bow season, and muzzle-loader hunters during the muzzle-loader season, but only in the unit assigned on the license. Licenses can be purchased at the game and fish department's Web site, at discovernd.com/gnf; in person at the game and fish Bismarck office; or by mail at the game and fish Bismarck office. People interested in these licenses should allow at least two days for processing and mailing.
*	Hunters who have unfilled licenses for antlerless whitetails, or any-antlerless deer, in the open units simply need to keep their unfilled license until the supplemental season.
*	Supplemental season licenses are the same price as regular season licenses -- $20 for residents and $55 for nonresidents.
*	Unsuccessful youth deer hunters and unsuccessful gratis license holders can participate in the special deer season, but may only harvest antlerless white-tailed deer.
*	Bow hunters are reminded that orange clothing requirement are in effect for the open units during the special deer season.
*	All other regular deer gun season rules and regulations apply to the special deer season.
*	For more information contact: Randy Kreil, ND Game and Fish Wildlife Chief, 701-328-6351 or Greg Link, ND Game and Fish Assistant Wildlife Chief, 701-328-6351


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## Niles Short (Mar 18, 2004)

good call but maybe a little to long. could put a little to much stress on them if the weather and other conditions are not great. Also maybe should have mentioned it after the season. This way people would still come out this weekend thus avoiding a clusterf.... with people getting shot and rolling pick-ups like other openers with to much confusion and people running around


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## Remmi_&amp;_I (Dec 2, 2003)

The extended season should be limited to those who actually WALK/STALK/STAND HUNT for their deer. Most people (I said most not all) that havn't filled their tags have been too busy driving around rather than walking. :eyeroll:


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## mallardhunter (May 15, 2004)

I hate people that do that. Once I had a guy drive up to me and said "hey hows it going...been seeing anything?" :eyeroll: They need to find a more eithical way of hunting.


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## SiouxperDave25 (Oct 6, 2002)

I think the extra season will provide more of a "shoot" than a hunt.  The does definately need to be thinned out. Here's a pic taken in my parent's front yard last winter.


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## smalls (Sep 9, 2003)

that just looks like fun dave. Can you say jalepeno cheddar sausage?


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## cootkiller (Oct 23, 2002)

Yup, that looks like my grandmas yard and the pridelands every year around the feb afternoons when the high reaches -20 degrees.

As for Remmi's comments, COME ON!
Not everyone is a bad to the bone outdoorsman like you and I  
The weekend warriors shouldn't be yelled at just because they don't leave the truck or in some cases CAN'T leave the truck.

Deer season is for everybody. A time for family to get together as a mid november holiday, now that holiday will be extended past thanksgiving right up to and through x-mas, just what we all wanted, more time together with family and friends to talk about and hear about our shortcomings and what we should be doing with our lives.
AWESOME! :lol: 
(I am just kidding, this was meant as sarcasm for those of you that have a hard time taking a joke. I love my family and friends and cherish the time I have with them, and of course, I HAVE no shortcomings so there is nothing to talk about there. uke: )

cootkiller


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## MossyMO (Feb 12, 2004)

It is approved !!!

http://www.in-forum.com/articles/index.cfm?id=75694


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## fishhook (Aug 29, 2002)

I don't like it at all....everyone should have been able to bag a doe if they would have wanted to. Weather was nice and deer are out there.

And quit picking on everyone you see driving vehicles. Everyone drives some. Lets see ya'll walk from you're house to where you are going to walk and then back.

The ones i have a problem with are those that park 600 yards away and watch while you push crp or what have you. Happened to me again last weekend and at the end we kicked up a fawn that couldn't have weighed over 65 lbs started running straight at these bafoons and these guys were blasting at it like it was a 30 pointer...and still missed. I started walking towards them to rip em apart and they backed up, turned around and got out of there...oh yeah it was posted land too.

Everyone does a little driving to scout, don't catagorize everyone by seeing them in a vehicle.


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

fishhook...I disagree...the standing sunflowers and corn has basically made for "refuges" for deer.I have sat next to flowers in the evenings...lots of deer that are unaccessable.Hopefully they will be combined by Dec. 19.


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## MOSSBACK (Jun 10, 2004)

I think it's a bad idea. We are just starting to recover from the last extended season debaucle.

If you can't shoot a deer in 16 1/2 days you must not take deer hunting very seriously.

The timing of the announcement of the extended season is also bad. Now no one will hunt this weekend the slobs will wait til it snows and it will be a turkey shoot.

