BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – The deer gun hunting season in North Dakota opened Nov. 6 at 12 C.T.
If you were lucky enough to draw a deer tag this year, there are some rules and regulations you need to follow.
“400 square inches of blaze orange is what you need and then that’s including a hat as well,” Noah Raitz said, district game warden.
Remember to always carry your deer tag with you while you’re hunting, and if you harvest a deer there are some things you need to do.
“First thing you should do when you harvest a deer is immediately tag it, notch out the date, month that it was killed. And then if it’s an antlered deer, put it at the base of the antler. And if it’s an antlerless, you put a slit in the ear and then put it through there. Don’t forget the carcass tag has to stay with the deer throughout the transportation process,” Raitz said.
You can transport someone else’s deer with the proper permit.
“Transporting another person’s deer, you can contact a local law enforcement officer or your local game warden to get a transportation permit. Which basically allows that person to transport another person’s deer,” Raitz said.
There are a couple different ways private land can be posted.
“Should be looking for physical signs, probably first around the property if you’re going to want to hunt it and then the next step is to check if it’s electronically posted,” Raitz said.
If you harvest a deer on land where you have the legal right to hunt and it runs onto posted property, what can you do?
“So for a legally harvested animal that runs onto private property that’s posted, the hunter does have the legal right to go retrieve that deer. But it’s simply to retrieve it. It’s not to keep pursuing it. So any sort of firearm or bow or muzzleloader would have to be left behind. And then if it goes further into the property, we advise contacting the landowner just to establish that connection just so you don’t mess up maybe a hunt that they’re on or something like that,” Raitz said.
And the most important thing this deer season is?
“Have fun and stay safe,” Raitz said.
If you witness a game and fish violation, call the Report All Poachers number at 701-328-9921. For all deer hunting regulations in 2026, visit gf.nd.gov/.
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