Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883

Deer "weighted lottery" explained

Many hunters are anxiously waiting for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department to open applications for the 2018 deer gun season lottery. Please note, this year, the Game and Fish Department has eliminated paper applications. Lottery applications will be available online at, gf.nd.gov and via phone at (800) 406-6409. The application deadline is June 6.

The Game and Fish Department uses a system called a “weighted lottery” to distribute deer licenses. The license lottery consists of four separate drawings, one for each choice on the application. First, the Game and Fish Department holds a drawing for the first unit/first deer choice. When those are issued, they draw for the first unit/second deer choice, then the second unit/first deer choice and finally the second unit/second deer choice.

Outreach biologist, Doug Leier says, “The system gives hunters who have not drawn their first choice of license for a year or more, a better chance at drawing a license than someone who got their first choice last year. In deer units that have more applicants than licenses available, there is never a guarantee with this system, but the odds significantly improve as the more years someone goes without drawing a first choice.”

In the February 2018 edition of North Dakota Outdoors magazine, editor Ron Wilson, further explains, “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. When you accumulate 64 or more points, the number of additional chances is determined by cubing your bonus points. So, if you get to four points, you will have four additional chances in the drawing, 125 chances if you have five points, and so on.

Each drawing is still random, but the more bonus points you have, the better the odds. Even with this system, in many deer units it still takes several years for the odds to tip in a hunter’s favor for drawing a high-demand buck license.”

Hunters who are successful in drawing a tag for the season, you should know there are other licenses required. In addition to the deer license, hunters must also possess a fishing, hunting and furbearer certificate, which is $1 for residents and $2 for nonresidents, and a general game and habitat license, which is $20, or combination license for $50. It is important to purchase these additional licenses early in the season, as the Game and Fish Department will not send lottery drawn tags in the mail until the hunter has purchased the additional necessary licenses.

 
 
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