Some bucks will be stressed and shed their antlers by the end of dec. and will get shot plus the bucks that will be poached by people that did not fill their buck tag in the first 16 1/2 days. let alone all the button bucks that will get shot which will add to the already huge problem of the buck doe ratio in ND.

You could have had a chance to fill your doe tag with muzzle loader or bow. but that would require getting out of the pick up.

Why oh why did'nt they announce it after the Muzzle loader season. then make the decission.

Now the deer will be harrassed for two months and be stressed for the winter.

Plus people that enjoy late season archery hunting will now have to contend with people driving around making pot shots at deer making them more nocturnal and skittish.

It's a slap in the face for people who take vacaton plan their hunts in advance and spend most of their time hunting not driving.

And it's a huge advantage for the slobs that never get out of the pick up.
the more I think about it the more it pi$$es me off.

It seems to me the G&F is more concered about selling those last 6,000 tags rather than use sound managment for the herd.


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## Goosepride (Sep 29, 2003)

I don't think the NDGF would do this unless they thought it was in the best interest for the deer. I think their decision is just fine. I haven't seen many deer, plain and simple, and what Ken W says is right on.


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## cootkiller (Oct 23, 2002)

MOSSBACK,
As a US citizen you are entitled to your opinion, and I am entitled to mine so-----YOU ARE WRONG! he he he.

I don't think that we ever needed to 'recover' from the extended season of 96.
I have never seen a year since I have been alive that there weren't ample deer out there. This year they are at an all time high and I do not wish to see the hundreds of starving deer that I did last year in Feb. and april.
That was wanton waste laying on the highways if you ask me.
Kudos to the Game and Fish and the Governor for doing something right once in a while.

cootkiller


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## DJRooster (Nov 4, 2002)

Great idea! Way to many deer!!! GFD knows their stuff! Wouldn't trade ours for any others!


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## buckseye (Dec 8, 2003)

I'm with MOSSBACK, not a good idea. Besides all the things he listed there is the fact that many deer died last winter and the stress of the long winter caused many of the does to abort their fetus. I have been seeing roughly one in four does that have any young at all, mostly singles on the ones that did birth a fawn. That is in the area of the state I live in and there could very well be to many deer in other areas yet.



> If you can't shoot a deer in 16 1/2 days you must not take deer hunting very seriously


.

That really says it all for me.


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## MOSSBACK (Jun 10, 2004)

cootkiller said:


> I don't think that we ever needed to 'recover' from the extended season of 96.


Maybe you did'nt need to recover in the area you hunt but the area I hunt alot of bucks that had shed their horns in Dec. got shot because people thought they were 200 lb does. the deer numbers were decimated and if we shot the number of tags that were available in 97 and 98 from the G&F the deer would have been wiped out completely.

In the last two years I have finally started seeing some decent bucks that will have potential in the area I hunt and I think the numbers are fine it's nice to go out and hunt and be able to see some deer.

There are pockets in some units that get way over hunted. The river bottoms and woodland with good cover have abundant deer but can also hold more deer because of shelter and food.

If people get skunked one year good for the deer.


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## Eric Hustad (Feb 25, 2002)

We hunt 2G1 and there was corn up everywhere so you had to push the grasslands which we did. Then last weekend we went back and pushed the area again and didn't see any deer. I can honestly say there needs to be an extended season since you can't hunt miles and miles of standing corn. The deer seemed to have been pushed from the grasslands to corn so now what?? This had to be done in areas where crops are still up....


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## Dan Bueide (Jul 1, 2002)

There are areas where I watefowl hunt that you need three eyes. One in the sky, one on the road and one in the ditch to watch for deer. It's like an obstical course some places out there in the low light hours. I live with it 15 or less days of the year. Locals live with it 365 days.

Moss, as to those bucks that got mistaken for does and were shot in '96, how many more bucks that didn't get shot died in the harsh conditions of that winter after using up most of their reserves chasing tail? They shed early that year for a reason - they were already in tough shape and things were only about to get much worse. Not taking any shots here, just something else to consider.

There are many and often conflicting interests to deal with in these decisions. I trust that G&F has (again) weighed them properly and done the right thing here.


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## DJRooster (Nov 4, 2002)

I had forgot about all the snow in the Northwestern part of the state(early and tons of it) because living in the SE we never had more than about six inches and most of time there was little or none. This shows you how hard it is to manage game in our state because of a variety of conditions at any one time. Thanks for the reminder but in this area we need to harvest as many deer as possible. Doe's only is a great idea!


