Sept. 18 at noon Central time signals the start of a nine-and-a-half-day deer hunting season for licensed youth hunters.
The youth license is valid during the youth deer season that closes Sept. 27, and the regular deer gun season running from Nov. 6-22.
After opening day, hunting hours are a half-hour before sunrise to a half-hour after sunset. Orange clothing is required for youth hunters and mentors.
Each young deer hunter must be under direct supervision of an adult. The adult is prohibited from carrying a firearm or bow while accompanying the youth hunter in the field during the youth season.
Sandhill Crane Season
North Dakota’s sandhill crane season opens Sept. 19 and runs through Nov. 15.
Limits are three daily and nine in possession in unit 1 (west of U.S. Highway 281), and two daily and six in possession in unit 2 (east of U.S. Highway 281). Shooting hours are 30 minutes before sunrise to 2 p.m. each day, with extended shooting hours to sunset on Saturdays and Wednesdays beginning Sept. 26 through the end of the season.
Hunters are urged to use caution and identify birds to prevent shooting at endangered whooping cranes as they begin their fall migration.
In addition to other licenses required, hunters need their Harvest Information Program certification, and their respective resident or nonresident crane permit. Hunters can buy licenses online at the North Dakota Game and Fish Department website, gf.nd.gov.
Youth, Military Waterfowl Weekend
North Dakota’s two-day youth waterfowl season is Sept. 19-20. In addition, the special veteran and active military personnel waterfowl season is set for the same weekend.
Legally licensed resident and nonresident youth waterfowl hunters 15 and younger, and veterans and members of the Armed Forces on active duty, including members of the National Guard and Reserves on active duty (other than for training), may hunt ducks, geese, coots and mergansers statewide.
All waterfowl hunters must possess a waterfowl habitat restoration electronic stamp.
Resident and qualifying nonresident youth waterfowl hunters must possess a general game and habitat license.
Veterans and members of the Armed Forces must possess a resident hunting license, which includes a general game and habitat license and a small game license.
Hunters 16 and older must also possess a federal waterfowl stamp, and youth 12 and older need to have passed a certified hunter education course.
In addition, all hunters must be Harvest Information Program certified. Hunters who do not HIP certify when they buy a North Dakota license can add it by visiting the state Game and Fish Department website at gf.nd.gov.
Upland Game Brood Survey
North Dakota’s late summer roadside surveys indicated pheasant and sharp-tailed grouse numbers are slightly up from last year, while gray partridge numbers are down.
Total pheasants observed (80 per 100 miles) are up 3.8% from last year. Broods per 100 miles (9.6) and average brood size (5.3) are similar to last year. The statewide number of pheasants observed per 100 miles is 57% above the 10-year average.
Pheasants observed in the northwest were up 7% to 85 pheasants per 100 miles. Broods per 100 miles and average brood size were also up just slightly to 10.5 broods, with an average brood size of 4.7 chicks.
“The northwest continues to produce good pheasant numbers,” said upland game bird biologist RJ Gross, “although many hunters have caught on to this trend the last few years and hunting pressure has followed.”
Results from the southeast showed 8.6 broods and 64 pheasants per 100 miles, down from 9.4 broods and 72 pheasants in 2025. Average brood size was 5 chicks. Gross said hunters in the southeast will need to find local areas of suitable habitat that had good production.
The highest counts were found in southwestern North Dakota, which indicated 112 pheasants and 13 broods per 100 miles, similar to 14 broods and 115 pheasants in 2025. Average brood size was 5.7 chicks.
“Habitat conditions in the southwest were very good for nesting, the population has rebounded to about 80% of what it was prior to the 2017 drought,” said Gross.
Pheasant numbers in the northeast district, generally containing secondary pheasant habitat, have been growing beyond their traditional normal range, said Gross.
“Historically, the southern part of this district has the best numbers, but the Devils Lake and Jamestown areas both showed nice increases,” he said.
Observers in the northeast counted 5 broods and 43 pheasants per 100 miles, compared to 3 broods and 22 pheasants last year. Average brood size was 6 chicks.
“Sharp-tailed grouse, unfortunately, experienced yet another year of poor production, this time due primarily to extremely hot, dry stretches this summer,” said upland game management supervisor, Jesse Kolar. “One perk this year is a slight increase in relative abundance from good overwinter survival.”
Sharptails were up 16% statewide (9.7 sharptails per 100 miles), but remain 31% below the 10-year average. Brood survey results showed 1.1 broods per 100 miles and an average brood size of 5 chicks.
Partridge observed per 100 miles were down 17% (13 partridge per 100 miles). Observers recorded 1.2 broods per 100 miles, and 8 chicks per brood.
The grouse and partridge seasons open Sept. 12 and continue through Jan. 3, 2027.
The pheasant season opens Oct. 10 and continues through Jan. 3, 2027. The two-day youth pheasant hunting weekend, when legally licensed residents and nonresidents 15 and younger can hunt statewide, is set for Oct. 3-4.
As a reminder, nonresidents are prohibited from hunting Private Lands Open To Sportsmen and wildlife management areas from Oct. 10-16.
