North Dakota Ring-necked Pheasant Hunting -
Regulations 2026
Ring-necked pheasants are the most popular upland game bird in America, introduced from Asia in the 1880s. Roosters are spectacular — iridescent copper-bronze body, dark green head, red eye wattles, and a distinctive white neck ring with a long barred tail. Hens are mottled brown for camouflage. The rasping two-note crowing call of roosters announces their presence in grassland and agricultural edges. Adults weigh 2-4 lbs. Pheasants are associated with the upper Midwest's corn and CRP field landscapes.
North Dakota Ring-necked Pheasant Hunting - 2026 Regulation Quick Reference
Verified August 2026
Source: North Dakota Game and Fish Department (gf.nd.gov) · Last verified: August 2026
What You Need
License & Tag Requirements to Hunt Ring-necked Pheasant in North Dakota
| License / Tag | Resident | Non-Resident | Required For |
|---|
Season Overview
North Dakota Ring-necked Pheasant Season Calendar 2026
| Season | 2026 Dates | Legal Methods | Extra License Needed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pheasant | North Dakota pheasant season opens Oct 10 and runs through Jan 4; North Dakota is among the top pheasant hunting states annually, with CRP grasslands, shelterbelts, and grain fields providing ideal habitat across the central and eastern portions of the state. Hunters must possess a valid North Dakota hunting license; nonresidents must purchase a nonresident license. The daily bag limit is three roosters (males only); hens are protected. Walk-In Access areas provide over 600,000 acres of private land for public hunting. The south-central counties of Kidder, Emmons, and Logan historically produce the highest rooster densities. |
By Management Zone
Season Dates & Rules by Zone
Harvest Rules
North Dakota Ring-necked Pheasant Bag Limits & Harvest Regulations
| Animal Type | Season Bag Limit | How to Get the Tag | Key Rules |
|---|
Legal Hunting Methods
North Dakota Ring-necked Pheasant Hunting - Seasons by Method
After the Harvest
Ring-necked Pheasant Registration - North Dakota's Check-In Requirements
North Dakota-Specific Rules
North Dakota Ring-necked Pheasant Hunting Rules You Must Know
Where to Hunt
Best Ring-necked Pheasant Hunting Areas in North Dakota
Know Your Quarry
North Dakota Ring-necked Pheasant - Biology & Population Facts
Hunting Tactics
North Dakota Ring-necked Pheasant Hunting Tactics - By Season
Questions & Answers