This guide is provided for informational purposes and is not intended to be a complete listing of regulations. If you desire specific information on regulations and laws, see our regulations and laws page.
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2011 Bighorn Sheep, Elk & Moose Hunting Guide (387Kb
PDF)
2011 Bighorn Sheep, Elk & Moose Proclamation (382Kb
PDF)
Units B1, B3, B4
Units M4, M8, M9, M10, M11
Units M5, M6
Units M4, M5, M6, M8, M9, M10, M11
Units E1, E2
Unit E1
Unit E2
Units E3, E4
Unit E5
Who May Apply - North Dakota residents are eligible to apply for bighorn sheep, elk and moose licenses. Nonresidents can apply for only a bighorn sheep license. No one may apply for a species for which they received a lottery license in previous years. (Exception: certain preferential landowner licensees.)
Hunter Education Requirement - Hunters born after December 31, 1961 must complete a certified state or provincial hunter education course and present the certification card to a license vendor to purchase a North Dakota hunting license. Persons who hunt only on land they own or operate are exempt from this requirement. The apprentice license is not valid for moose, elk or bighorn sheep.
Minimum Age - The minimum age for hunting bighorn sheep, elk, or moose is 14 on opening day of the season. Anyone under age 15 afield with firearms must be under direct supervision of a parent, legal guardian, or other adult authorized by a parent or guardian.
General - Licenses are nontransferable. No person may give away, barter or sell an issued license.
Bow Only - When applying, an applicant may declare a "bow only" option for bighorn sheep. Declaring the "bow only" option for bighorn sheep allows for a week extension of the season. The bow season for moose or elk is a separate hunting season.
Other Licenses Required - In addition to the bighorn sheep, elk or moose license, hunters must also possess a fishing, hunting and furbearer certificate ($1) and a general game and habitat license ($13) or combination license ($32). All stamps must be affixed to the back of a licensee’s fishing, hunting and furbearer certificate. Stamps and licenses must be signed in ink.
BIGHORN SHEEP
Unit B1 - 1 license (also valid in Unit B2)
Unit B3 - 2 licenses
Unit B4 - 2 licenses
(All licenses are for male bighorn sheep only)
One additional bighorn sheep license has been auctioned under bid guidelines set forth by the
Midwest Chapter of the Wild Sheep Foundation. This license is valid for any open unit.
ELK
Unit E1 Regular Season - 70 licenses (15 any, 55 antlerless)
Unit E2 Regular Season - 130 licenses (40 any, 90 antlerless)
Unit E3 September Season - 100 any elk licenses
Unit E3 October Season - 100 any elk licenses
Unit E4 September Season - 50 any elk licenses
Unit E4 October Season - 50 any elk licenses
One additional elk license is authorized to be raffled by the Rocky Mountain Elk
Foundation/Game Warden Museum. This license is valid for any open unit and any elk regardless of
age or sex.
MOOSE
Unit M4 - 7 licenses (4 antlered, 3 antlerless)
Unit M5 - 5 licenses - (any moose)
Unit M6 - 15 licenses - (any moose)
Unit M8 - 25 licenses - (15 any, 10 antlerless)
Unit M9 - 30 licenses - (15 any, 15 antlerless)
Unit M10 - 70 licenses - (40 any, 30 antlerless)
Unit M11 - 10 licenses - (7 any, 3 antlerless)
One additional moose license is authorized to be raffled by the Rocky Mountain Elk
Foundation/Game Warden Museum. This license is valid for any open unit and any moose regardless of
age or sex.
Bighorn Sheep - One male bighorn sheep.
Elk - One elk of the type designated on license. Type of elk includes
"antlerless" or "any" elk.
Moose - One moose of the type designated on license. Type of moose includes
"antlered," "antlerless," or "any" moose.
All elk or moose with at least one visible antler are considered "antlered."
Hunting big game over bait on Department wildlife management areas is prohibited. Hunting over bait is defined as the placement and/or use of bait(s) for attracting big game and other wildlife to a specific location for the purpose of hunting. Baits include but are not limited to grains, minerals, salts, fruits, vegetables, hay or any other natural or manufactured foods. The designation does not apply to the use of scents and lures, water, food plots, standing crops, or livestock feeds being used in standard practices.
Hunting over bait is also not allowed on all U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service national wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas; U.S. Forest Service national grasslands; and all North Dakota state school, state park and state forest service lands.
