# 2003 Deer Hunting Stats



## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

Department Evaluates 2003 Deer Gun Season

Hunters had a record 2003 deer gun season, as data reveals an overall
harvest of 91,900 deer, 10,400 more than in 2002, according to Jerry Gulke,
data processing coordinator for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department.

The harvest success rate of 79.6 percent during the 2003 season was three
percent higher than in 2002. The high success rate correlates with a high
deer population, and second-season hunters filling their tags, Gulke said.

The department issued 32,435 second-season licenses last year and hunters
harvested 24,704 deer.

A record 123,475 deer gun licenses were allocated for the 2003 season,
compared to 116,925 during 2002. The average hunter spent 3.1 days afield.

Overall hunter success for whitetail bucks was 74.3 percent, and anterless
whitetail success was 78.8 percent.

Mule deer buck success was 79.0 percent, while mule deer doe hunters had a
success rate of 86.9 percent.

Youth deer season hunters had an overall success rate of 64.1 percent, with
a 49.4 percent success rate during the youth-only season.

Muzzle-loader season hunters had a success rate of 52.7 percent.


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