2016 Deer Drawing

Authors and Contributors

Ron Wilson

Following some difficult winters, a continuing loss of wildlife habitat on the landscape, and other influences, the number of deer gun licenses made available to hunters the last several years, with one exception, has declined.

The exception was 2016, when deer gun licenses increased, after a 37-year low in 2015, to 49,000. The number of licenses available in 2015 was 43,275.

Hunters in 2016 were again allowed to draw only one license for the deer gun season. With deer populations slow to rebound across the state, drawing just one license certainly wasn’t a sure thing.

In 2016, nearly 74,200 hunters applied for the 49,000 licenses allocated by the North Dakota Game and Fish Department for the deer gun season. In comparison, about 69,800 hunters applied for the 43,275 licenses in 2015.

The number of buck licenses in North Dakota increased by more than 4,000 in 2016 as compared to 2015. Even so, drawing one of these licenses was difficult.

According to Randy Meissner, Game and Fish Department licensing manager, after 12,684 gratis licenses and 485 nonresident licenses were subtracted from the overall license allocation, just 19,818 buck licenses were available for the 63,379 hunters who applied for them as their first choice in the lottery.

For the first time in five years, as mule deer in western North Dakota continued to show signs of recovery, the Department allowed limited hunting of antlerless mule deer in three of eight badlands hunting units. The 2016 spring mule deer index was 21 percent higher than 2015, and 38 percent higher than the long-term average. This was the fourth consecutive year the index was higher than the previous year.

Also in 2016, the Game and Fish Department allowed a limited pronghorn hunting season for the third year in a row.

How It Works

No matter if you’re new to North Dakota’s deer gun season, or a veteran of wearing fluorescent orange each November, there are always questions on how the Game and Fish Department’s lottery system works.

Using deer as the example, though turkey works the same way, this is how it works.

If you fail to draw your first license choice in any given year, you receive a bonus point. You do not have to apply in the same unit, or for the same deer type each year, to qualify. You get an additional bonus point each year you apply and do not receive your first license choice. You maintain your accumulated bonus points as long as you apply in the first drawing at least once every two years.

You receive additional chances in the drawing for each bonus point accumulated. For points one through three, you are entered in the drawing two times the number of points you have. So, if you have two points you would get four additional chances to be drawn, compared to a person who got his or her first choice the previous year. If you’re both competing for the same license, you have five chances, he or she has one.

When you accumulate four or more points, the number of additional chances is determined by cubing your bonus points. So, when you have four points, you will be in the drawing 64 additional times, 125 times if you have five points, and so on. Bonus points are accumulated as long as you do not draw your first license choice and apply in the first drawing at least every other year. You do not receive bonus points in years you do not apply.

Each drawing is still random, but the more bonus points you have, the better your odds. When you receive your first license choice, you lose your bonus points and start over. Bonus points can only be earned, or used, in the first drawing for each species in each year.

The license lottery consists of four separate drawings, one for each choice on the application. First, we hold a drawing for the first unit/first deer choice. When those have been issued, we draw for the first unit/second deer choice, then the second unit/first deer choice, and finally the second unit/second deer choice.

2016 Lottery Bullet Points

49,000 deer licenses were available, up from 43,275 in 2015.
74,179 people applied for deer gun season licenses, up from 69,791 in 2015.
63,379 applicants applied for buck licenses as their first choice; 19,818 buck licenses were available in the drawing after 12,684 gratis and 485 nonresident licenses were withheld.
Mule deer doe licenses were available for the first time in five years in three hunting units in the badlands.
The highest number of bonus points accumulated by any hunter in the 2016 deer drawing was 14.
Applicants who applied for a mule deer buck license accounted for nearly 24 percent of applicants with four or more bonus points.
About 7 percent of applicants with four or more bonus points applied for a muzzleloader buck license.
A buck license in unit 2E was the most difficult license to draw. The second most difficult was a buck license in unit 3C.
The number of spring turkey licenses (5,815) available to hunters in 2016 was the same as 2015. The number of applicants decreased from 5,880 in 2015 to 5,601 in 2016.
The number of fall turkey licenses available decreased from 3,655 in 2015 to 3,510 in 2016. The number of applicants increased from 3,040 in 2015 to 3,078 in 2016.
A limited pronghorn season was offered for the third consecutive year, with 730 licenses, 320 more than 2015.

2016 SPRING TURKEY LOTTERY RESULTS

Percent of applicants who received their first choice of license.

POINTS
LICENSE TYPE	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	OVERALL
2 S	98	97.7	100							90.3
3 S	82	100								94.1
4 S	100	100	100							100
6 S	83.3									83.3
13 S	87.6	75								85.4
17 S	100	100	100	100						100
19 S	94.8	100								96.4
25 S	97.7	88.9								83.8
27 S	100	100	100							100
30 S	93.7	84.6	100							86
31 S	70.6									70.6
37 S	100	100	100	100						100
40 S	90.2	100		100						90.5
44 S	100	100								100
45 S	94.4	100								87.8
47 S	83	100								90.9
50 S	100	100	100	100						100
51 S	97.3									97.3
53 S	100	100	100							100
98 S	100	100	100	100						100
99 S	77.6	50								85.3

2016 FALL TURKEY LOTTERY RESULTS

Percent of applicants who received their first choice of license.

