ND Non-Resident Mule Deer Help

kmorrow63 · Jul 5, 2022

Hey guys! I am new here to the forum, and this is my first post. I drew an ND archery Mule deer tag and looking for any guidance with any tips, best time to go, and locations to archery hunt Mule deer. I have a 3 day opportunity to hunt some closed private land south of Marmarth but I have 8 days set aside for hunting and 2 days for travel being that I am from Indiana. So I am looking at other locations to hunt and my plan is the tent camp at the truck. Thanks in advance!

ICMDEER · Jul 6, 2022

I've never hunted ND, but hope to do it someday. I'm no help but I wish you well. I hope you get some ideas and stack up a big buck.

No need to share where you end up hunting, but if you can, please share a report of what you thought of the hunt. You can even PM me if that works.

I did hear they are having a much better moisture year so the deer should be in great shape.

Best of luck!

kmorrow63 · Jul 7, 2022

ICMDEER said:
I've never hunted ND, but hope to do it someday. I'm no help but I wish you well. I hope you get some ideas and stack up a big buck.

No need to share where you end up hunting, but if you can, please share a report of what you thought of the hunt. You can even PM me if that works.

I did hear they are having a much better moisture year so the deer should be in great shape.

Best of luck!

Thanks! I can definitely send you a message afterward!

I know Western ND is the place to hunt mule deer but at least trying to narrow it down to northwest, west-central, or southwest. Not looking for someone to give up their secret spot haha. This is really my first time e-scouting for a out of state hunt so I have a lot to learn in the process.

DirtyTough · Jul 7, 2022

Don't expect Colorado/Wyoming type of quality. There are a lot of mature bucks with crap genetics though. And there are a ton of deer in general. Like there are too many deer a lot of times so it's hard to stalk with all the eyes. If a guy isn't holding out for a trophy you should be able to make multiple stalks on mature bucks.

The last 4-5 years have been down quality wise. One of the best bucks killed in the last few years was more in the central part of the state, not out west. I work by Marmarth/Rhame a lot and last year I didn't see a buck I would shoot in that area.

Season wise I have always liked hunting as early as possible. But it is becoming a SS with all the hunters hunting opening week of archery. If you wait for the rut sometimes its hard to catch up to a buck that is cruising or they are with a big group of does. Since you have access to private it might be worth hunting the opener on public first. Then heading to the private hoping more deer got pushed onto it if you haven't filled your tag.

Regards, Branden

yotebuster17 · Jul 7, 2022

Plenty of deer on public. There really isn’t a good or bad place. Private in the central part of the state with soybeans nearby is probably the best bet for biggest bucks but for quality experience and ample opportunity any where in the grasslands will hold deer and plenty of them. Should be a good year. Dry open winter with good feed this summer, all the whitetails died so the competition from them is non existent.