NO PRONGHORN SEASON

July 11, 2011

Pronghorn Population Remains Low, NDGF Recommends No Season

North Dakota Game and Fish Department biologists recently completed the 2011 pronghorn population survey, which revealed the statewide population is 30 percent lower than last year. Therefore, the Game and Fish Department is recommending the pronghorn hunting season remain closed in 2011.

Bruce Stillings, big game supervisor in Dickinson, said three severe winters with high adult mortality rates followed by poor fawn production has dropped the statewide population estimate to approximately 4,500 pronghorn. Until last year when the population fell to 6,500 pronghorn, the statewide population had been at or above 10,000 animals since 2003, including two years with more than 15,000.

“Our numbers are declining with few young animals observed due to poor production in 2009 and 2010,” Stillings said. “To make matters worse, production this year was the lowest documented since biologists began surveying in the late 1950s.”

The aerial survey is flown in late June/early July after young-of-the-year are born and visible. Five airplanes covered more than 11,000 square miles of aerial transects within pronghorn habitat.

Survey results indicate the population in the western Bowman and southern Slope management regions are doing the best, while pronghorn in the northern badlands and northern Slope areas are in the poorest condition. Pronghorn in all management regions are well-below population objectives.

Northern Great Plains pronghorn are susceptible to dramatic population declines due to extreme winter conditions, Stillings said. The last three years have been a worst case scenario for pronghorn in North Dakota, similar to 1977-79 when three consecutive severe winters hit the region, resulting in closed seasons from 1978-1981.

“The last thing pronghorn needed was another severe winter,” Stillings said. “A much needed mild winter would increase adult survival and leave females in good condition for fawning.”

Biologists will continue to monitor pronghorn numbers in the future, and will reopen the season when the population returns to a level capable of withstanding a harvest. 

The 2011 pronghorn season will be closed to both gun and archery hunters. Applicants who have accumulated preference points will maintain their current points.


 

mhanson6 Said:
Sounds like no season, thats good in my opinion, hope there aint one for a while.

I am concerned and distressed at this comment, why the hatred for not allowing fellow sportsman the opportunity to hunt Pronghorn ???

mhanson6 Said:
Sounds like no season, thats good in my opinion, hope there aint one for a while.

Yellowjacket, i would very much like there to be a season, and i would like hunters to hunt antelope, but there isnt enough goats, so i think its best to not have a season for a while, to be honest id like to not see a season again for atleast 3-4 years at minimum

marksman Said:

mhanson6 Said:
Sounds like no season, thats good in my opinion, hope there aint one for a while.

In NC ND I have not seen  speed goat for 4 yrs.  The last ones the farmer would shoot them in the belly with  22 and let them run off and die.  I don't know why I have never seen them in a field just in section lines or where ever there  are weeds. or harvested fields

Once the population crawls back up to 10,000 animals they should have a season. If thats next year great. If its in 3-4 years, then that is that.  An easy summer and good fawning conditions could make it possible for a season sooner than later. If mature bucks are making it through these winters there is going to be some dandies running around.  I can't wait for the time to rifle/archery hunt antelope in ND again.

Big J

Its a good thing for it to be closed this year and maybe a couple more. I think i have 4-5 PP built up so when it does go to a draw i hope or should get drawn. I would love to kill another goat. The last one i got was in 08 a hair over 81. Going to be a tuff one to beat. Seen a dandy along 85 last week. He was a stud.

BringingTheRain Said:
Sucks, but it has to be done. Damn goats go to MT and SD for the winter and dont come back. Cant blame them I guess.

bullheadmaster Said:

Once the population crawls back up to 10,000 animals they should have a season. If thats next year great. If its in 3-4 years, then that is that.  An easy summer and good fawning conditions could make it possible for a season sooner than later. If mature bucks are making it through these winters there is going to be some dandies running around.  I can't wait for the time to rifle/archery hunt antelope in ND again.

Big J

SHEDZ Said:

Its a good thing for it to be closed this year and maybe a couple more. I think i have 4-5 PP built up so when it does go to a draw i hope or should get drawn. I would love to kill another goat. The last one i got was in 08 a hair over 81. Going to be a tuff one to beat. Seen a dandy along 85 last week. He was a stud.

SHEDZ Said:

Its a good thing for it to be closed this year and maybe a couple more. I think i have 4-5 PP built up so when it does go to a draw i hope or should get drawn. I would love to kill another goat. The last one i got was in 08 a hair over 81. Going to be a tuff one to beat. Seen a dandy along 85 last week. He was a stud.