POINTS
LICENSE TYPE	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	OVERALL
2 F	100	100	100	100						100
3 F	91.2									91.2
4 F	100	100	100							100
6 F	100	100								100
13 F	90.5	60								85.3
17 F	100	100	100							100
19 F	100									100
25 F	95.5	100								92.4
27 F	100	100	100	100						100
30 F	96.1	83.3								88.5
31 F	66.7									66.7
37 F	100	100	100	100						100
40 F	100	100								100
44 F	100	100								100
45 F	89.7	100								88.4
47 F	85.2									85.2
50 F	100	100	100							100
51 F	95									95
98 F	100	100	100							100
99 F	100									100

2016 PRONGHORN LOTTERY RESULTS

Percent of applicants who received their first choice of license in the 2016 pronghorn drawing.

POINTS
LICENSE TYPE		0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	OVERALL
01A	A	0.1	0.2	0.6	0	3.9	8.4	21.4	26.1	37.5	2.4
02A	A	0	4	3.5	4.9	34.6	45.5	71.4	100	0	8.8
02B	A	0	0	0	3.3	17	41.2	42.9	0	0	5.1
03A	A	0	6.5	2.2	0	25	63.2	75	50	100	16.7
03B	A	0	0.4	1.6	0	4.9	12.7	37.5	47.6	50	5.3
04A	A	0.2	2.4	2.1	3.5	31.2	43.4	60	47.8	60	9.2
04C	A	0.5	0	1.4	3.7	24.3	42.1	45.5	25	100	7.4

2016 DEER LICENSE LOTTERY RESULTS

Percent of applicants who received their first choice of license in the 2016 deer drawing.