Immediately after an animal has been killed, the hunter must indicate the date of kill by cutting out the appropriate month and day from the tag provided with the license, and securely attach it to the antler on an antlered animal, or in a slit in the ear on an antlerless animal. The tag shall remain in place with the antlers or head until March 31, 2012. After the antlers, head or hide have been removed from the carcass, the carcass tag shall remain with the carcass until the processed meat is consumed, or until March 31, 2012, whichever comes first.
In no case is it legal to possess or transport a bighorn sheep, elk, or moose unless it is properly tagged. No person may reuse or attempt to reuse any tag issued. Tags are nontransferable. When any part of an animal is mounted, if the tag is removed from the antlers or ear, the tag must be securely fastened to the back or bottom of the mount and remain there.
Anyone who harvests a bighorn sheep in North Dakota, or possesses any North American wild sheep horns, skulls or heads which were not plugged in their state or province of origin, must have them plugged by Department personnel.
Mandatory Elk Harvest Reporting - Elk lottery license holders in Units E3 and E4are required to provide hunter harvest information no later than February 15, 2012. Failure to do so will result in loss of eligibility for all lottery licenses in 2012.
License holders must accompany their game animal, or parts thereof (excluding hide), during transportation, unless a permit for the transportation of game is issued by the Department upon request. Game may be shipped by common carrier (shipping companies, commercial meat processors and taxidermists) in receipt of proper bill of lading. A bighorn sheep, elk or moose carcass must be accompanied by the head to the final place of storage. No resident of the state may ship big game or parts thereof (other than hides) out of state without a permit from the Department. It is illegal to possess or transport another’s game animal, or parts thereof (excluding hide), without the license holder accompanying or as otherwise permitted. Processed and packaged meat (cut/ground and wrapped) of legally taken game may be gifted to another. Unprocessed, unpackaged game meat may be gifted as follows: 1) Prior to reaching the licensee’s personal residence a transportation permit must be obtained and accompany the game meat; 2) After reaching the licensee’s personal residence if accompanied by the name and address of the licensee.
Commercial processors and common carriers may possess any person’s legally taken possession limit of game.
Legal Firearms - Centerfire rifles of .25 caliber or larger are legal for elk and moose, while .243/6 mm caliber is the minimum allowed for bighorn sheep. Centerfire rifles of .50 caliber or larger using smokeless powder are prohibited. Muzzleloading rifles or single shot muzzleloader pistols of .50 caliber or larger are legal for all three species. Rifles must have a minimum barrel length of 16 inches. Rifled slugs of 20 gauge or larger are legal for shotguns. Minimum barrel length for shotguns is 18 inches. Handgun (pistol, revolver or single shot) cartridge cases under .40 caliber must be at least 1.285 inches in length and bullets must be at least .257 inches in diameter. Handgun cartridge cases of .40 caliber or larger must be at least .992 inches in length. In addition, any handgun designed to fire a legal rifle cartridge is legal. Fully automatic firearms, full metal jacketed bullets which are nonexpanding, and altered projectiles are prohibited.
Legal Archery Equipment - A bow must be pulled, held and released by hand. Any release aid may be used providing it is hand operated, the shooter supports the draw weight of the bow, and the release is not attached to any part of the bow other than the bowstring. Bows used for hunting bighorn sheep, elk and moose must have at least 50 pounds of draw at 28 inches or less draw length. Arrows must be at least 24 inches long, tipped with a metal broadhead, with at least two sharp cutting edges, and have a cutting diameter of at least 3/4 inch (i.e., not able to pass through a 3/4 inch ring). Broadheads used for hunting bighorn sheep, elk and moose must be unbarbed and have fixed blades(i.e., broadheads with mechanical or retractable blades manufactured to stay open are illegal). Telescopic sights, range finding devices, battery-powered or electronically lighted sights or other electronic devices attached to the bow, or the arrow, are not permitted.
Handheld range-finding devices are legal. Arrows capable of causing damage or injury to the animal in excess of that inflicted by the cutting edges of the broadhead are prohibited while hunting big game with a bow (e.g. explosive arrow points, arrows tipped with drugs or chemicals, and pneumatic or hydraulic shafts are illegal). Crossbows are not legal, except with a permit from the Game and Fish director. Hunters may possess handguns while hunting big game with a bow license. However, handguns may not be used to assist in the harvest of the big game animal.
Nonlicensees - No bighorn sheep, elk or moose licensee hunting in the field during the bighorn sheep, elk or moose season may be accompanied by a nonlicensee carrying the same firearm or bow as the licensee. For the purpose of this section "type of firearm or bow" means one of the following: a) centerfire rifles; b)handguns; c) muzzleloading firearms; d) archery equipment; or e)shotguns. A nonlicensee is a person not having a bighorn sheep,elk or moose license for the same season and unit as the person with the license.