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## smalls (Sep 9, 2003)

Holy crap, lucifer must have a parka on, I agree with cootkiller!

Mossback, to assume that anyone can just pickup a bow or muzzleloader to hunt after rifle season is ridiculous. To judge them on that fact is foolish.

You must remember that although the season is 16 1/2 days, many people can only hunt 1 or 2. These people may not be you or I, but there are plenty of them, and they are no less hunters than you or I. If they hunted opening weekend, they may have seen some awfully hard hunting in finding deer. I have hunted the same land since I could walk, and we had a horrible time finding deer. Places that usually hold 20+ deer only held 2 or 3 this year...

It is also pretty presumptious to assume that no one will hunt this weekend, that is a copout your trying to use to oppose the season. We have to many deer, I am sick of hitting them with my vehicle.

And to be worried about stress? I would be much more worried about too many deer on winter feed lots spreading EHD or CWD, which would be far more devastating than the stress that december hunting will cause.


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## cootkiller (Oct 23, 2002)

ow! ow! ow! OW!

This hurts, smalls and I agree.  
I am always amazed at how the outdoors can bring people so different together.
I guess I knew it would happen someday.

Another note. A teacher friend of mine was going to montana last weekend as we had a four day weekend and on the west side of leeds he hit a doe that caused $3800 in damage. The doe ran away. The HP on the scene told the driver that that was the second deer hit that morning in a ten mile stretch west of leeds and that from DL to Leeds there are two or three a night, that is a problem. Plus some of these deer are wandering away injured, sometimes fatally sometimes not. 
I think a reduction of the herd is in order.

If it makes you feel any better MOSSBACK you could always try a one man boycott of the season. Let me know what kind of turnout you get at your protest. :withstupid:

cootkiller


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## smalls (Sep 9, 2003)

cootkiller said:


> If it makes you feel any better MOSSBACK you could always try a one man boycott of the season. Let me know what kind of turnout you get at your protest. :withstupid:
> 
> cootkiller












Here are some protest ideas to get you started...


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## njsimonson (Sep 24, 2002)

Dude! I'm gonna need a new Dell! I just spit coffee on the keyboard seeing the "protest" posts! LOL HAHAHAHA!!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:

Mossback - When you show me your certification as a G&F biologist, I'll take your opinion on the situation seriously! Same goes for the other naysayers on this second season. 
Furthermore, you are in the VC area!!! Have you driven on the roads at night around here between the lake, town, Kathryn, Tower City and Sanborn?!?! The number of roadside deer at night is ridiculous. You can't tell me you don't think they pose a danger just because of the sheer numbers around here, can you?!?!


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## MOSSBACK (Jun 10, 2004)

Thats funny stuff guys  I won't need to participate in the extended season 16 1/2 days are plenty or 4 which is how many it took me to get my biggest buck ever and three does.

Kill em all boys kill em all!!!! :sniper: :sniper: :sniper:


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## MOSSBACK (Jun 10, 2004)

njsimonson said:


> Mossback Furthermore, you are in the VC area!!! Have you driven on the roads at night around here between the lake, town, Kathryn, Tower City and Sanborn?!?! The number of roadside deer at night is ridiculous. You can't tell me you don't think they pose a danger just because of the sheer numbers around here, can you?!?!


Nick theye are getting them wittlled down in the Sanborn area. HE HE HE. maybe they can get some of the meat from the poached deer and give it out to the unsuccessful people that could'nt shoot a deer in the regular season.


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## buckseye (Dec 8, 2003)

If you can't get a doe in 16.5 days you must not have been out. I don't think we need state laws and rules changed for people who don't care enuff to even try.

It's been mentioned and not by a proffessional that we have different weather in different parts of this great state and to be blind to that will cause you to make alot of bad choices.

And the dang refuge has to many standing trees, gosh that makes it hard to see the deer. We need to extend the refuge season every year to make it easy, or chop down all the trees. These row crops are just man made forests and we deal with real forests every year without complaining.

If access is the problem extending the season will not help.


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## cootkiller (Oct 23, 2002)

Hold on here, back that truck up. Don't go and put the access tag on this one because that has absolutley NOTHING to do with it.

Those of you that disagree with the extended season, fine, boycott it, let the rest of us have our extended holiday season and lets be done with it.

