NDGF mule deer
By Doug Leier
Are you ready for the 2024 North Dakota deer gun season? Don’t confuse excitement and anticipation for “ready.” Most hunters were likely ready when last year’s season closed. While others rode the roller coaster of waiting for the 2024 season to be set, then applying for the deer license while spending time during summer months with the rifle at the range.
Hopefully, it included scouting public land, connecting with private landowners and making sure the vacation schedule for work was in and the list of other fall chores was current so as to not feel guilty about finishing the shed project you didn’t take care of that hot September week.
The bow season, grouse, waterfowl and pheasant season ramped up the excitement and finally as the calendar reads November, those plans are ready to be put into place.
Like most things in life, the age-old adage of you’ll get out what you put into it will play a part in the success or lack of success for the actual hunt. Truth is, I could talk about the word “success” for longer than most people would care to listen. I start with a quick Google search of the dictionary and smiled with the results: “noun 1.the accomplishment of an aim or purpose.” There is a thin line between success and failure.
It boils down to each hunter’s personal definition of success and failure. A fun and satisfying hunting or fishing trip means different things to different people. Trying to meet those
expectations is an ongoing responsibility for natural resource management agencies. Let’s take something subjective and try to put it more in terms of defined words like success.
During a typical North Dakota deer season, wildlife managers expect hunter success to come in at around 65 percent. Even at that high level, however, about 30-40% of hunters don’t fill a tag.
If you think about it, though, not everyone who gets a deer is completely satisfied or feels they had a quality hunt. On the other hand, some people who don’t get a deer have much more positive experiences than some people who are successful.
I have hunters relate wonderful stories of friends and family, the thrill of the chase ending in a missed shot or opportunity and explain it was a hunt they’ll never forget. On the other end, it’s not uncommon to hear a disappointing result of, “Well, I filled the tag but …”
Odds are if you asked three different hunters and anglers for their definition of quality and success, you’ll be hard pressed to find any consensus.
We’re fortunate in North Dakota to have enough wildlife and space so most hunters and anglers can have a reasonable chance of achieving their personal expectations. The challenge for managing agencies is to maintain that variety so most people are satisfied with their outdoor experiences … most of the time.
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