Game & Fish Releases The Big 3 Harvest in North Dakota

The Big 3 Harvest Results

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department has released the big 3 harvest results for the 2025 hunting season. This includes Elk, Moose, and Bighorn Sheep.

Results for the deer rifle season have not yet been released and are expected to be announced later this year. Fewer and fewer deer licenses have been issued in the state, and the success rates have continued to fall over the last few years. There are a multitude of reasons for that. You can read more about that below.

(SEE ALSO: What is going on with our deer population in North Dakota?)

Moose Harvest in North Dakota - 2025

They issued 292 moose licenses in North Dakota in 2025. 281 hunters harvested 245 animals. 147 bulls and 98 cows/calves were harvested for an 87 percent success rate statewide. The county in North Dakota that had the highest harvest rate was M-10 with a 92.9% success rate.

Elk Harvest in North Dakota - 2025

1,021 elk licenses were issued in 2025. 929 hunters harvested 576 elk total, which included 280 bulls, and 296 cows/calves. That is a success rate of 62% overall for moose. The county in North Dakota that had the highest harvest rate was E-4 with an 86.4 percent success rate.

Bighorn Sheep Harvest in North Dakota - 2025

Only 8 licenses were given out, and one was an auction. The Three Affiliated Tribes Fish and Wildlife issued two licenses in 2025 (one tribal member and one to a North Dakota Game and Fish applicant), and all 10 hunters were successful.

Overall, it was a pretty successful year for big game hunters in the Peace Garden State.