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Is deer season open in North Dakota?

Every North Dakota deer season we have read for 2026-27 from North Dakota Game and Fish Department, open or closed on the day you pick, and when the next one opens.

North Dakota deer seasons 2026-27

North Dakota's Deer Gun season runs Nov 6 to Nov 22, 2026.

Gun and muzzleloader licenses come from a lottery and limit you to the deer type, and for gun the unit, on your license, so these dates count only if you hold one; refuges and parks posted closed and part of unit 2L are off limits, and nonresident bow hunters are limited to private land until Sept. 14.

  • Deer BowSep 4 to Jan 3, 2027
  • Youth Deer · resident youth hunters ages 11 to 15 onlySep 18 to Sep 27
  • Deer GunNov 6 to Nov 22
  • MuzzleloaderNov 27 to Dec 13

North Dakota Game and Fish Department. 2026 Deer Proclamation and Hunting Regulations: North Dakota Game and Fish, checked November 2026.

Deer Season Dates

Deer season · North Dakota · Today. Yes. 2 deer seasons are open in North Dakota today: Deer Bow, Deer Gun.

Deer season · North Dakota · Today

Season open

Yes. 2 deer seasons are open in North Dakota today: Deer Bow, Deer Gun.

Gun and muzzleloader licenses come from a lottery and limit you to the deer type, and for gun the unit, on your license, so these dates count only if you hold one; refuges and parks posted closed and part of unit 2L are off limits, and nonresident bow hunters are limited to private land until Sept. 14.

  • Deer BowArcheryOpen

    Sep 4 to Jan 3, 2027

    North Dakota's wording
    "2026-2027 Deer Hunting Proclamation | Deer Bow Statewide Sept. 4 (12 noon) Jan. 3 Residents – Any deer is legal."

  • Youth DeerYouth

    Sep 18 to Sep 27

    Resident youth hunters ages 11 to 15 only

    North Dakota's wording
    "2026-2027 Deer Hunting Proclamation | Youth Deer Statewide Sept. 18 (12 noon) Sept. 27 11-, 12- and 13-year-olds – Any antlerless deer is legal. | Youth Deer Season (Residents Only)"

  • Deer GunFirearmOpen

    Nov 6 to Nov 22

    North Dakota's wording
    "2026-2027 Deer Hunting Proclamation | Deer Gun All Units Nov. 6 (12 noon) 16 ½ Day Season Nov. 22 Restricted to type of deer and unit on license."

  • MuzzleloaderMuzzleloader

    Nov 27 to Dec 13

    North Dakota's wording
    "2026-2027 Deer Hunting Proclamation | Muzzeloader Statewide Nov. 27 (12 noon) Dec. 13 Restricted to white-tailed deer only and type of deer on license."

Hunter orange

"All big game hunters, including bowhunters, are required to wear orange clothing while the regular deer gun season is in progress. All youth deer season and muzzleloader season hunters are required to wear orange clothing. Legal orange clothing is a head covering and outer garment above the waistline of solid daylight fluorescent orange color, totaling at least 400 square inches."
More from North Dakota's rules
"HOURS OF HUNTING are one-half (½) hour before sunrise to one-half (½) hour after sunset except when seasons open as noted above. All season openers are Central Time."
"Starting Sept. 14, nonresidents can hunt both private and public lands."
"The harvest of antlerless white-tailed deer in Deer Units 3C, 3E1, 3E2 and 3F2 shall be prohibited."

Source: North Dakota Game and Fish Department, 2026 Deer Proclamation and Hunting Regulations: North Dakota Game and Fish, checked November 2026.

Find a hunting outfitter

A guide to the dates each state printed for the year, not the regulations. Bag limits, permits, weapon rules and unit closures are in the state's own digest, which is the authority.

  • Each state's own dates, quoted
  • Your zone and your day
  • When the next season opens

Hunting in North Dakota

20 outfitters, guides and lodges listed in North Dakota. Legal shooting hours in North Dakota today.

See North Dakota outfitters

Other states

Deer seasons in other states

Compare the 43 states we have checked

Common questions

Deer season questions

North Dakota's Deer Gun season runs Nov 6 to Nov 22, 2026. Gun and muzzleloader licenses come from a lottery and limit you to the deer type, and for gun the unit, on your license, so these dates count only if you hold one; refuges and parks posted closed and part of unit 2L are off limits, and nonresident bow hunters are limited to private land until Sept. 14. Source: 2026 Deer Proclamation and Hunting Regulations: North Dakota Game and Fish.

North Dakota's Deer Bow season opens Sep 4, 2026. Source: 2026 Deer Proclamation and Hunting Regulations: North Dakota Game and Fish.

North Dakota's rule says: "All big game hunters, including bowhunters, are required to wear orange clothing while the regular deer gun season is in progress. All youth deer season and muzzleloader season hunters are required to wear orange clothing. Legal orange clothing is a head covering and outer garment above the waistline of solid daylight fluorescent orange color, totaling at least 400 square inches."

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