Deer numbers are too high and with weather and crop conditions the numbers weren't brought down like the game and fish wanted.
Maybe in some SMALL parts of the state the whitetail population isn't as out of control as others but up here alls you have to do is drive from Devils Lake to maza every weekend morning during waterfowl season to see that there are too many deer out there. Diffferent deer every morning splattered on the highway. A crying shame. And they all weren't little does and button bucks, some good bucks get hit too.

cootkiller


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## Remmi_&amp;_I (Dec 2, 2003)

cootkiller said:


> Hold on here, back that truck up. Don't go and put the access tag on this one because that has absolutley NOTHING to do with it.


This is true! We called a farmer/rancher last night that has NEVER allowed us to hunt deer (and we have asked many times) and he said yes this time. We actually had a great conversation with him and found out he tries to be a "trophy" buck hunter and once he is done, hunting is generally permitted!

Knock on some doors and you WILL (not may) be suprised by your success rate!


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## Maverick (Mar 4, 2002)

I got to agree the extra season is there to keep the#'s in check. With the amount of corn up, they are all livin the good life in there. Think of the numbers there would be if we didn't have one. Hard winter and there would be carnage everywhere.

I gotta go with smalls and CK on this. It's only for the best interests of the rising # of deer. Not the deer hunters.


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## djleye (Nov 14, 2002)

I can't imagine how this could be a bad thing!!!


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

I have to agree...the positives outweigh the negatives.The only negative I see is that bowhunters must wear orange during that 2 weeks.

As stated above...I trust our GNF to make the right decision.


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

All I have to say about this is go for the fawns. The guys who want nice big does are going to kill mature bucks that have shed. I know most of the shedding occurs in January, but a good percentage began mid December. I like the Game and Fish, but they goofed this one. If they can drop the price to $50 for nonresident they can drop it to $5 for resident. If they want to run it to the end of December they should make it archery only. At least when a deer is that close you can see the scar area on the head where they have shed their antlers. At $5 a pop archers will take out does. Perhaps a better idea is to simply make it a primitive season. If you go out target the little deer, at least if you kill a buck then it will not be a mature stressed breeding buck that shed early.

The other problem is archers will have to wear orange for the rest of the year.

Oh, by the way I do have an archery license but have not had time to hunt. I do not have time for a second archery license so this in no way woud benefit me. It is simply the safest way I see to reduce the herd without killing mature bucks.


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## Niles Short (Mar 18, 2004)

people that did not get their tags filled do one of two things. They either never left the house or never got out of their truck


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## farmerj (Jun 19, 2004)

Niles Short said:


> people that did not get their tags filled do one of two things. They either never left the house or never got out of their truck


That hurts. We walked, we worked the river bottoms, My wife sprained her ankle on a river bottom and we had to make our way out almost a mile back to the truck with her on a bum ankle.

I didn't get my deer because I was more worried about HER and HER SISTER getting their first ever deer.

I also took the time and shared what I new of an area that resulted in another board member getting a beautiful 8 point buck on the final Sunday.

It was tough out this year. I have spoken with more people who experienced the same frustration, than the successfull hunters and they are happy to see another try in December

Nice blanket statement about the outdoors(wo)man you share the woods with.


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## redlabel (Mar 7, 2002)

Niles Short said:


> people that did not get their tags filled do one of two things. They either never left the house or never got out of their truck


That's not necessarily true. We got our bucks on opening weekend and had planned to fill our gratis doe tags on the last weekend. With the extra time available in December for deer hunting we decided to spend the weekend duck and goose hunting. We had a lot of fun and a good time on what ended up being the final weekend for waterfowl.

There's no reason for anyone to get their shorts in a bunch over the extended season.


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## Niles Short (Mar 18, 2004)

easy now ...lets change that many or most people. I was refering to the to so called sportsman that put on a couple hundred miles a day on the gravel roads-then shoot fromt he roads or car and never check on what they hit. The ones that have a liquid lunch at the bar or cant see because of a hangover, or get right in your line of fire while you are walking a slough bottom....Sorry about your wife. I hunt exclusively by myself and passed 14 bucks and took 3 does the furthest buck being 150 yards. Nothing burns be more than these fatazzes circling a section like Indians on a stage coach Then once a hour get out and throw a couple of hail Marys' then get back in their truck and open another twinke. 
I have found 3 dead bucks within 200 yards of the road, in the last 4 years that had no blood trail more than 25 feet. there definitly is not enough law enforcement


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## headhunter (Oct 10, 2002)

The g/f should have only had this "extended roadhunter season" in certain units, not ALL of ND.......As I've said before, not ALL ND units are busting at the seems with whitetails........my unit has the fewest amount of deer in it I've ever seen in my life.........so if this is a "management" scheme.....it sure is a dumb one for my unit....they should CLOSE the season in my unit for a year so numbers can rebuild and we can take a bad winter without loosing so many old bucks and yearling fawns.....Talk about a bunch of crap. :eyeroll:


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## redlabel (Mar 7, 2002)

headhunter said:


> The g/f should have only had this "extended roadhunter season" in certain units, not ALL of ND.......


