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HB 1260

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2025 Regular Session Introduced by Neil Hays

HB 1260: 15% of this year's total mule deer licenses for the regular gun season must be reserved for nonresident bow hunters, using current-year totals rather than last year's.

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Bill Summary · HB 1260

Summary — North Dakota HB 1260 (2025)

Title: An Act to amend and reenact subsection 10 of section 20.1‑03‑11 of the North Dakota Century Code (nonresident deer bow licenses)

Main purpose

HB 1260 changes how the pool of nonresident bow‑hunting licenses for deer is calculated. It requires that 15% of the total mule deer licenses and permits associated with the regular gun season made available in the current year be reserved for nonresidents who wish to hunt any deer with bow and arrow. The amendment updates the reference from the “immediately preceding year” to the “current year.”

Key provision (textual change)

  • Amends NDCC § 20.1‑03‑11(10) to read:
    • “Fifteen percent of the total mule deer licenses and permits to hunt mule deer made available in the current year for the regular gun season must be made available to nonresidents to hunt any deer with bow and arrow.”
  • Effectively, the 15% nonresident allocation is calculated from the current year’s mule deer license/permit total rather than the prior year’s total.

Who is affected

  • Nonresident hunters: The number of nonresident bow licenses will now equal 15% of the current year’s total mule deer licenses/permits for the regular gun season.
  • North Dakota Game and Fish Department (or equivalent licensing authority): Must implement the revised calculation when setting the nonresident bow‑license allotment.
  • Resident hunters: Indirectly affected because the change alters how many licenses are reserved for nonresidents versus the remainder available to residents.
  • Hunting license applicants and outfitters: May see changes in availability of nonresident bow permits year‑to‑year.

Practical effect and impact

  • Allocation responsiveness: Using the current year’s total can make nonresident allocations more responsive to changes in that year’s license availability (up or down), rather than lagging one year behind.
  • Variability: If the current year’s total mule deer permits differs from the prior year’s, the absolute count of nonresident bow licenses will change (increase if current > prior, decrease if current < prior).
  • Administrative: Minimal operational change — the licensing authority will apply a different base figure (current year total) when calculating the 15% allotment.

Procedural/timeline status

  • Introduced: November 12, 2024.
  • Legislative action (per enrolled copy): Passed both chambers (House vote 87–3; Senate vote 45–1).
  • Recorded as filed with the Secretary of State: April 11, 2025.
  • Statutory citation amended: NDCC § 20.1‑03‑11(10).

Notes and considerations

  • The bill changes only the reference year used to compute the 15% allocation; it does not change the percentage (15%), the species referenced (mule deer), or the mode of take specified for nonresidents (bow and arrow).
  • The actual numeric effect in any year depends on that year’s total mule deer licenses/permits for the regular gun season.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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