All big game hunters are required to wear a head covering and an outer garment above the waistline of solid daylight fluorescent orange color, totaling at least 400 square inches. This requirement doesn't apply during the extended "bow only" portion of the bighorn sheep season (before the regular season opens), or during the elk and moose bow seasons.
It is illegal to use any animal except horses or mules as an aid in the hunting or taking of big game.
Federal or state properties such as refuges, sanctuaries, military installations, parks and historic sites posted to trespassing or hunting are closed to hunting.
State school land is open to public access including hunting unless posted with State Land Department signs. Contact the State Land Department for additional information regarding state school lands.
When hunting near the boundaries of closed refuges, sanctuaries, military installations, parks or historic sites - make sure you are familiar with any retrieval restrictions that may apply.
Do not hunt on road rights-of-way unless you are certain that they are open to public use. Most road rights-of-way are under control of the adjacent landowner and are closed to hunting when the adjacent land is posted closed to hunting.
No person shall kill, cripple, waste, destroy, spoil or abandon the edible flesh (both front quarters, both hind quarters, and back straps but does not include meat ruined by bullet or natural causes) of any big game animal without making a reasonable effort to retrieve and retain the big game animal in his/her actual custody, at the place where taken and between that place and either (a) his/her personal residence; (b) a taxidermist; (c) a common carrier; or (d) a commercial processor.
If an individual hunts exclusively on Indian lands within an Indian reservation, a tribal license is required and a state hunting license is not required. Hunting on nontribal lands within an Indian reservation requires a state hunting license. Game taken legally with a tribal license within an Indian reservation may be possessed and transported anywhere in North Dakota.
Portions of some units are located on Indian reservations. Contact reservation tribal offices for more information.
Anyone who owns, or leases for agricultural purposes and actively farms or ranches, a minimum of 160 acres of land in the following units is eligible to apply for landowner preference moose licenses. For 2011, one license is available in M4; zero in M5; two in M6; three in M8; four in M9; 10 in M10; and one in M11. Landowner preference licenses are valid for any moose. Landowner moose license holders may hunt only upon land owned or leased by them and described on their application.
(Exception: In unit M4, landowners with qualifying land located within a designated area may receive a license to hunt the entire unit M4. Individuals who receive a license under this provision must pay the appropriate big game license fee. A successful applicant from this restricted area may not return an unused license to retain eligibility for a license to hunt moose in future years.)
Qualifying Areas For M4
If a landowner moose license holder is unsuccessful in harvesting a moose, that person may return the unused license to the Department and apply for a license to hunt moose in future years. (Exception: licensees on certain qualifying lands in unit M4). Anyone who receives an additional license is not eligible to participate in the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation/Game Warden Museum raffle.
Anyone who owns, or leases for agricultural purposes and actively farms or ranches, a minimum of 160 acres of land in designated areas is eligible to apply for a landowner preference elk license. For 2011, allocation of these licenses is as follows: unit E1, 10 licenses; unit E2, 19 licenses; unit E3, 30 licenses; unit E4, licenses issued in accordance with exemptions provided under N.D.C.C. 20.1-03-11.7. Individuals who receive a landowner preference license must pay the appropriate big game license fee.
Landowner Preference Elk License Eligibility Areas
Preferential licenses for units E1 and E2 may be used until filled, in both bow and gun seasons subject to the rules of the season.
Landowner preference licenses are valid for any elk, except that in unit E1 only antlerless elk may be taken November 25 - December 11. Landowner elk license holders may hunt anywhere in the unit where their qualifying land is located. Landowner preference licenses for units E3 and E4 are valid for the September, October and extended seasons.
Unit E1 - Cavalier, Pembina and Walsh counties, and those portions of Rolette and Towner counties north of ND Highway 66 and east of ND Highway 30.
Unit E2 - Dunn and McKenzie counties, excluding all of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
Unit E3 - Billings, Golden Valley and Slope counties, except that portion of land known as Unit E4, and excluding Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
Unit E4 - An area in Billings and Golden Valley counties north of Interstate 94 (excluding all of Theodore Roosevelt National Park), composed of the following land:
Unit E5 - The remainder of the state not included in a numbered unit.
Unit B1 - All of Slope County and those portions of Billings and Golden Valley counties south of Interstate 94 except that portion of land known as unit B2.