The fall wild turkey lottery has been held and more than 750 licenses remain in three units.
Remaining licenses will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis beginning Sept.16 at 10 a.m. Central time on the Game and Fish website, gf.nd.gov.
Hunters are allowed a maximum of five licenses for the fall season. Residents and nonresidents are eligible to purchase remaining licenses.
The fall turkey season runs Oct. 10 – Jan. 3, 2027.
Licenses remain for the following units: Unit 13, Dunn County, (514); Unit 25, McHenry County and portions of Pierce and Ward counties, (252); and Unit 45, Stark County, (33).
Submit Wing Envelopes
Hunters can help in the effort to manage upland game birds in North Dakota by collecting feathers from harvested birds and sending in wing envelopes.
Biologists can determine if birds are male or female, age ratios, survival, nesting success, hatch dates and overall production, all of which is vital to helping manage North Dakota’s upland game birds.
Birds included in the North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s longstanding upland game wing survey are ring-necked pheasants, sharp-tailed grouse, Gray partridge, turkeys and ruffed grouse.
Collecting enough pheasant samples is typically never a problem, but securing enough sharptail and partridge feathers can be.
Instructions for submitting wing data are printed on the envelope.
Hunters interested in receiving wing envelopes should visit the Game and Fish website, gf.nd.gov.
Bighorn Sheep Licenses
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department allocated five bighorn sheep licenses for the 2026 hunting season. This includes one auction license and four lottery licenses, three fewer than 2025.
“The reduction in hunting licenses should not be regarded as bad news for the state’s population of bighorn sheep,” said Brett Wiedmann, department big game biologist. “On the contrary, our population is at record levels and doing very well, but we like to harvest rams that are 8 years and older and the number of harvestable, mature rams is down due primarily to four consecutive years of poor lamb recruitment from 2015 to 2018.”
The total number of licenses does not include the potential for an additional tribal license issued to a North Dakota resident per a memorandum of understanding with Three Affiliated Tribes Fish and Wildlife. This would be the second of three licenses granted in the MOA.
In total, 22,739 applicants applied for bighorn sheep. Successful applicants have been notified.
Hunt For Tomorrow
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department encourages hunters to embrace Hunt for Tomorrow, an effort to promote hunting responsibly by building relationships with landowners, respecting the land, being courteous to other hunters, and doing your part to ensure the future of hunting.
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department, Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Agriculture remind residents to avoid contact with bats and report dead bats to Game and Fish for rabies testing.
"Bat activity increases in late summer and fall as bats are actively migrating and building fat reserves to survive the winter months,” says Greg Schonert, Game and Fish conservation biologist. “Additionally, juvenile bats are learning to navigate the landscape, which sometimes leads to increased presence near homes and businesses.”
Bats can carry the rabies virus, a viral disease that affects the central nervous system and is almost always fatal if not treated promptly. Humans can contract the disease through bites or scratches from infected animals.
Two bats recently tested positive for rabies in Burleigh County, prompting state agencies to remind the public to follow these precautions:
Look for unusual bat behavior such as activity during the day, lying on the ground or having direct contact with a human or pet.
Never handle bats with bare hands.
Vaccinate all pets against rabies.
To report a dead bat or unusual bat behavior, contact the Game and Fish Department at (701) 328-6300. All human exposure questions can be referred to Health and Human Services at (701) 328-2378. And if your pet has been exposed to a bat, contact your veterinarian for recommendations.
Hunters Remain Fire Aware
Hunters and others enjoying the outdoors this fall should be aware of the daily fire index, take precaution and be prepared. Many parts of the state remain dry with ample fuel for wildfire.
Fall remains a risk period due to increased human activity outdoors in rural areas, drying ground vegetation and high wind potential.
The National Weather Service issues a daily fire index to alert the public to conditions that may be conducive to the accidental starting or spread of fires. County governments may also enact local restrictions and penalties, which remain in effect regardless of the daily fire danger index until officially lifted by the county commission.
Current fire danger indexes and information on local restrictions are available at NDResponse.gov.
In addition to staying informed, outdoor enthusiasts should follow these steps:
Use caution with outdoor equipment of any kind. While pulling a camper, boat or trailer, remember to cross your tow chains.
Avoid parking or driving on tall, dry grass.
If you spot a fire caused by whatever means, report the situation immediately to law enforcement.
If you are in an area that allows recreational fires, never leave them unattended and be sure to put them out completely.
If possible, carry fire extinguishers, shovels, water and other tools in your vehicle.
Fall Turkey Deadline
North Dakota’s fall turkey application deadline is Sept. 2.
Fall turkey hunters, including gratis applicants, can submit an online application through the North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s website, gf.nd.gov.
Only North Dakota residents are eligible to apply. Nonresidents can apply for remaining fall turkey licenses following the first lottery.
Camping Restriction Lifted for Labor Day
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department will lift the Tuesday-Wednesday no-camping restriction for Labor Day week, which will allow overnight camping Sept. 8-9 on those wildlife management areas that otherwise have this two-day restriction in place.
A complete list of WMA regulations is available on the Game and Fish website, gf.nd.gov.
North Dakota Game and Fish Department