That's exactly what they did.


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## dakotashooter2 (Oct 31, 2003)

I'm not sure I agree with the idea that many bucks are going to be shot as does. Up to now we have had above normal temps and no snow. The deer I have seen up until the last week been bedded on the SHADY side of the hills and have no trouble finding food. Not too harsh if you ask me. Granted the bucks get run down from breeding but with weather the way it has been they are still in fine shape. As a matter of fact, the deer have had 6 or 7 pretty easy winters many of those having above normal conditions well into the new year. It has been noticable too. I have done a considerable amount of bowhunting until the end of season and coyote hunting after that and have seen very few bucks that have dropped their antlers even prior to mid January as nice as the weather has been. I have seen many bucks with racks well into February and the latest I saw was a very large 8 or 9 point near the end of March about 5 years ago. Even the winter of 96-97 I hunted in waist deep snow and saw a lot of racks after Christmas. I'm not saying no bucks will be taken, just that I think that given the current weather trends assuming a majority of the bucks will lose their racks before the end of the year is being a bit presumptuous. The hunter pressure seemed to be pretty light after opening weekend and I expect it will be even lighter for this late season. Unfortunately I expect the biggest pressure will be seen driving up and down the roads.


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## MOSSBACK (Jun 10, 2004)

redlabel said:


> There's no reason for anyone to get their shorts in a bunch over the extended season.


No reason? talk about your broad statements. How about a few slobs that are going to poach bucks that did or did not fill their buck tag in the regular season.

Bucks will get shot that have already dropped their horns

Areas where the remaining deer left will all be concentrated on one food source and local deer numbers will be decimated

Late season bow hunters really get a raw deal.

Early Nov. to the end of Dec. is way too long to be hunting deer with gun and muzzle loaders.


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

Mossback....reread what you just said and then talk about broad statements.

The only one that isn't is the bow hunters.

I love it that our GNF is letting those of us that want to...to be able to hunt as much as possible.


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## frosty (Dec 6, 2002)

Why aren't Fish and Game allowing people to shoot does if they have an unfilled buck tag from regular season?


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## SiouxperDave25 (Oct 6, 2002)

frosty said:


> Why aren't Fish and Game allowing people to shoot does if they have an unfilled buck tag from regular season?


$$$$$$$$$$.


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## 870 XPRS (Mar 12, 2003)

10 dollar signs and a period? I don't get it.


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## smalls (Sep 9, 2003)

870, my student, you of all people know that is the international internet symbol for "I'm going to the strippers tonight...period!"

SiouxperD probably just got a little excited and decided to start posting it in random threads...so Dave, Shelly it is? :lol: I like to give them the 2 dollar bills (tricks them into thinking they are fives) :wink:


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## Remmi_&amp;_I (Dec 2, 2003)

smalls said:


> :lol: I like to give them the 2 dollar bills (tricks them into thinking they are fives) :wink:


 :rollin:


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## Remmi_&amp;_I (Dec 2, 2003)

I really need to remember that little trick


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## dakotashooter2 (Oct 31, 2003)

If I recall the G&F has been there done that on filling buck tags with a doe. I recall there may have been some complications. The other reason could be that there are STILL doe tags available. Maybe they are hoping hunters with unfilled buck tags will buy tags in zones they don't normally hunt.


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## lake 17 (Sep 25, 2004)

Answer from the Game and Fish news letter

Why can't hunters who didn't fill a buck tag during the regular season, use the license to take a doe during the special season?

Game and Fish considered this, but decided against it for three reasons. (1) The Department did this once before and in some units more does were killed than expected, which resulted in a depressed deer population for several years, which made people unhappy. The Department has no way of knowing the number of hunters who would use this option, and it could lead to overharvest of does in some situations. (2) If a person really wanted to shoot a doe, there were plenty of antlerless licenses available after the first lottery and a person could have picked up one of those with no problem; and (3) we already have a problem with more than 80 percent of all first applications being for bucks. If Game and Fish allows people to convert buck licenses, the number of people applying for does in the first lottery will decline. The result would be reduced chances for drawing a buck license in the lottery.


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