Unit B2 - (Additional area open to unit B1 licensee) - Those portions of Billings County starting at the Interstate 94 Fryburg Exit #36, then south to 38th Street, then west to 136th Avenue, then south to 43rd Street - USFS 740, then west to KG Road - USFS 765, then south to Dantz Creek (between Kendley and Moody plateaus), then west to East River Road (FH3) - USFS 742, then north to USFS 794, then west to Little Missouri River, then north to Garner Creek, then west to West River Road - USFS 745, then north to Old Highway 10, then east to Interstate 94, then east to point of origin.
Unit B3 - Those portions of Golden Valley, Billings, Stark and McKenzie counties starting at a point where Interstate 94 enters North Dakota, then following Interstate 94 east to US Highway 85, then north to McKenzie County Road 50, then west to McKenzie County Road 27 - Red Wing Road, then north to McKenzie County Road 38 - Hay Draw Road, then west and north to Montana state line, then south to point of origin.
Unit B4 - Those portions of McKenzie and Dunn counties starting at the intersection of McKenzie County Road 38 - Hay Draw Road and the Montana state line, then south and east to McKenzie County Road 27 - Red Wing Road, then south and east to McKenzie County Road 50, then east to US Highway 85, then south to ND Highway 200, then east to ND Highway 22, then north to McKenzie County Road 53, then west and north to ND Highway 23 (excluding area within Fort Berthold Indian Reservation), then west to US Highway 85, then west and north to the south bank of the Missouri River (Lake Sakakawea), then west along the south bank of the Missouri River to the Montana state line, then south to the point of origin.
Unit M4 - Those portions of Bottineau and Rolette counties bordered on the west by ND Highway 14, on the south by ND High-way 5, on the east by ND Highway 30, and on the north by Canada.
Unit M5 - Those portions of Grand Forks, Nelson, Ramsey and Walsh counties bordered on the north by ND Highway 17, on the west by ND Highway 1, on the south by US Highway 2, and on the east by Minnesota.
Unit M6 - Those portions of Barnes, Benson, Cass, Dickey, Eddy, Foster, Grand Forks, Griggs, LaMoure, Nelson, Ramsey, Ransom, Richland, Sargent, Steele, Stutsman and Traill counties bordered on the west by US Highway 281, on the north by US Highway 2, on the east by Minnesota, and on the south by South Dakota.
Unit M8 - Those portions of Bottineau, Cavalier, Pierce, Ramsey, Rolette and Towner counties bordered on the east by ND Highway 1, on the north by Canada and hunting Unit M4, on the west by ND Highway 60, and on the south by ND Highway 17.
Unit M9 - Those portions of Benson, Bottineau, McHenry, McLean, Towner, Pierce, Ramsey, Renville, Sheridan, Ward and Wells counties bordered on the east by ND Highway 1 and the boundary of hunting Unit M6, on the north by hunting Units M8, M4 and Canada. The western and southern borders are ND Highway 256 and US Highway 83 to the point where the highway crosses the southern portion of Lake Sakakawea, then west along Lake Sakakawea and south along the Missouri River to Washburn, then north on ND Highway 200A, then east on ND Highway 200 to the junction of US Highway 281 at Carrington. Mallard Island is included within this unit.
Unit M10 - Those portions of Bottineau, Burke, Divide, McLean, Mountrail, Renville, Ward and Williams counties bordered on the east by hunting unit M9, the north by Canada and the west by Montana. The southern border starts at the junction of Montana and US High- way 2 to Williston where it meets up with ND Highway 1804, then continues east along ND Highway 1804 to New Town, then follows ND Highway 23 west to Lake Sakakawea, then following the north shore of Lake Sakakawea to US Highway 83.
Unit M11 -Those portions of Dunn, McKenzie, Mercer, Mountrail and Williams counties bordered on the west by Montana, on the north and east by units M9 and M10, and on the south by a line starting along ND Highway 200 at the Montana border, east to US Highway 85, south along US Highway 85 to ND Highway 200, then along ND Highway 200 to the Missouri River east of Pick City (unit M9).
This program encourages people to report wildlife violations, remain anonymous if they prefer, and receive monetary rewards for convictions based on their information. Anonymous callers will be given a special code number and are not required to give their name. Rewards range from $100 to $1,000 depending on the nature and seriousness of the crime. Call 800-472-2121. Call this number only to report game and fish violations. Note: If calling from outside North Dakota, the number is (701) 328-9921.The reward fund is supported by private donations. If you wish to donate to the RAP program, tax deductible contributions can be sent to RAP, Box 188, Valley City, ND 58072-0188.