National Hunting and Fishing Day 2022

This year's National Hunting and Fishing (NHF) Day will be celebrated on September 24, 2022. On NHF Day, sports enthusiasts commemorate the tradition of hunting, target shooting, and fishing with national, state, regional and local organizations hosting related events.

Recognized on the fourth Saturday of every September, National Hunting and Fishing Day serves as a reminder to the American public that wildlife and wild places exist today thanks to the ongoing leadership and funding from hunters, anglers, and shooters.

Hunting and fishing play a large role in funding conservation efforts that also fuel economic prosperity, with more than 50 million Americans hunting and fishing every year, creating over $200 billion in economic activity and supporting over 1.5 million jobs. 

National Hunting and Fishing Day was formalized by Congress in 1971 to convey the message that conservation in America succeeds because of hunters and anglers.

In 1972, Richard Nixon signed the first ever Presidential proclamation of National Hunting and Fishing Day, writing, "I urge all citizens to join with outdoor sportsmen in the wise use of our natural resources and in insuring their proper management for the benefit of future generations.".

Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium serves as the officially recognized home of National Hunting and Fishing Day.

Located in Springfield, Missouri, within a day’s drive of more than half of all Americans, the not-for-profit institution celebrates those who hunt, fish, and act as stewards of the land and water.

American outdoorsmen and women support conservation projects through a conservation system funded by outdoor sports-related fees and excise taxes.

National Hunting and Fishing Day is made possible through the sponsorship and generous support of the conservation organizations Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, Ducks Unlimited, Izaak Walton League, National Shooting Sports Foundation, and Wonders of Wildlife.

For additional information about this year’s festivities or to get involved, visit www.NHFDay.org.

North Dakota Mule Deer Survey 2022

Mule Deer

In May 2022, the North Dakota Game and Fish  Department (NDGFD) completed its annual spring mule deer survey.

Results of the survey indicate western North Dakota’s mule deer population is 13% higher than last year and 34% above the long-term average.

Biologists counted 2,923 mule deer in 298.8 square miles during this year’s survey. The overall mule deer density in the badlands was 9.8 deer per square mile.

According to big game management supervisor Bruce Stillings, the 2022 spring survey was the longest on record due to two April blizzards. The blizzards produced approximately 40 inches of snow with high winds and low temperatures.

The spring mule deer survey is used to assess mule deer abundance in the badlands. It is conducted after the snow has melted and before trees begin to leaf out, providing the best conditions for aerial observation of deer. Biologists have completed aerial surveys of the same 24 study areas since the 1950s.

Mule Deer Facts

Mule average about 39 inches at the shoulder.

Bucks weigh from 125 to 330 pounds.

Does weigh 110 to 210 pounds.

Mule deer are reddish-brown in summer and blue-gray in winter, with white throat, belly and rump patch. Their tails are slender and white, with a black tip.

Mule deer bucks have antlers. Main beams divide into nearly equal branches, and may divide again to form four or more tines on each side.

Mule deer tracks are slightly larger in front with a walking stride of 15 to 25 inches.

Preferred habitats include brush plains, shortgrass prairie; they are often associated with buttes, badlands, and rough terrain.

Mule deer feed on a variety of trees, shrubs, and forbs including green ash, aspen, sweetclover, and sagebrush. When available, they also eat grass species, alfalfa, and other agricultural crops.

Their primarily range includes the badlands adjacent to the Little Missouri River. Secondary range extending north and east to the breaks along the Missouri River.

Breeding peaks in mid-November, with bucks tending one doe at a time. No permanent pair bonds.

The gestation period of mule deer is around 204 days.

One to three fawns are born late May to late June and weigh about 8 pounds. Fawns have a reddish-brown coat with white spots on back.

Mule deer are most active at dawn and dusk. Does often socialize in small groups with related females from several generations. Outside of the breeding season, bucks usually alone or in small bachelor groups.

When alarmed, mule deer often flee with a bouncing gait called “stotting.” 

Mule deer got their name because of their large ears.

source: North Dakota Game and Fish Department