# is it worth it?



## swampbuck62 (Oct 25, 2013)

First off HOWDY ! :beer: 
This my first post here but have a serious question.. My wife just finished getting her masters in Biz with a minor in Cyber something or another I really don't know... She has been shooting resumes and applications all over the place trying to find another job..She recently sent one to a company in NoDAK not sure where..

OK first a statement and then a question.

I deer hunt, I deer hunt a lot like over 100 days a year where we live now. I am a hardcore deer [Bow]hunter and normally take 4 to 5 deer a year our family loves venison.. I mainly bow hunt even during the rifle season[it's legal here].. I see that NoDAK is a LOTTO state even for residents and the deer density is very low nothing like the 20 to 40 deer per square mile we have here..

Question..

Is it worth for a hardcore hunter who loves to bow hunt and fill his freezer every year to even consider NoDAK as a new home? When I say fill the freezer I mean mainly with doe meat . I have a self imposed 120" on bucks but do manage to kill at least one buck a year.

I have actually told her to focus on IL,ID,OH,KY,KS,IA etc you get the picture.. And would not be apposed to staying put..


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## rasmusse (Oct 24, 2006)

You didn't say what part of North Dakota you are considering and that makes a bit of a difference. Deer numbers are down pretty much across the state because of weather and very liberal management in past years. However, in local areas there can be a lot of deer. Fargo has an "urban archery hunt" to try and trim the population in the city. (This is a special permit and not OTC.)

ND deer tend to be on the large size, I have received over 110# of venison back from the processor, so it does not take 4-5 deer to fill an ordinary freezer.

Last time I checked an archery deer license could be bought "over the counter"; a gun license is issued via lottery.

So, while the deer population in North Dakota is not as high as it was only a few years ago, there are still plenty of deer available.


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## swampbuck62 (Oct 25, 2013)

location? that is a good question, and I need to ask her... I will find out but I assume it will be Fargo or Bismark... We would also buy land somewhere between 200 and 500ac depending on going rates in those areas.


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## huntin1 (Nov 14, 2003)

Deer density tends to fluctuate in ND. Archery license can be bought otc, though you have to do so through the Game and Fish website now. Rifle and muzzleloader are on a lottery system. After the initial lottery, if you draw a tag, you can apply for the tags that are left over, depending on availability. Not too many years ago it was pretty easy to get several doe tags during the rifle lottery after they held the first draw. These additional doe tags could be used during the archery season, with archery equipment. The only issue is that the state is divided into deer units, and any lottery tag that is issued has to be used in the unit that it was issued for. The unit that you normally hunt may, or may not have additional tags. This year, with numbers being low, there were not a lot of doe tags left over. I think the deer numbers will come back up and we will again see multiple tags available.

The otc archery tag is good for any deer, anywhere in the state.

huntin1


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## swampbuck62 (Oct 25, 2013)

thanks for the info...now we wait and see what happens...


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## KurtR (May 3, 2008)

We have a few deer is SoDak between me and my wife we have west river rifle and east river rifle could shoot 4 deer and archery are over the counter so I get a state wide one and hunt mule deer with it my west river tag rifle tag is good for any deer so muleys again going to be chased. With that said I have not shot a buck in 3 years as I have a 160 on the wall and 150 is my self imposed size with the rifle. I could shoot more with doe tags but a couple deer will make enough jerky steaks and roasts for us. West river starts next week end and I am going out the door to spend the day in a 4 mile by 4 mile public area that I have been watching a big mulie on to see if I can find him and know where he is for next week end.


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## swampbuck62 (Oct 25, 2013)

personally I think if we did move up that way, after the first winter she would be ready to move back south where she was born and raised..lol


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## KurtR (May 3, 2008)

I didn't notice where you were from you only need to shoot one deer up here to equal the 4 down there. what -20 aint that bad as long as the wind blows under 20 mph


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## swampbuck62 (Oct 25, 2013)

I was born in Green Bay and grew up in Northern MI, it's the wifey I would be worried about.. Sounds like bow hunting is the way to go...


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## mbarron634 (Jul 4, 2012)

Also if you buy land up here you can get gratis tags for gun


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## huntin1 (Nov 14, 2003)

swampbuck62 said:


> I was born in Green Bay and grew up in Northern MI, it's the wifey I would be worried about.. Sounds like bow hunting is the way to go...


Actually, both. The archery tag is good anywhere. But, when you get a rifle tag, and then get additional doe tags for the rifle season, those additional tags can be filled during the archery season, or the rifle season, in the unit that they are issued for. There were years when plainsman and I got our archery tag, then a rifle tag, and a muzzleloader tag, and then we were able to get up to 3 additional doe tags. Sometimes we got them all, sometimes we didn't apply for all that we were able to apply for. It just depends on how the herd is doing, and the number of people who apply.

And as mbarron634 said, if you own at least 150 acres, you will be eligible for a gratis license that will allow you to take a deer on your own land during any of the open seasons.

huntin1


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## swampbuck62 (Oct 25, 2013)

thanks for all the info......


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## specialpatrolgroup (Jan 16, 2009)

Not that you were speaking literally, but if you have 20-40 deer per square mile I hope it wouldn't take 100 days to take 4-5 of them :wink:


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## swampbuck62 (Oct 25, 2013)

specialpatrolgroup said:


> Not that you were speaking literally, but if you have 20-40 deer per square mile I hope it wouldn't take 100 days to take 4-5 of them :wink:


I mainly bow hunt and don't shoot every deer I see I am very selective on the bucks and doe's I kill..

And yes many parts of GA have 20 to 40 per sq mile... We have roughly I million deer in the state of GA before season starts...


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