POINTS
LICENSE TYPE		0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	OVERALL
1	A Any Buck	5.8	23.4	29	41.9	89.5	100				24.1
1	B Any Doe	92.1	100	87.5	100						93.3
2A	A Any Buck	2	12.4	18.1	18.1	79.8	76.5		100		24.5
2A	B Any Doe	35.1	65.5	72	80.6	84.2					76
2B	A Any Buck	2.7	8.5	14	20	74.8					14.8
2B	B Any Doe	27.4	58.3	60.6	52.8	80	100				42.3
2C	A Any Buck	1.4	3.3	5.5	8.7	51.8	56.4				11
2C	B Any Doe	2.7	11.5	17.9	12.9	75	100				15.3
2D	A Any Buck	6.8	12.3	20.1	33	67.9					20.4
2D	B Any Doe*	0	0	0	0	0	0				0
2E	A Any Buck	0.5	1.6	1.7	3.3	27.4	41.7				9
2E	B Any Doe	3.6	16.7	25.7	50	71.4					20.1
2F1	A Any Buck	31.9	63.2	77.1	85.7						53.9
2F1	B Any Doe	98	84.1	76.5							93.5
2F2	A Any Buck	9.8	29.8	43.8	55.2	91.3					31
2F2	B Any Doe	93.3	86.5	77.3	80		100				90.9
2G	A Any Buck	11.9	28.6	40.2	48.3	91.8					38.3
2G	B Any Doe	15.6	25.4	36.4	40	66.7					25.8
2G1	A Any Buck	4.3	9.7	15.1	20.9	76.9	85.7				18.7
2G1	B Any Doe	52.8	87	72.5	56.2	77.8					76.8
2G2	A Any Buck	15.2	32.1	51	52.5	80.7					33.8
2G2	B Any Doe	95.2	75	88.2							90.8
2H	A Any Buck	26.8	60.3	75.1	86						49.7
2H	B Any Doe	96.8	93.8	87.5		100	100				95.3
2I	A Any Buck	11.6	34.1	51.5	60.4	93.8					34.7
2I	B Any Doe	93.8	84.2	100			100				92.5
2J1	A Any Buck	11.2	35.3	44.2	59.7	93	85.7		100	100	37.1
2J1	B Any Doe	97.1	94.1	100	100						97
2J2	A Any Buck	23.3	54.2	71.3	70.3	72.2					45.6
2J2	B Any Doe	95.7	93	87.5	100			100			95.2
2K1	A Any Buck	6.4	16.2	19.7	29.6	85.1	81.2	100		100	22
2K1	B Any Doe	91.5	73.1	85.7	80	100					89.3
2K2	A Any Buck	14.8	38.1	49.2	59.6	75.3					34.9
2K2	B Any Doe	92.7	86.8	84	80	100	100				91.1
2L	A Any Buck	21.5	50	64.6	82.1						48
2L	B Any Doe	97.5	85.7	100							95.9
3A1	A Any Buck	1.1	4.6	10.4	12.6	69.5	76.8	84.4			20.7
3A1	B Any Doe*	0	0	0	0	0	0				0
3A2	A Any Buck	22.1	51.9	68.7	71.1	91.7					44.9
3A2	B Any Doe	95.5	84.3	100	100						93.8
3A3	A Any Buck	2	6.8	9.8	16.3	74.9	86.5				18.4
3A3	B Any Doe	86.1	76	84.6	70	66.7	100				93.3
3A4	A Any Buck	8.2	21	33.9	38.7	84				100	23.1
3A4	B Any Doe	93.1	81.2	61.5	80			100			89.5
3B1	C WT Buck	2.4	4.8	6.8	12.7	59.3	79.4			100	14.4
3B1	D WT Doe	90	81.2		100		100				83.8
3B1	E MD Buck	6.6	21.4	24.6	40.5	95.9	100	100			28.4
3B1	F MD Doe	100	100	66.7	100	100					89.5
3B2	C WT Buck	19.4	45.7	71.2	60	100	100				43.8
3B2	D WT Doe	91.1	100		100						93
3B2	E MD Buck	35.6	67.7	78.6	66.7	100	100				58.7
3B2	F MD Doe	100	100	100							100
3B3	A Any Buck	12.5	30.8	37.3	56.2	100	100				28.3
3B3	B Any Doe	68.1	85	100							84.2
3B3	C WT Buck	53.2	87	82.7	100	100	100				72.3
3B3	D WT Doe	98.9	100	100							99.3
3C	A Any Buck	2.7	10.3	15.6	28.3	50	66.7	100			11.9
3C	B Any Doe	49.5	86.5	100	100						70
3C	C WT Buck	43.4	81.5	85.8	87.9						64.7
3C	D WT Doe	96.9	95.2	100	100						96.3
3D1	A Any Buck	14.8	39.6	59	81.1	94.1			100		38.8
3D1	B Any Doe	92.2	60	100							90
3D1	C WT Buck	94.2	97.2	60	100	100			100	100	94
3D1	D WT Doe	66.7	100								75
3D2	A Any Buck	8.7	24.8	36.9	60	94.6		100			29.6
3D2	B Any Doe	94.6	80	83.3	100		100				92.8
3D2	C WT Buck	74.2	96.9	96	100		100				88.2
3D2	D WT Doe	100	100								100
3E1	A Any Buck	16.5	40.2	61	74.1				100		35.3
3E1	B Any Doe	94.7	88.9	100	100						94.1
3E1	C WT Buck	50.5	81.5	85.2	100						66.4
3E1	D WT Doe	83.3	100								90.5
3E2	A Any Buck	36.4	69.3	73.2	76.2	77.8	100				56.6
3E2	B Any Doe	95	82.4								93.7
3E2	C WT Buck	98.3	92.1								96.1
3E2	D WT Doe	96.2	100								96.6
3F1	A Any Buck	22.5	52.8	56	63.2	100					42.3
3F1	B Any Doe	96.6	92.9	100							95.9
3F1	C WT Buck	95.1	89.2	100	100		100				94.4
3F1	D WT Doe	89.9									89.9
3F2	A Any Buck	25.3	55	78.5							45.5
3F2	B Any Doe	98.2	100	100							98.5
3F2	C WT Buck	97.5	89.1	72.7							94.4
3F2	D WT Doe	100	100								100
4A	C WT Buck	28.4	64.1	80	82.8	80	100			100	56.8
4A	D WT Doe	94.4	100		100						95.8
4A	E MD Buck	3	6.3	8.6	17.3	70.7	77.1				20.3
4B	C WT Buck	42.9	81.8	91.7	80	100	100				67.2
4B	D WT Doe	100	100	100							100
4B	E MD Buck	0.8	1.3	3.6	7.4	28.6	50.9	65.1			16.6
4C	C WT Buck	71.5	90.7	85			100	100			82.9
4C	D WT Doe	100	100	100							100
4C	E MD Buck	0.5	1.9	2.5	1.9	23.8	38.4	52	55.3		15.4
4D	C WT Buck	85.3	89.7	88.9	100	100		100			95.5
4D	D WT Doe	83.3	100	100							85.7
4D	E MD Buck	1.3	2.3	2.1	4	28.3	52.4	72.3	69.7		14.4
4D	F MD Doe	82.1	78.6	100		100		100			83.1
4E	C WT Buck	97.6	100	88.9	100	100					97.3
4E	D WT Doe	100	100								100
4E	E MD Buck	7.9	17.1	38.3	50.7	84.6		83.3			34.4
4E	F MD Doe	95	100								95.6
4F	C WT Buck	97.3	75	100		100			100		94.4
4F	D WT Doe	92.3	100	100							95
4F	E MD Buck	31.1	60.6	56	80	77.8					55.2
4F	F MD Doe	100			100						100
MUZ	C WT Buck	0	0.3	0.3	0.3	2.4	4.7	8.9	15	23.9	4.1
MUZ	D WT Doe	31.9	69	78.9	96.9	100	100	100	100	100	52.5

*All available doe licenses were issued to gratis applicants prior to the lottery drawing.

Return to North Dakota Outdoors February 2016 Edition