Pronghorn antelope in the south unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park on Thursday, March 22, 2018.
North Dakota’s 2021 pronghorn hunting season is set, with 1,720 licenses available in 15 open units.
Applicants can apply online at the North Dakota Game and Fish Department website, gf.nd.gov. The deadline for submitting applications is Aug. 11.
Bruce Stillings, big game management supervisor for the Game and Fish Department, said license numbers are down slightly from last year, when the department allocated 1,790 licenses.
“Doe/fawn licenses will be issued in unit 3B for the first time in several years to address areas of high pronghorn density and provide additional hunting opportunities,” Stillings said.
The recently completed aerial survey indicated the pronghorn population is down 8% from last year. The fawn-to-doe ratio was 52 fawns per 100 does, down from 61 fawns per 100 does last year. The buck-to-doe ratio of 34 bucks per 100 does remains stable and above the population objective, Stillings said.
Each unit will once again have a season that is split into an early bow-only portion, and a later gun/bow season.
The bow-only portion of the season is from Sept. 3 (noon) – Sept. 26. Anyone who draws a license can hunt pronghorn with a bow in the unit printed on the license.
From Oct. 1 (noon) – Oct. 17, hunters who still have a valid license can use legal firearms or archery equipment, and again must stay in the assigned unit.
Only North Dakota residents are eligible to apply for a pronghorn license. Hunters who have accumulated bonus points and choose not to apply this year will not lose their points, but will not accrue a point for next year. However, hunters who do not want a license in 2021 have the option to purchase a bonus point on the application.
The pronghorn license fee is $30 for ages 16 and older, and $10 for under age 16. Applicants for a pronghorn lottery license must be at least 12 years of age on or before December 31, 2021.
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